Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Rise of The Wraith
by DFM23
Summary: A Separatist experiment results in the creation of a deadly super-soldier, engineered to eliminate the Clone Army and annihilate Republic forces. As his notoriety grows, the Republic experiencing his fury in full, questions arise as to who he is. Is there more to him than a monster? A certain Togruta padawan is determined to find out. M for violence and mature situations. AU
1. Prologue

After the invasion of Naboo, the Confederacy of Independent Systems knew that a war would come. They had no idea when, all they knew was that they had to be ready. As much as the battle droids would be cheap and easy to manufacture, they would form the bulk of the army. It would be the commanders and generals who won the war.

The Separatists were seeking an edge, a kind of 'super soldier' who would surpass battle droids and put the fear of the CIS in the Republic. The Techno Union and their chief scientists took it upon themselves to design such a soldier. The potential for an enhanced warrior unlike anything ever before became their foremost project, becoming known as Project Sunstorm. By gathering DNA samples and synthesizing biometric compounds, they developed a formula that would push the boundaries of common biology and create the perfect specimen. Unfortunately, every candidate succumbed to death and did not survive the injection procedure. It was eventually determined that a fully-grown body could not handle such sudden changes. The candidates would have to be far younger and less developed. But the search for such a candidate was not easy...

But in 37 BBY, they got their wish.

A human male infant, unwanted by his parents, was given to Pau'an scientist Pomel Scipio. The infant survived the injection and, at the discretion of the Separatist Council, was to be raised and trained to fight like no other.

The boy did not have normal childhood. From infancy, he was taught to uphold Separatist values and despise the Republic. All who served the Republic were his enemies... worthy of death. He was never given love and affection, his day of birth never celebrated. All he knew was the cold steel walls of the compound, the shouts of the drill instructors, the regular injections and the constant mental programming that was transforming him into a monster.

In 22 BBY, the Battle of Geonosis signified the start of the war the Separatists knew was coming. The Republic attacked the Separatist battle droids with their Clone army and the Clone Wars began. By now, fourteen years of training and preparations had transformed the boy into the deadliest warrior in the entire Separatist army, ready to fight and ready to kill. Pomel Scipio stood back and watched with a sense of pride as his menacing creation stepped forward into history and participated in his first battle: The Battle of Christophsis...


	2. Scipio's Log 1839

Scipio's Log: Entry 18.39 - This creation of mine

 _"I have just received orders to have him prepped for battle. The Separatist Council has decided to give my experiment a chance, they are sending him to Christophsis. That was several hours ago. I have readied his armament, performed final injections and made one last reprogramming session. He is as ready as he can be._

 _"I have mixed feelings about this. Most of me swells with pride at the thought of him finally being unleashed upon the Republic. The fruits of my labor made manifest at long last. I have longed for this day when he would be called upon to do what I have created him to do. But another part of me is troubled. I have grown rather attached to this boy and I cannot help but wonder if I will see him again. What if this is his last mission? What if he should be killed? All my work wasted, potential gone in the blink of an eye._

 _"I have no way to monitor him. No way to check and make sure he is doing his job. All I can do is wait, hoping he performs beyond my expectations, proving his worth beyond measure. I very much feel like a father right now... and I can't help it. Maybe I will sleep tonight. But I highly doubt it."_

End of Log


	3. A Quiet Debut

-Chapter 1: A Quiet Debut-

Location: Christophsis, Crystal City

"What happens in the shadows, stays in the shadows."

The orders were simple: _kill anyone who is not a Separatist._ Of course, that may have been a slight exaggeration. But the general idea remained the same.

Here on Christophsis, all-out war had consumed the planet. The strife that had slowly enveloped the galaxy had finally come here. It was a war between men and machines.

But he, a man, fought with the machines.

He had been charged with eliminating their enemies, as many as he possibly could. They did not care for how he did it, they just wanted it done. He had to assume that the doctor had hyped up his abilities to a degree where high command was not worried about how he would perform. This was his first real mission. The simulations, the training, the lessons... none of it compared to real life. Everything he had learned, everything he had been engineered to be was supposed to manifest here on the battlefield.

If he did not make a good impression... well, the consequences were far from his mind.

He was under Whorm Loathsom's command. It was to him he would communicate opportunities to strike, once he had provided the openings. The Republic forces had managed to break through the Separatist naval blockade, meaning Whorm Loathsom was the only Separatist preventing the Republic forces from capturing Christophsis. This new soldier was to go behind enemy lines, assassinate as many Clones as possible and wreak havoc to provide Whorm a chance at victory. The Separatist forces had yet to attack, giving him an ample opportunity to thin the Republic forces before they went on the offensive.

He would be alone. Nothing to rely on except his handguns, knives and training.

Hiding behind a pile of supply crates, his blue-grey coat happened to blend in nicely with his surroundings. He listened carefully, observing the dull chatter as Clones milled about, preparing for an attack of some sort. Having memorized the markings and insignias of every rank, the soldier peered out from behind his cover, two blood-red eyes scanning every inch of his surroundings.

Silently watching. Silently waiting.

He found his first victim. A sergeant, given the markings on his armor. Perfect. An opportunity to hit the chain of command. Drawing a knife, he began to stalk his prey. He quietly stuck to the shadows, creeping along just as he had been taught to do. The shadows cast by the many crystalline formations around the area, common on Christophsis, made for excellent cover. The trooper continued to walk away, unaware he had a stalker. As soon as the soldier was certain they were alone, and that no one was looking, he struck. Sprinting from the shadows, the unsuspecting Clone was aware of a shadow moments before a knife was buried in his neck. As quickly and quietly as he had appeared, the soldier grabbed his victim and pulled him back into the shadows from whence he had come. He held his victim down, pulling his knife from the trooper's neck and slitting his throat, ensuring complete silence.

His first kill.

The blood was contained to the shadows, no one would notice until they started looking. Sheathing his knife, the soldier quickly left the premises to remain unseen. In addition to his orders to kill, he was also commanded with remaining hidden, remaining a secret. Should anyone spot him, they were to receive a quick death. Sprinting out into the open, the soldier quickly disappeared inside of a building. Hoping to avoid detection, he found the first stairwell and began to climb. Behind enemy lines, Clones could be anywhere. He needed the advantage. He needed to climb this building and scan his surroundings, not only getting a good understanding of the terrain but also determining troop movements and locations where he could strike next. After he had climbed up to the sixth floor, voices from the floor above made him stop. He crouched low on the stairs and carefully listened.

"All this trash everywhere... why'd we get stuck on clean up duty?"

"General's need somewhere to stow their gear and our supplies. These buildings are clear and they need us to sweep the rooms... just in case."

"Well, I'd rather be out there."

"It's the prep phase, nothing's happening for a while."

Seems like a pair of Clones were checking the building. Perfect. They wouldn't be missed.

The soldier quietly padded up the stairs, gingerly watching his step to avoid making a noise that would alert them to his presence. Arriving at the floor, he quickly scanned the hallway, deeming it empty. Hopefully these would be the only two in the building. He'd have to be careful from now on. He tracked the voices to a room on his right and quickly dashed to the doorway, kneeling as he peered around the corner. Sure enough, two clones in matching plain white armor were walking and talking, carrying on their investigation and quest for storage space. The soldier quietly drew both his knives, one still carrying blood from the sergeant he had assassinated. Creeping into the room, both troopers were oblivious to his presence. Breaking into a sprint, the soldier charged ahead before leaping towards the unsuspecting Clones. He tackled them both, bringing them to the ground. Their blasters clattered across the ground as they were flung form their hands. Having landed on his knees, the soldier was in the perfect position to kill them as he raised his knives above his head and drove them through the backs of their helmets, small spurts of blood coating his knives. He kept still for a moment, holding his weapons in the trooper's heads as they twitched before going still. Ensuring they were dead, the soldier removed his knives and twirled them in his hands before sheathing them. The Separatist rose slowly, adrenaline rush dying down as he mentally celebrated his second and third kills. He could get used to this rush. But he had to stay focused, he needed to learn about his opponents. Fortunately, there was a large window in this room that provided him with an ample view of the Republic camp. Initially, he was impressed with the vast setup the Republic had constructed. But the multiple mobile cannons by their front lines quickly grabbed his attention. It seemed likely that Whorm was unaware of their presence. This was information that he needed to know. The soldier contemplated his next course of action as he took time to memorize the base layout. Should he stay and follow his orders? Or should he inform his current commander of the development?

Perhaps, he reasoned, he could do both. Kill a few Clones on his way back to base. He'd have to take the long way home, but the tempting thought of even more kills justified the plan in his mind.

He left the building as quickly as he had come and snuck back out onto the streets, keeping to the shadows. He was thankful the sun was in the position it was, to cast such long shadows. He broke into a run, quickly moving between ruined and abandoned buildings as he ran through the quiet streets, the busyness of the Republic base growing quieter behind him. The bombed-out buildings, made so by numerous Separatist bombing runs, cast long shadows across the streets, bleeding together until the sun was only visible at the right angle.

His cover was not as useful as it once was.

The Republic base was out in broad daylight, the shadows contrasting the sunlight and providing a hiding place. But here, shadows were common. Anyone could be here and he was no longer so hidden.

As he was thinking these thoughts, he came across a rubble-strewn square. And a patrolling squad of four Clone troopers. Scouts no doubt. One of them looked up and saw him as he slid to a halt.

He had been found.

"Hey you!" The trooper shouted, causing his comrades to look. They could all see him. The grey helmet, red optical visors, blue jacket and obvious Separatist emblem.

"Where do you think you're going, Seppie?" One of them asked as they all trained their blasters on him. Beneath his helmet, the soldier began to quickly evaluate his situation. Scattered chucks of building materials lay between him and the patrol; could be cover if necessary. Should he use his knives again, or make use of his blaster pistols? Either way, this was a fight he could win, if he fought smart.

"Not much of a talker, are ya?" Another Clone spoke up as the Separatist slowly reached for his knives. He'd get to use both weapons today.

"Ah ah ah, hands where we can see 'em!" A Clone ordered. The soldier ignored him and began to slowly pull his knives from their sheaths, bloody as they were. "Hey, what'd I just say?" The trooper powered up his blaster as the soldier quickly slid the blades into his hands, holding them by the tips.

"Hey, he's got blood on them!" A Clone pointed out.

"Oh, a right regular killer, eh?" A Clone the soldier deemed the group leader stepped forward. "Here's how this is gonna work Seppie: you drop those knives and come with us nice and quiet like." The Clone stated, expecting the soldier to follow his commands. Instead, the Separatist calmly calculated the necessary speed and strength he was going to need in a few moments. "Now drop 'em!" The Clone ordered again. But the soldier flicked his arms forward, throwing both his knives with quick precision. The blades arced through the air and were promptly buried in the Clone's neck. Blood sprayed from the severed veins as the trooper sputtered, a hand quickly clutching the wound in his neck. He fell back seconds later, his comrades shocked.

"Woah!" One exclaimed incredulously. But the Separatist was already moving, dashing towards the remaining three with kills five through seven on his mind. The Clones quickly opened fire, blue blasters streaking past the advancing Separatist. Hands reaching for his belt, the soldier grabbed his pistols and pulled them out, firing a quick volley of shots that peppered one trooper, killing him before he hit the ground.

Kill number five.

One of the Clones fired a lucky round that ripped through the Separatist's arm. Grimacing as pain shot through his arm, forcing him to drop his weapon, the soldier aimed his remaining pistol and fire a trio of retaliatory shots. The Clone was knocked back, but not killed. Dropping his weapon, the soldier quickly lunged at the still standing Clone, tackling him to the ground. But the Clone managed to throw him off and quickly picked himself up. Analyzing his situation, the soldier realized he'd have to end this battle without weapons. Good thing he had been trained in more than one martial art. Standing up, the Separatist readied himself as the Clone came running at him. A mistake realized too late when the Separatist delivered a hard kick to the gut followed by a pair of brain-rattling punches to the helmet. The Clone was stunned, attempting to shrug off his daze he left himself wide open for the Separatist soldier to attack. Lunging forward he drove a knee straight to the Clone's chin followed by and overhead elbow smash to the top of the helmet. Dropping to the ground, the Clone was too stunned to rise up as he slowly recovered from the heavy hits. But his slowness was all the soldier needed as he reached down and crushed his neck.

Kill number six.

The Clone he had shot earlier had made his way back to his feet, three charred spots on his white chest piece. It was time to end this. Looking around and seeing the dead bodies of his friends, the trooper growled as he rolled his shoulders,

"Now you're gonna pay!" He threatened. But the Separatist was unthreatened as he began walking towards his final victim. The Clone raised his fists defensively, forgetting his blaster, "Come on, I can take ya!" He challenged. Stopping in place, the Separatist beckoned the Clone forward with a simple gesture. Needing no further invitation, the Clone rushed ahead, ready to strike. But as he threw his first punch, the soldier sidestepped, grabbing his arm. Downing the trooper with a swift kick to the back of the knee, the soldier followed up by twisting the trooper's arm and promptly dislocated the shoulder. Crying out in pain, the Clone looked up into the blood-red visor of his opponent. "Who are you?" He wondered, moments before the soldier ended his life with a kick to the exposed throat.

Kill number seven.

Dropping the body of the dead Clone, the soldier paused to examine his battlefield. The four bodies lay strewn across the rubble-filled square, the odd splash of blood decorating of few of the blueish chunks of permacrete. Quickly checking his injured shoulder, the soldier shrugged off any pain and began to collect his weapons. Once his weapons were holstered in their respective places, he broke into a run as he continued back towards the Separatist lines, his first true battlefield growing smaller and smaller behind him.

* * *

Upon arriving at the Separatist base, the soldier went straight to Whorm Loathsom to report his findings of Republic mobile heavy cannons being deployed. However, the Kerkoiden general quickly informed the experimental soldier that this information was not new and that he had learned this thanks to a spy in the Republic army. A spy? The soldier hadn't known about another infiltration mission. He made a mental note, reminding himself that before the next time he got involved in a complex mission, he needed to know everything. Had he been wasting his time? His questions remained unanswered as Whorm informed him about their first assault which was to be made very soon. Taking one look at the blaster hole in the soldier's arm, Loathsom ordered him to take up a position at the top of one of the high-rise buildings close to the Republic lines; he was going to be a sniper and provide cover for the assault. Deeming the mission worthy and ignoring the hole in his arm, the soldier collected a sniper rifle from the weapons depot, slung it over his back and took off to perform his new assignment.

As the Separatists began their first assault, the soldier watched from above with great interest through the cross-hairs of his weapon. Hiding out in one of the many high-rise buildings, the Separatist soldier watched the many Clone legions move out to attack the Separatists. Kneeling behind the remains of a wall, the soldier poked his barrel through the rubble to keep his form concealed. Training the scope of his rifle on one of the artillery officers manning the heavy cannons, he aimed his cross-hairs in the dead center of the Clone's chest. Pausing to hold his breath, the soldier squeezed the trigger. The single shot took only a matter of seconds before it slammed into the clone, piercing the armor and killing him instantly. No doubt someone would notice the crumpled body soon, the soldier would have to keep moving if he wanted to avoid being pinpointed... and bombarded. He quickly moved from his crouch and sprinted to the next broken window. Prepping his sniper rifle as he went, he was ready to fire as soon as he arrived at his new position. Remaining concealed behind a corner, the soldier pressed the butt of his weapon into his shoulder as he took aim through a broken pane of glass. His sights found the dead Clone, now surrounded by fellow troopers. He quickly found his new target: a Sergeant. Another to add to his tally. The cross-hairs aligned as the soldier targeted the center of the trooper's helmet. Too busy giving orders and dealing with the situation at hand, the Clone had no idea he had become a target and that death was coming for him. The Separatist soldier pulled the trigger and fired another shot, the crack of gunfire echoed loudly as the Sergeant fell to the ground dead mere seconds later. It was a repetitive assignment: load, point, aim, shoot, repeat. Nor was it an assignment that catered to the soldier's tastes, as he'd rather be up close and personal in the fight. But it was a duty nonetheless. And he was bound by duty. Shifting positions, the soldier decided to focus on the front lines of the fight, training his cross-hairs on a trooper armed with a rotary cannon, the soldier had a clear shot. Holding his breath and pausing to ensure his shot had been aligned perfectly, the soldier squeezed the trigger. Seconds later, his victim was dead. He repeated this process many, many times as the clamor of battle erupted below him, Clones and droids fighting for supremacy over a war-torn world...

The first assault lasted several days, Separatist and Republic forces clashing in a stalemate battle as the body count on both sides began to rise. The soldier remained in his hideout, sniping away the whole time. The chaos of battle provided excellent cover for his attack, allowing him to fire without being noticed. He started keeping a tally, something he could remember and keep himself busy with. He kept his cross-hairs on the forward lines, felling Clones that pushed back against the Separatist advance. The soldier proved the effectiveness of his enhanced stamina as he stayed awake all night, helping his mechanical comrades from above. Through his scope he often spied the Jedi leading the assault, renown generals he had only seen in files. How he wished to be able to fight them himself one day.

After days of fighting, the Separatists pulled back, preparing for a second assault. But even as they left, the soldier remained where he was, high in his perch, watching the Republic scurry about and prepare for the next wave. The soldier believed he had done a great deal to help as he had killed many Clones who would've been operating the heavy cannons. With such armaments on hold, the droid army would have a much easier time in their advance.

But good luck can only last so long.

The second assault saw the Republic break out their heavy weapons. The cannons pounded the droids until they were forced to retreat. Not even the soldier could fell enough Clones to disable the cannons. He was disappointed, but resolved to make up for it. He was all alone high up in his tower, his vantage point providing him with a clear picture of the front lines. But the battlefield had fallen relatively silent, only a few Clones bustled about. He would just have to wait for the next battle. In the meanwhile, he couldn't fire on the Republic without being noticed, so he needed to something else that was worth his time. During his initial foray behind enemy lines, he had planted a simple transceiver that picked up any communication or simple chatter going on in the Republic base and transmitted it to his helmet comms. Setting his rifle down, the soldier used his helmet to cycle through the various bits of chatter the device was picking up. Maybe there was something he could glean that would give Loathsom the advantage.

" _Would you look at this..._ "

" _More ammo on the way..._ "

" _Keep those cannons operational, men!_ "

" _Angle up by four degrees!_ "

Nothing so far. Clones seemed to be a very work-centered lot... dull and boring. Not to mention how similar they all were. Why need an army when you have one? Perhaps the same could be said for droids, but at least they required maintenance to some degree. He continued to cycle,

" _The Separatists are holding this section of the city..._ "

" _Hand me that wrench, will you?_ "

" _Blasted droids..._ "

" _Where do they keep coming from?_ "

" _I'm Ahsoka..._ "

" _Move that debris boys!_ "

" _Get me some bacta and a few more rags..._ "

" _Gotta get these tools clean..._ "

Boring was right. There was absolutely nothing going on. Not even a word about that shuttle he had spied earlier.

The soldier rearmed his rifle, planning on killing a few stray Clones until... until when? His orders were to stay up here, defending the Separatist advance and hindering any Republic efforts to regroup. But where he saw himself needed most was down on the ground, fighting on the front lines. The Republic wouldn't last a chance if he was there! Was this a punishment because he had gotten shot? If it was, he had to be better, he would not stand for being safeguarded so heavily when a simple blast to the arm barely impeded his abilities. He would have to prove himself capable, continually, to his superiors.

Then, his helmet picked up some Separatist chatter,

" _Shields are ready, the next force is prepared to move out._ " The orders were simple. The soldier knew it was time for him to get ready to cover another mass assault. But shields? They had a shield generator capable of covering the whole army?

Clever.

The soldier settled back into position and pointed his cross-hairs at yet another unsuspecting Clone. It was time for another battle...

* * *

Unfortunately, the battle was short-lived.

Somehow the Republic had managed to slip not one but two Jedi behind their shield and had disabled it before the Republic lines could be annihilated. The soldier was a little miffed, such an easy and avoidable error! He should've been down there, not high up and sniping. The Jedi would've fallen long before they had reached the shield. Regardless, he was to do as he was told, no disputations. The small shuttle that brought him here was able to lift off and leave the planet before the Republic could close in on him. The soldier's identity needed to remain a secret at all costs. He was returned to his base where Scipio was waiting for him. The first thing the doctor did was transfer all recorded video feeds from the soldier's helmet to a primary system. Having recorded all of his experiment's actions, the doctor could observe and learn from the experiences and determine where the soldier needed to be enhanced and improved. The second thing he did was transfer this data directly to Count Dooku. The two would speak about this later. The third thing he did was strap the soldier into a chair and begin applying an injection of a serum to boost his body and begin healing the wound on his arm. A quick anesthetic knocked him out, leaving Scipio alone with his thoughts. Until Count Dooku contacted him. The old man's form flickered into clarity as he appeared behind Scipio on the holo-table. The scientist quickly turned about as his leader addressed him,

"I have been observing the footage you sent me, doctor," he began, "I must say I am impressed with the effectiveness of your experimental soldier."

"Thank you, Count." Scipio bowed respectfully, "I live to serve."

"Indeed. I see great promise in this creation of yours. He would be a most effective counter to the Republic's Clone army. It is unfortunate we do not have an army of him." Dooku commented.

"Please keep in mind, my lord, that this science is strictly experimental. We know what it can do for one, but not en mass. Nor can he be everywhere at once." Scipio responded. "But I too am impressed with the results, and I hope he may be put to further use."

"You have almost gained an ally in me in that regard." Dooku replied. "I would like to see him deployed further and see an increased use of his abilities. For now, patch him up and make him battle-ready once more. My master has me preoccupied with a greater scheme right now."

"Perhaps I could have him sent to Teth?" Scipio inquired. "His skills could be put to good use countering the Republic offensive there."

"No. Not yet. Make him ready for another time. I will see to it we call upon you." Dooku firmly stated.

"As you wish, my liege." Scipio was disappointed, but respected the wishes of his leader. Dooku's appearance disappeared from the holo-table as Scipio turned back to look at his creation, comatose in the operating chair. Alone in the silent room, Scipio couldn't help but grin. "We've made it, my boy." He said to the unconscious form. "After fifteen years we've done it. Or, should I say, you've done it. You've proved our science true and have made a good first impression on our leaders." Standing straight, Scipio walked to the sleeping form of his soldier. "Now, you must do it again and again and again..." Pausing to consider the future possibilities of his creation, Scipio's grin grew wider. "Time to get to work." He said, more than pleased with himself.


	4. Scipio's Log 17739

Scipio's Log: Entry 17.739 - A positive outlook

 _"While I am disappointed at him being denied further use, I am most pleased with the results thus far. Analysis of the footage from Christophsis reveals higher than anticipated levels of calculated precision and overall effectiveness. It would seem that lessons in biology have paid off; six times he exploited weak points in the body and capitalized on overall slowness. This proves to me that his mental functionality is much higher than I had anticipated. The serum seems to have improved his thought-processes and reaction time. The injury he sustained is of little regard, it barely slowed him down. However, I must work on his pain tolerance... nothing can slow him down!_

 _"He has proven to me he can do what I made him to do, but now he must prove himself to others. I am certain I have an ally in Count Dooku when it comes to his use, but I must strengthen this relationship._

 _"I am administering a dosage of a simple vitamin concoction. This will increase the serum's output and responses to bodily use. I hope to improve stimulation and therefore increase the general output of positive effects. Should this vitamin mix prove worthwhile, I will continue to administer it, perhaps even alter it and enhance it as needed."_

End of Log


	5. Keep It Up

-Chapter 2: Keep It Up-

Location: Ryloth

"Fear is the perennial motivator."

Mere months after deployment on Christophsis, Count Dooku contacted Scipio and gave him new orders regarding his soldier: he was to be dispatched immediately to Ryloth and join Separatist forces in a final attack on a mixed band of Republic forces and Twi'lek rebels. Scipio was more than pleased as he readied his soldier. After relaying the orders, Scipio added,

"I want you to use your pistols more frequently this time. This will be a true firefight, not behind the scenes like last time." His soldier nodded. Looking into the blood-red eye pieces of his helmet, Scipio placed a hand on the soldier's shoulder. "Do us proud and soon you will lead armies instead of backing them. You are destined for great things, now show them that you are!" The solider nodded in acceptance and walked into the shuttle that would transport him to the Twi'lek homeworld. Scipio watched for the second time as his experiment left for distant battlefields, more pride than fear swelling within him this time.

Upon reaching Ryloth, the soldier learned he was to be sent to Wat Tambor, his new commander. Just like Loathsom, he would receive any orders directly from him. The Skakoan Emir was the representative of the Techno Union on the Separatist Council and a figure of authority within the Techno Union itself.

One might say, the soldier was about to meet his boss.

His shuttle landed in the occupied capital of Lessu and was greeted by a tactical droid upon disembarking. The droid escorted him straight to his new commander inside the palace. Tambor was bent over a holo-table, examining the layout of a terrain map along with his tactical droid, TA-175. Tambor was known for devising new plans to help the Separatists gain a technological advantage in battle, his brilliance knew few limits. Or so the soldier had been told. Informed of his new arrival, the tall Skakoan stood up and looked to the soldier, who stood waiting in the doorway.

"So, you are Doctor Scipio's creation?" He mused, black eyes looking the soldier over. "He is a reputable scientist, definitely one of the Techno Union's finest." The soldier nodded. "But now we shall see how true his word is." Tambor beckoned the soldier forward. He did so, approaching the holo-table. "Republic and Twi'lek Resistance forces have been cornered here, in this valley." Tambor stated, pointing to a red dot on the terrain map. "My droids have held them at bay, but we need one final push to end this. Then the entire planet will be completely under our control." Tambor returned his gaze to the soldier. "I believe you know what I want you to do." The soldier nodded again in understanding. "You shall depart immediately, I'm sending in some additional tanks to bolster our forces. Fight with them, do not support them or lead them." The soldier gave a quick nod. But Tambor had one more piece of information, "You should know, the commanders of this unit are Jedi General Ima-Gun Di and Clone Captain Keeli. See to it they are destroyed." A Jedi? Tambor was giving him the opportunity to fight a Jedi? Beneath his helmet, the soldier smirked in eagerness. Looks like his wish back in the tower of Christophsis was about to come true...

* * *

The soldier hitched a ride on one of the tanks heading to the battlefield. As the drove, he took in his surroundings, slowly memorizing common details and consistent patterns in the terrain of the planet. The planet of Ryloth did not spin on its axis like most other worlds, but remained static in orbiting its star, leaving one side of the world always facing the sun and the other side in perpetual darkness. A thin band in the middle between the two extremes was the only habitable area on the entire world, becoming the home for all species who lived on the planet. The landscape was almost as erratic as the planet's two extremes; rocks and flat, dusty plateaus would give way to lush plains of grass. The soldier marveled at the terrain, noting how difficult it would be to have his blue jacket blend in if he were to hide. Perhaps he could find some very large rocks...

The squad of tanks arrived in the valley behind a large company of battle droids. Reinforcements for the main column, hopefully enough firepower to drive the Republic forces to retreat. The soldier dismounted and sought out the droid commander; a simple B1 unit with identifying yellow markings.

"So, you're the new guy, huh?" The droid acknowledged him as he arrived. The solider nodded and saluted. "Well, I like someone who can follow orders. I hope you can too." He nodded again. "Not much of talker, huh? Oh well, better than 'roger roger' half the time." The commander began to move on, directing tanks towards the battlefield. "Emir Tambor told me about your capabilities. I want you on the forward lines where the toughest fighting is. The Twi'leks have fled so it's just the Republic forces now. If you can take out their leadership, do so." The droid added. The soldier nodded and quickly took off, sprinting alongside the tanks, eager for battle. "Boy does he move fast." The droid commander commented, watching him leave. "Sometimes I wish we could move like that." He said to a fellow battle droid.

"Roger roger." Came the reply.

The soldier moved quickly, skirting the main battle droid reinforcements and raced alongside them, heading further into the valley. As he moved, he considered his strategy. This was a gun battle, possibly involving some close-quarters action with Clone troopers. Scipio had instructed him not to worry about who saw him this time. The soldier assumed this was because his opponents were so few, any witnesses would receive a quick death soon enough. The sounds of gunfire resounded in the distance. His destination was close at hand. The solider was aware his superiors would appraise and evaluate his progress, he began thinking about putting on a show for them. A full display of his powers would surely sway the decisions of those who commanded his use.

Maybe even more so when he killed the Jedi general.

The battle droids began to break up, running to various positions around the trapped Republic forces as they reinforced their own lines. But the soldier was more than ready to do his part, forming his own plan of attack as he raced up on the front lines. If the droid was true and the Twi'leks were gone, he should have a much easier time worrying about only Clones. Perhaps he should eliminate their leaders first, gain the advantage early. Leaping over a boulder, the soldier jumped into the fray, drawing one of his knives. A Clone just a few feet away became his first victim as he lunged forward and drove his knife through the thin visor of the helmet. The Clone fell dead as flecks of blood splattered the inside of his helmet. Withdrawing his blade, the soldier turned and stabbed another Clone in the collar, driving his knife between sections of white armor. As the Clone cried out in pain and staggered back, the soldier pivoted their bodies and grabbed his opponent's, turning the Clone into a human shield. Drawing one of his sidearms and holding the knife buried in his victim, the soldier pushed forward as he opened fire on the enemies around him. His aim was impressive, quickly gunning down a Clone on his right with a well-aimed round to the head before pointing straight ahead and killing two more Clones in quick succession. Dragging his Clone victim with him the soldier advanced past the bodies of offlined droids, storming the Republic's forward position as blaster fire from the droids behind flew past him. In the distance, the soldier saw the flashing blue blade of his Jedi opponent. He did not know much about this Ima-Gun Di, his history or fighting style. When the inevitable confrontation came, the soldier would very much have to think on his feet.

Any mistake could mean his death.

Withdrawing his knife and slitting the neck of the Clone in his grasp, the Separatist soldier dropped the body and charged ahead. The Nikto Jedi master saw him coming and readied his weapon as the soldier jumped up and landed right before him.

"And who might you be?" The Jedi asked, ignoring the clamor of battle for a moment. "I can't say we've met." The soldier said nothing as he simply unsheathed his second knife, twirling it around in his hand. Ima stared into the crimson visor, sizing up his opponent. "Very well knife-fighter. But I should warn you, you are foolish to challenge me." Master Di cautioned as he struck first with a swipe of his blade. The soldier spun around, sidestepping the attack. Seeing his opponent to be more than an amateur, Ima readied himself as the soldier rushed in. Swiping at the Jedi with his knives, the soldier quickly began to learn Ima's form as he attacked. The Jedi leveled his blade as the soldier's knives crashed into it. Di was amazed when the weapons were not destroyed. "Phrik?" He breathed, expressing a mixture of fascination and shock. The soldier quickly struck again, but Ima parried. Learning as he fought, the soldier calculated a new angle of attack. Moving quickly and striking rapidly, the soldier kept the Jedi focused long enough so that his sweeping foot came as a surprise. Armored boot connecting with the Jedi's knee, the soldier capitalized on his surprise attack by flinging a knife forward and burying it in his opponent's thigh. Ima grunted in pain as his hand quickly clutched the blade lodged in him. Pain occupying his mind, the Nikto Jedi failed to realize he had opened himself up for a final blow.

Tossing his knife from his left hand to his right, the soldier charged forward and delivered a hard rising knee to the Jedi's face. The hard blow knocked Ima onto his back, momentarily stunning him. But a moment was all the soldier needed as he dropped down atop his foe, bringing his knife down hard and stabbing through the Jedi's robes, piercing his heart. Gasping suddenly, the Jedi looked up into the twin red optics of his killer, blood staining his robes as the light faded form his eyes. The dying Jedi gasped his last breath, hand loosening his lightsaber hilt, letting it rest on the ground as Ima's head fell back and he breathed his last.

The soldier had killed his first Jedi.

Pulling his knives free from the body, the soldier stood up in triumph as he looked down on his dead foe.

"General!" He heard a cry to his left. Whipping around and ready to attack, the soldier faced off against a Clone bearing a shoulder pauldron and sporting brown markings.

It was Captain Keeli.

"I don't know who you think you are, seppie, but you just made a big mistake!" The Clone thundered as he surged forward, twin DC-17's aimed at the Separatist. Quickly planning the best way to end this fight, the soldier ducked low and sprinted towards his next opponent. Blaster fire flying past just inches above him, barely missing. But the soldier continued on, lunging forward as he drove his shoulder into the Clone, knocking the wind from the Captain's lungs. The knife in his right hand was quickly lodged in Keeli's abdomen, forcing the Clone to gasp in pain. Spinning around the blade in his left hand, the soldier drove it forward and rammed the blade through Keeli's chin. The Clone immediately froze, body twitching as he dropped his weapons. Blood streamed down the blade and coated the soldier's gloved hand as he held the knife in place a moment longer. Pulling back and free of the Clone, blood spraying from both wounds, the captain fell over dead and hit the ground as the soldier moved to let the body do so.

He had killed his first Clone commander.

Pride and confidence rushing through him, the soldier attacked the Republic lines from behind, felling more Clones as the leaderless forces began to dwindle. He felt empowered, he felt invincible. These Clones were nothing to him, he had just killed a Jedi! The Republic forces continued to decrease, now under attack from two fronts. Either they were picked off by droids or were cut down by this new menace. As the last Clone fell dead the soldier sheathed his bloody knives and surveyed the field of bodies around him as droids moved in to claim the region. The battle was over, the Separatists had won.

And he felt very victorious indeed.

* * *

The edges of his boots were covered in dirt and dust, blood splattered across his hands and jacket, red visor seemingly ablaze as he returned triumphant from battle. It was in this state of appearance that the soldier returned to Wat Tambor. Bringing news of total control over the planet of Ryloth, the soldier made his way through the palace on his way to his commander. Battle droids cast curious glances in his direction as the soldier walked proudly onward. No longer was he a simple experiment. After killing a Jedi and helping in the decimation of an entire Republic force, the soldier was beginning to earn a name for himself. He walked with an air of decisiveness, seemingly ready to move and act at a moment's notice. Upon arriving at his destination, the tall Skakoan looked up as he entered the briefing room. One look at his attire told the whole story.

"I shall congratulate you on your victory, and for overcoming the Jedi." The Emir greeted him. "Not many Separatists can say they have achieved such a feat." The soldier nodded in understanding. Tambor moved on to more immediate business. "For your next assignment, I have need of your services as an enforcer. I am personally travelling to nearby villages as we confiscate their wealth. Your, shall we say, terrifying look will be most effective in helping the natives cooperate." Tambor made to leave, the soldier obediently following right behind him. They left the palace and climbed aboard a personal skiff, traveling amidst a column of cargo haulers, tanks and battle droids. The soldier stood alongside Emir Tambor as they moved out. "My tactical droid informed me of your actions." Tambor informed him. "Your abilities as a single unit are most impressive. Quick thinking, masterful skill, you boast a great many qualities that make you more than an average soldier. Scipio must be proud." The soldier nodded. High praise from the foreman of the Techno Union was something not easily accomplished. Hopefully he had proven himself to the Emir. Perhaps this next assignment would further prove his capabilities. Only this time, Tambor would be able to see for himself. Time passed as they rode out, away from the capital. The grassy plains passing by underneath them as a column of dedicated Separatist might moved out across the land. The soldier began to consider the implications of winning the last battle. No doubt the Republic would learn of this loss and send greater reinforcements. He was certain and entire army would be on Ryloth's door at some point. Imagine, an entire army for him to attack! Maybe even more Jedi to be slaughtered...

The convoy came upon the first village in their hunt, a series of cave formations that doubled as dwellings for the Twi'lek people. The soldier had hoped news of the Resistance's retreat had reached here. The more fear the better. A band of male Twi'leks approached the column, a group of curious women and children forming behind them. The soldier briefly noted the array of colors sported by the Twi'leks. Their pigmentation variants put them on a similar level with Togrutas. A group of battle droids formed up into a protective square as Wat Tambor dismounted, the soldier following behind him. Stepping forward, past the droids, Tambor addressed the crowd.

"I am Emir Tambor. Your planet is now under the total control of the Confederacy of Independent Systems." He announced. "As your new leaders, any items of value are to be confiscated for the glory of the new Separatist government. You will submit to our rule or face terrible sufferings." He added in a mildly threatening tone. The soldier mulled over Tambor's words. Maybe not the best coercion tactic, as intimidation should come later. Initial threats only serve to build up a rebellious resolve. But terror will put them in their place. One of the male Twi'leks, a blue skinned one, stepped forward, glaring at the Skakoan.

"What right do you have to invade our world and then demand of us our resources? We do not want you here and you shall not have any of our possessions!" He firmly stated.

"You would rather see your people suffer than simply obey what I have said?" Tambor inquired, bemused.

"We are a strong people. No matter what you do to us, we will live on!" The Twi'lek declared.

"Then we shall see how your people fare in the face of extreme hostility." Tambor raised his arm, droids arming their weapons and aiming them at the crowd of villagers. The soldier reached for one of his sidearms but did not draw it just yet. Seeing the action of the droids, the Twi'lek stepped back. But as the soldier watched him, he saw a slight move of the male's arm, reaching for a small, crude knife behind him. Drawing his own knife the soldier charged forward, pushing past battle droids as the Twi'lek revealed his weapon. But as he moved to strike Tambor, the soldier plunged his own knife into one of the Twi'lek's lekku. Knowing how much of an extension of the brain these 'head tails' were, the soldier assumed he could drive the Twi'lek into a near brain-dead state by severely wounding one of the appendages.

He assumed correctly.

The Twi'lek gasped as the knife disappeared into his flesh, spearing through his lekku and spraying blood. Dropping his crude weapon, the villager twitched in pain, eyes rolling back. The other villagers behind him recoiled in fear at the vicious attack. Giving his knife a harsh twist the soldier pulled it free, nearly cutting off the lekku in the process. Blood splashed on the ground as the Twi'lek collapsed. Turning to face the scared villagers, the soldier twirled his bloody knife in his hand before sheathing it and crossing his arms in a menacing manner. Wat Tambor, who had been observing the scene before him, looked out on the frightened crowd. "Would anyone else like to challenge us?" He asked. None answered, not even the Twi'lek men looked brave. Seeing no more resistance, the Emir turned to the droid commander. "Move in and take everything of value." He ordered. The droid saluted and relayed the order to his fellow battle droids, who instantly moved to comply. As the soldier watched them move out, Twi'lek's scrambling for hiding places while the men sought to protect their families, he felt a hand on his shoulder as Wat Tambor stepped beside him. Turning to his commander, he saw the Skakoan give an him an appreciative look. Well, as much of a look as he could give behind that respirator. "Well done." He said simply. The soldier gave a quick, understanding nod. "Assist the droids, ensure the natives cooperate." Tambor ordered, moving his hands behind his back as he prepared to watch the scene before him. Uncrossing his arms, the soldier advanced forward, rolling his shoulders as he prepared to enforce the will of the CIS.

* * *

After filling what treasures they could find into one of the haulers, the Separatists departed. From there they raided two more settlements before returning to Lessu. In all honesty, the soldier found the mission to be of only minor value. Enforcing the rule of the Separatists through fear was one thing, but to bolster Tambor's greed was another. He did as he was told, regardless of his own opinion. Tambor was pleased with the soldier's efforts and asked the Separatist Council for the soldier's continued presence as Separatist control was solidified on Ryloth. The Council agreed and informed Scipio, who was more than pleased. Tambor instructed the soldier to oversee more pillaging operations or, as Tambor called them, 'treasury acquisition ventures'. The soldier performed his duties and exercised few limits when it came to dealing with the uncooperative. He soon earned the fear of the locals, becoming known for protecting the pillaging battle droids with deadly force. Life did not matter to him. Women and children were not exempt from his cold, efficient ways of killing. Any man who lashed out certainly bore the brunt of his violence, but he wouldn't hesitate to cut down a female or a child if need be. When a female Twi'lek attacked a battle droid, the soldier had drawn his sidearm and fired a pair of shots as a simple warning. But when the female attacked him instead, the soldier ended her life with three rounds to the abdomen. Twi'leks shrunk away from his appearance as his form soon became associated with death. Through the soldier's efforts and his own machinations, Wat Tambor controlled Ryloth with an iron fist, mercilessly starving the population and forcing them to bend to his will. With the resistance on the run and the ever-present threat of this soldier, the Twi'leks had no choice but to submit to their tyrannical rulers. The plight of this people soon reached the Republic, who immediately dispatched a force to stop them.

But first, they had to breach the orbital blockade.

The soldier had his doubts about the capabilities of Captain Mar Tuuk, the Neimodian commanding the fleet over Ryloth. He had mixed feelings about the coming attackers, part of him wanted the Republic to break through just so he could slaughter his opponents. The other part of him wished for Ryloth to remain under Separatist control and for more worlds to follow. He had enjoyed exercising Separatist authority over the planet and he didn't mind if there were other worlds for him to help subjugate.

But then the Republic broke through. And when the soldier discovered how they did it, he was astonished. Such bold tactics and reckless efforts... he needed to find out more about who was commanding this fleet. Tambor received a communication from Count Dooku asking that the soldier be returned to Scipio. Should Ryloth fall they did not want a valuable asset to be lost. The soldier was frustrated when he heard the news. In his mind, Ryloth would not be lost if he was on the planet. Removing him from the field of battle was the worst choice Scipio could've made.

But he left anyway. The same shuttle that brought him here, to the site of his first Jedi kill and major victory over the Republic, transported him back to the lab where he was created. Upon arrival, Scipio did not need to see through the soldier's shining helmet and red optics to know he was annoyed. His body language told him everything.

"You're not ready, my boy." The doctor gently told him. "There are still some enhancements left for me to administer, some proper training I need you to endure before you can take on the likes of Kenobi and Skywalker." To the soldier, that did not seem like a good excuse. He had killed a Jedi and a Clone leader on Ryloth, inspired fear in the hearts of the Twi'leks. What was he possibly missing? Scipio seemed to read his mind. "Emir Tambor told me about your exploits. Don't let the pride of killing one Jedi go to your head, boy. None of them are the same, especially Skywalker. Seldom does he play by the rules of engagement. You'll have to be far more intimidating before you can take him on." Placing an arm on the soldier's shoulder, he guided him back inside the compound. It was time to review his escapades and continue improving on his skills.

Shortly after his departure, Ryloth fell back into Republic control. Wat Tambor was captured by Mace Windu. As the Republic moved out to rid the planet of their enemies, they came across villagers who spoke of a terrible Separatist, ruthless and violent, who was unlike any of the others. They said he killed without hesitation, no one was safe from him.

But, knowing the penchants Separatists had for being violent, Republic forces simply shrugged off the accounts.


	6. Scipio's Log 21223

Scipio's Log: Entry 21.223 - Moving forward

 _"I am not necessarily as bright as I seem. In my desire to see the boy prepared for battle, I have neglected one of the most valuable parts of his training: intelligence. In order for him to fight he needs to know who he is to fight. This error has entirely been on my part. His annoyance at being recalled from Ryloth is truly justifiable._

 _"As his continued use by the Separatist Council grows ever frequent, I need to ensure that we are both equipped with knowledge for the battles to come. To a degree I have readied him with information, but mostly about Clones. If he is to fight Jedi then he needs to know about the Jedi._

 _"Having compiled a few data readouts on select Jedi who have gained much notoriety, I plan to share these with him first. Kenobi, Windu, Koon, Fisto... and Skywalker, shall be his first lessons. He learns as he fights, that much he has proven with battling the late Ima-Gun Di. But some are so unpredictable he cannot possibly learn them on the fly, Skywalker being the best example of this._

 _"Ryloth taught us both a great deal. I learned how truly adept he is at fighting and at carrying out orders. And I certainly hoped he learned that not all battles need to be won for the war to be won. And that is the end goal: to see him bathed in the blood of his enemies, hoisting the bodies of Jedi and the Chancellor high as the CIS conquers Coruscant. That is my dream for him. That is a dream that cannot be recognized unless we are fully prepared!"_

End of Log


	7. Impress Me

-Chapter 3: Impress Me-

Location: Felucia

"Respect is something not easily gained."

The jungle climate was hot and humid. The air was heavy with a wetness that clung to everything organic with a firm grasp on their lungs. Good thing his helmet could filter the air.

The soldier was at first skeptical about having to be a stealthy on a jungle planet. But once he saw the thick, multi-colored vegetation, their wild shapes and interesting designs, he felt more at ease about his dark blue jacket being able to blend in. From his perch on a hill, hidden by wild shrubs and other tall, curious vegetation, the soldier kept his watchful gaze on the battle before him through the scope of a sniper rifle cradled in his grasp.

Doctor Scipio had been contacted by Count Dooku and instructed to send the soldier to Felucia so he might play a supportive role in an attack on Republic forces. Dooku's wish was for the soldier to command from the shadows, sniping at Republic forces. Something he had proven capable of on Christophsis. Not only did Dooku believe this was an opportunity to further exercise his experiment's capabilities, but this time the Separatist Council would be watching. Scipio was more than happy to dispatch his soldier, simply informing him he would be traveling to Felucia and be supporting Separatist forces. He remembered the moment with great clarity...

* * *

 _"Anakin Skywalker. Jedi General. Commander of the 501st Legion. Fabled 'Chosen One' of the Jedi Order." Seriously? Chosen One? What an utterly ridiculous title. As if two words were supposed to mean something when put together like that. The soldier continued to read through the information he had been given on Skywalker. Approximately six foot two inches tall and around twenty one years of age, not much stuck out about this particular foe. But his attitude made the difference. According to his history, Skywalker was by no means a traditionalist. Often defying the rules and fighting outside the box, Skywalker was becoming known for using brash tactics and taking extreme risks to win victories. The soldier now understood why Scipio wanted him more prepared. He may have been able to kill one Jedi, but he needed to be more prepared if he wanted to fight multiple, powerful Jedi head on. Over the past few days since his return from Ryloth the soldier had been studying his opponents, memorizing handouts Scipio had given him, detailing the Jedi generals he would eventually fight. But he also began memorizing tactics these generals had used, further understanding how they fought. Scipio began training him in how to counter lightsaber combat, enhancing his defensive capabilities and improving his reflexes. Scipio had been clear from the start; he did not want him to openly battle Jedi just yet, challenging them and attacking them so boldly. He wanted his soldier to fight smart, to be smarter than the Jedi. And this skill required time to perfect._

 _"I have good news my boy!" The Pau'un announced his presence, bearing a pleased smile. Stepping forward, he began to tell what the soldier what he had been informed of, "Count Dooku has contacted me and told me of his plans to send you to Felucia. Your presence is needed in order to give support to Separatist forces there." He explained. The soldier instantly stood, ready to move. "BUT, before you go," Scipio slowed him, having something else to tell, "I must inform you of a few things." The soldier sat back down, expecting a debriefing of some kind. "While I do not know everything that is going on, on Felucia, I do know that Kenobi and Skywalker will be there." The doctor stated. The soldier leaned forward, a little more eager upon hearing that news. "However, your mission is to be strictly from the shadows. Assist, do not intervene. Just like Christophsis." Scipio commanded._

 _That wasn't what he wanted to hear._

 _"I know you are spoiling to fight Jedi, but I just want to make sure you are ready. A few more training lessons and I will permit you next time. Will you allow me that?" Scipio asked. Slowly, the soldier nodded, perhaps he could ease Scipio's fears and prove himself to him. As long as it hastened the day when he could fell Jedi without any hesitation..._

* * *

The soldier left shortly after that conversation, transported to the jungle planet in the same shuttle that had shipped him to Ryloth, Christophsis and presumably many more battlefields to come. Upon arriving, a droid commander informed him of the current situation. Felucia was a strategically important world, being along the Perlemian Trade Route. Whoever controlled it would have a near open path to worlds such as Anaxes, Corulag, Coruscant itself and the ability to move vast resources within mere days, as well as access to the vital nysillin healing plant.

No wonder it was so contested. The Republic wanted Separatist access to the Core Worlds blocked off, while the CIS would rather have open access to attack their enemies. The good news was that Republic forces were on the run, surrounded by droids and facing certain defeat. Separatists naval forces were completing a blockade around the planet, solidifying a potent first victory. Upon hearing this news, the soldier now saw his newest assignment in a different light. It was no longer a simple assistance mission, he was here to help tighten the noose.

This angle pleased him very much.

After collecting a sniper rifle from the armory, the soldier followed a squad of battle droids being sent to support the main body of attack. Knowing that the Republic would stand their ground for as long as they could, the soldier began planning on strategically eliminating any Clones or Clone commanders who were supporting the defensive effort. Scipio's lessons had taught him to eliminate the chain of command, or as the proverb he often used went, _"Cut off the head and the body will fall."_ For now he would follow Scipio's orders and avoid battling Jedi, but the urge within him would not dissipate. He hoped that someday soon he would be allowed to confront whomever he wished, felling them with ease, spreading fear and terror with each kill.

This was his mission. So deeply ingrained in him no one could quell it.

Diverting from the main force, the soldier quickly climbed up a small hill a good distance away from the main fight. Concealing himself behind dense foliage, the soldier armed his weapon and laid down on the ground...

That was almost an hour ago. The soldier shook his head, returning to the present. Staring down the scope of his rifle, cross-hairs aligning in the middle of a Clone using an AT-TE leg for cover. His impending doom was seconds away. The soldier took a breath, steadied his arm and pulled the trigger. Christophsis seemed to repeat itself as the trooper fell dead seconds later. In all the chaos of battle, with shots coming from all directions, no one could tell there was a sniper. Shifting his aim, the soldier sighted a Clone manning one of the heavy guns aboard the AT-TE, the soldier took aim, using the visor of his victim as a point of reference. If he timed his shot wrong, the round could be wasted, ricocheting off the armored front of the turret. The soldier paused, waiting until the soldier rotated the turret ever so slightly, granting him an opening. He pulled the trigger, scoring a head shot seconds later. The trooper was thrown from his seat, falling off his mount only to hit the ground dead. The soldier had decided to stop keeping track of his kills back on Ryloth. Since Scipio was recording his movements, he could always count later. He shifted his aim and locked on to another Clone. Pulling the trigger, the Clone fell dead. The motions grew stuck in his head as he repeated them again and again. His kills racked up, one by one Clones dropped dead as he aimed, paused and fired. At this rate, the entire force would be dead before long. The soldier stopped to consider the situation, there had to be more somewhere. Was this truly it? No wonder the Republic was failing.

Then, the battle droid commander contacted him.

"If you can hear me, there's a smaller division of droids about six klicks from here." He was informed over his comms. "We're trying to join forces, but they're under heavy fire from Republic forces. Can you get over there and give them a hand?" So that's what was going on. The soldier immediately picked himself up, grabbed his rifle and started running. He sprinted behind the Separatist forces and took off in the direction of the other fight. If the commander was true, this would provide him with a much greater challenge. His stamina had been enhanced to the point where he could last for hours compared to the average male. He sprinted through the jungle, crossing terrain as fast as he could run. Vulture droid fighters screamed by overhead, obviously dealing with any air support the Republic was trying to offer. It took him less than ten minutes to reach the second battlefield. He quickly climbed up a nearby hill, taking a knee to survey the battle going on before him. The Separatist force here was much smaller than he had anticipated, and, upon recognizing the towering Republic turbo tank and twin AT-TE's, he soon understood why they were having such difficulties. He'd have to time his shots with what fire was coming from the Separatist lines so as not to be noticed. Given how few there were, this wouldn't be easy shooting. But as he determined just how many Clones were part of this patrol, he came to realize that all of their firepower relied on the tanks. If he could shift angles and fire from a more forward approach, like the droids were, he might be able to blend in a bit better. But if he were to skirt behind the Republic forces, he'd have a better angle at sniping the inner workings of the tank's wheel configurations. That way, he could possible disable the mechanical behemoths and then worry about personnel.

So many options... there were almost too many paths to victory.

The soldier doubled back, deciding to attack the troopers instead. The turbo tanks might require a more head-on approach, but he'd worry about that once the personnel had been dispatched of. Technically, his orders of 'support' did not have any defined parameters. Engaging a small detachment head on in order to help out the main body could qualify as a support mission. Wouldn't it?

Having moved closer to Separatist lines, the soldier knelt down and lined up the Republic lines through his scope. But as the soldier took aim at a leading Clone through his cross-hairs, his vision passed across someone he had never encountered before, nor had he even seen during his original surveillance. He paused, shifting his scope back to the individual that had caught his eye.

A young female Togruta, armed with a green lightsaber was perched atop one of the turbo tanks, deflecting shots from the battle droids. Shimmering blue eyes filled with youthful determination and concentration were intensely focused on the droids attacking her squad. Her head was adorned by white, blue striped montrals. Padawan beads hung down the back of her head, whipping wildly around with her movements. Her brown tube top matched her skirt, boots and gloves but stuck out compared to her light grey leggings. Her orange skin almost glowed in the sunlight but was definitively set apart from the pure white markings on her face. The soldier paused, lowering his rifle, looking at this new Jedi through his own optics with curiosity. Never had he seen her before, nor had he even heard of her. Scipio told him Skywalker and Kenobi were leading this assault.

So who was she?

Quickly triggering the audio receptors stored in his helmet, the soldier returned to his scope and watched the Togruta's movements. Thanks to Scipio, the devices in his helmet amplified whatever he was hearing through his commlink, all he had to do was point it in the right direction. And through his scope, he had a very clear line of sight. It would be an easy shot, he could probably cut her down right now. But first, he wanted to know who she was.

"About six klicks east, Master. We've engaged the enemy and we've got them on the run." The Togruta's voice came over his audio. She was obviously talking to someone via a commlink. The soldier stopped to consider it. Her voice definitely sounded young and feminine, but there was an edge of immaturity to it, somewhat belying her Jedi status. Somewhat satisfied, the soldier switched off the receptors and trained his aim on the Clones below. Carefully timing his shots, the soldier felled a single trooper. It soon occurred to him just how badly the Separatists were losing this side of the battle. Very few barrages were taking place, signifying just how many droids had been destroyed. He determined this would not be one of his more productive battles, but he would still do what he could. The droids began to retreat, their numbers too few to challenge the impressive opposing firepower. The soldier had no choice but to double back along with them to avoid being discovered. The problem was, the Republic forces were situated in more of an open plain than near the dense jungle.

The soldier was running out of hiding places.

He ducked behind one of the giant pieces of foliage, waiting for an opportunity to pop back out and resume his attack.

That's when he heard a loud humming overhead.

Looking up, the soldier saw a series of drop-ships descending from the sky and watched as they landed between the Separatists and the Republic forces. The soldier continued to watch as bay doors opened and Clones began opening covering fire.

The soldier grinned. Like shooting fish in a very small barrel.

His grin was cut short as he remembered his orders. Trying hard to suppress his killing instinct, the soldier raised his rifle and began targeting one Clone at a time. He switched between gunships after each kill to avoid being pinpointed, timing his shots with each wave of attacking fire that was unleashed by the Separatists.

But a Jedi in black stepping out of the gunship and moving towards the tanks caught his attention. Quickly reactivating his receptors, the soldier listened in.

"Can't you see they're retreating?" The Togruta exclaimed. Then a second voice came over his audio.

"They're about to overrun you, Ahsoka! You just can't see it. Now follow orders and get in the ship." Multiple thoughts ran through the soldier's head with those words. Firstly, he now knew the name of this Togruta: Ahsoka. Secondly, this other Jedi was obviously a superior of some sort. Possibly Skywalker or Kenobi, the soldier theorized. Lastly, victory would soon belong to the Separatists! If the Republic forces were pulling out then that could only mean that their defensive had failed. And he assumed the recklessness of this 'Ahsoka' had certainly helped their situation. Grinning beneath his helmet, the soldier aligned his cross-hairs and felled two Clones in quick succession. Seeing an increase in red laser fire, the soldier turned to see the rest of the Separatist forces were approaching their position, closing in and surrounding as the Republic forces retreated. The gunships lifted off as the soldier held his fire, seeing no need to continue. This battle had been won. Watching the Separatist forces destroy the turbo tank with a mighty explosion, the soldier stood up and rested against his rifle.

Another victory for the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

* * *

After assisting the droid forces in securing control of the jungle planet, the separatist departed and returned to Scipio's base. He was still unfamiliar with the planet where he was based out of, only the coordinates always locked into his shuttle that took him there. Upon his return, Scipio began to immediately retrieve the recordings from his helmet. The soldier sat across from him, watching as the doctor hurriedly worked on the holotable. Normally Scipio was busy, bustling around his lab working on various projects. But currently he seemed busier than normal, almost nervous.

"I am sending your most recent exploits to the Separatist Council, as per orders from Count Dooku. I believe they are about to make a decision about your continued use." Scipio explained, as if he were reading the soldier's mind. Cocking his head, the soldier gave Scipio a curious look, almost as if he were saying _"I thought I had already proven myself?"_ The Pau'un looked up from his work momentarily to catch the soldier's sideways glance. "It is not my decision as to whether you are to be deployed or not. I only tell you where you're going, the Council determines your use." He explained. The soldier leaned back and crossed his arms. "You needn't sit around and wait for me, my boy," Scipio added, turning back to his work, "go train, study, occupy your time with something. There may come a day when you are too busy to hone your skills." Deciding his mentor was correct, the soldier stood up and left the room. One thing he had wanted to do was return to the data files he was looking at, before he left for Felucia. After witnessing that black-clad Jedi ordering around the young Togruta, he was curious as to whom it was.

The plain steel halls were empty, only the sound of his metal boots clicking along the floor echoed through the walkway. There were seldom any droids in the facility, only a few servant droids here and there. Not even the holodeck where he trained contained any droids, only holographic projections. It was a lonely place to dwell, but the soldier didn't mind. Even though he was growing tired of it, desperate for any opportunity to leave the confines of this facility he had grown up in and travel to distant worlds and fulfill the purpose he had been engineered for. There were some areas of this compound he was not permitted to visit, areas where Scipio's most important work took place. But the soldier had freedom to roam the holodeck, his own quarters and the main room where Scipio was currently uploading his helmet recordings. He lived a simple life away from the battlefield. But his true life was out on the battlefield. He belonged out there, fighting for the Separatist cause, upholding their values in the face of fierce Republic opposition. He was made to ensure the cause spread to every world in the galaxy, that every populace would one day live under Separatist law.

This is what defined him. Not his augmented body, vastly superior skills or tactical genius, but his heart. And his heart was branded by the Confederacy of Independent Systems.

Live for the cause. Die for the cause.

The soldier walked through a doorway on his left and entered a spacious room, filled with records and datapads. It was the knowledge Scipio wanted him to learn. Over his many, many years of training the soldier had studied every piece of information in this room. Having memorized much of it, it was the techniques, guides and lessons contained within these volumes that helped make him who he was. He had spent many hours learning machine operation, weapon history, fighting history, biology, planetary histories, the history of different species and the art of warfare. What he learned in here he would put into practice on the holodeck before exercising it on the battlefield. But there was some information he had yet to learn, pertaining to the identity of the Jedi Order. Only know had Scipio given him this information, and he had begun to memorize their history, structure, culture and ways. Much of it he personally thought to be useless, such ascetic practices were hardly of any value.

But lightsabers? Now that was a different story.

Sitting down at the holotable, the soldier collected his notes on the Jedi he had been reading several hours ago. He flipped to the article on Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and tapped on the image icon. The holographic display activated a render of this General Skywalker, displaying a near perfect image of his body.

He was the black-clad Jedi the soldier had observed.

Now, only one question remained in his mind: of what importance was this 'Ahsoka' to Skywalker?

Scanning through the file, the soldier found no immediately available information. Perhaps his findings on Felucia would soon be added to this limited readout he possessed. Disabling the projection, the soldier leaned back and started reading.

Hours ticked by as he learned and memorized the known data available on the Jedi Order. The soldier had come to the conclusion that being a Jedi must suck. Living a life devoid of attachments? Scipio had trained him to see that it was his friends and allies that made him stronger. The lack of emotion and total business-like attitude would be a daily thing for the Jedi. He felt glad for having cut down Ima-Gun Di. Like the galaxy needed any more Jedi. But the Republic saw them as allies and enlisted their services. Masters, Knights, these seemed to be his biggest worry, acting as generals and leading Clone legions. But it seemed as of recent that apprentices, or Padawans, were being allowed to fight and lead in the war as well. But they were only commanders, not generals. Pausing in his reading, the soldier had to wonder if that young Togruta was Skywalker's apprentice. The more he thought about it, the more likely the assumption seemed...

He was stirred from his musings when Scipio suddenly entered the room and addressed him. "The Separatist Council requests your presence." He stated. Placing the data pad down, the soldier rose and moved to follow the doctor. He detected an air of nervousness in the doctor as he drew closer to him. Something must be up. They quickly strode down the halls and returned to the room with the holotable. As they drew closer, the soldier quickly recognized the forms of several members of the Separatist Council, including Count Dooku, Viceroy Nute Gunray, San Hill and Poggle the Lesser. Gunray was the Neimodian leader of the Trade Federation, San Hill the chairman of the Banking Clan and Poggle the Lesser was both the archduke of Geonosis and a member of the Techno Union, responsible for the production of all battle droids. "Esteemed leaders of the CIS, may I present to you my experimental soldier: A-31B." Scipio addressed them, gesturing to the soldier, who bowed as he was introduced.

"So this is your creation Scipio?" Gunray mused, examining the soldier with a thoughtful look. "At first glance he does not appear like much... but from your recordings I know that to not be true." The Viceroy noted.

"Indeed Gunray. Before you is a triumph of Separatist bio-engineering, a proud milestone in the Techno Union's list of achievements." Dooku declared. "But perhaps you should be the one to explain to us what he truly is, doctor."

"I shall, my lord," Scipio replied, bowing, "my creation is the perfect specimen, chemically enhanced to maintain a body at peak performance. Thanks to a synthesized formula that has been bonded to his genetic structure, this soldier is capable of outperforming any Clone the Republic can send our way. In fact I have specifically trained him to be better than the soldiers of the Republic."

"Then that would make him a perfect soldier, no?" San Hill wondered.

"Indeed. A 'superior-breed' if you will." Scipio added with a smile. "I have been training him in the arts of combat, his enhanced memory capable of memorizing tactics and disciplines the average human is not capable of. If I may be so bold to say, he may very well be the deadliest soldier in the entire Separatist army." Scipio boasted.

"While that remains to be seen, I know very few who can fight a Jedi with knives alone and walk away without a scratch." Gunray noted.

"Indeed. His services are at your beck and call, council. I have mentally programmed him to be positively receptive to all Separatist doctrine and commands."

"The footage from Christophsis proved his capabilities as a specialist, the footage from Ryloth proved his abilities as a warrior and the footage from Felucia proved his ability to follow orders." Dooku recounted. "Gentlemen, I see no reason why we need deny this soldier any further action. I move to have him instated as an Elite Combat Specialist and promoted to the rank of Field Operative. His skills will be most useful in battles to come." Dooku proposed. Scipio grinned a little, this was the moment he had been hoping for! Beneath his helmet, the soldier grinned as well.

"I agree Dooku. Now, more than ever, we need someone capable of fighting off the Republic's Clone hordes." Hill nodded in acceptance. Poggle, who had been quietly listening, clicked a response to Scipio.

"By no means your highness. He is not meant to replace your droids. But he is a fail safe if the Separatists ever need one." The doctor replied. With a firm nod, Poggle clicked another response.

"It seems our Geonosian ally has agreed to his use." Dooku informed the group. "Would anyone care to deny him?" He asked.

"I see no point to doing so." Gunray replied.

"Then this matter is settled. Scipio, I charge you with maintaining the soldier's health and well-being. You are responsible for his training and keeping him a step ahead of our enemies. From now on we will send you full mission dossiers in order to ensure his readiness."

"The council is too kind to us. We are forever at your service." Scipio replied. "But, if I may, can I count on your assistance if I should desire to upgrade him? All I would need are materials, weapons and maybe some chemicals."

"You can rely on our service. I'm certain the Banking Clan can cover any costs needed to keep our secret weapon battle-ready." Dooku positively responded. "I shall be sending a new assignment soon. Be ready for it." With that, the Separatist Council faded away as the communication ended. Scipio and the soldier turned to face each other, Scipio beaming.

"We've done it, my boy!" He congratulated him. "We have won them over and proved your services. Well done!" The soldier nodded, as pleased as Scipio was. The time had come for him to play a more prominent role in the battle against the Republic.

The time had come for him to be unleashed.


	8. Scipio's Log 271A

Scipio's Log: Entry 27.1A - Who is he?

 _"I suppose I should take a moment to discuss a few matters. No doubt anyone listening to these logs may think I'm nothing more than a rambler, someone going on and on about a subject they have never heard of. I shall take this moment to rectify that,_

 _"I am Doctor Pomel Scipio; member of the Techno Union, chief scientist of Project Sunstorm and, by extension, member of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. I am a specialist in genetic engineering and biological research. My primary responsibility is to oversee work on Project Sunstorm, being that I am the sole individual to have accomplished its goal. Others have tried and failed, but I have succeeded!_

 _"Now, what is Project Sunstorm? It started off as nothing more than a wish, a wish for a superior breed of soldier to effectively combat any army the Republic could send our way. Fast, tough, strong, agile, skilled, deadly, everything our opponents were not. Droids were acceptable and cheap to produce but even they could only last so long. The Council asked for a permanent solution, something with which wars were won, armies devastated and fear inspired._

 _"The wish fell to the Techno Union who began experimenting with genetic enhancements and biometric synthetization to create a compound that could in turn create the ultimate body. Take any individual, inject them with it and have a perfect specimen within hours. From there, military training would be simple. Calculations indicated such a body could master almost every form of combat, save for that which the Jedi practice, and become truly capable of being the ultimate soldier. The compound was created in due time and only required a test subject with which to perform._

 _"However, the wish then became for a test subject who could survive the injection. As it turns out, more matured bodies are incapable of surviving such dramatic change. The individuals died shortly after being injected. After several, disastrous, attempts it became clear we needed someone much younger. Someone yet to reach prime maturity who could grow into this perfect body. Now that was a subject much harder to find._

 _"But the stars shone favorably on me as I came into contact with a couple, very young, who had had a surprise child. They felt unready for the responsibilities of parenthood and were looking for someone to adopt their child. I, of course, offered to do so. Agreements were made, papers were signed, and I just so happened to adopt the desired test subject. The infant was no more than a few weeks old, prime range for having a chemical bonded to his still multiplying genes. I took it upon myself to include vitamin injections in order to help stimulate and maintain the child's body... there was no way I would let this victory slip from my grasp._

 _"It worked. The chemical bonded successfully and the child survived. I was overjoyed at my victory and soon shared it with my colleagues and leaders. They too were impressed. But now we had to wait. I did not want to risk hyper-aging the boy and thus destroy his body. The training would have to wait until he was older..._

 _"This log has gone on long enough. I will continue my recollection later."_

End of Log


	9. A Legend Is Born

-Chapter 4: A Legend is Born-

Location: Malastare

"There's always a bit of truth in legends."

Early the next day, Scipio received the dossier Dooku had promised. Contained within were all the details concerning the soldier's next mission, including his opponents.

"You're going to Malastare!" He announced to the soldier who was laying on a medical table, receiving a vitamin injection. "That campaign promises to be a long one. Looks like you're tasked with eliminating Republic patrols." Offering the document to the soldier, he took it with his right hand. His left arm had a trio of IV injections stuck in it, rendering it temporarily incapable of movement. Holding the datapad up to his visor, the soldier quickly read through the mission details.

Malastare was home to several fuel reservoirs that were proving vital to Republic forces. Such a fueling outpost would not only be a valuable Separatist asset but would also put the Republic at a disadvantage. Separatist forces had already made landfall and were engaging Republic forces and had made a hard push, driving their opponents back. The soldier's job was to eliminate any Clone patrols that may still be behind Separatist lines. The last thing the main force needed, this close to a victory, was to be hounded from behind.

His opponents took the form of Jedi General Mace Windu, a member of the Jedi High Council and a legendary Jedi in his own right. His Clone Commander, CC-6454 or better known as 'Ponds' had fought on Ryloth. The soldier was now eager to fight off those who had taken Ryloth from the Separatists. In addition, Anakin Skywalker and his Clone captain, CT-7567 or simply 'Rex', were also to be involved in the defensive operation. Skywalker was becoming a popular Jedi in this war, the soldier hoped to one day take him down a few pegs with a critical loss by his own hand.

He was looking forward to this assignment.

"That'll do it for the injections." Scipio stated as he walked over and began removing the needles. "You'd better get ready for your first true mission as a 'combat specialist'." Scipio told him, grinning a little as he remembered the title Dooku had given his soldier. "Your helmet has been updated with some new scanning options. I'll make sure to keep you fully equipped. Oh! That reminds me, I have something for you." The doctor quickly strode over to a nearby crate as the soldier sat up and climbed off the table. He quickly rolled his left shoulder and flexed his arm, regaining some feeling after the needles had done their work. The limb was back to full functionality in moments, thanks to his enhanced body. He looked up to see Scipio returning with his jacket and a rifle. "This is a new rifle I had shipped here by the Trade Federation. It is a blaster carbine, so you can make it fire more than one shot per trigger pull." He explained, handing the new weapon to the soldier. He quickly got a feel for it, holding it in a typical firing position and staring down the scope mounted on top. The bulk of the weapon was up at the front, making for a thick and heavy body but also boasting a simple rifle butt on a telescoping post. There was no barrel to speak of, most of it was contained within the body, providing a very flat appearance for the front of the rifle. "They say it's a member of the BR8 series. It's small enough to be the perfect tactical weapon, but powerful enough for you to maintain your edge." Scipio explained. Then, he held up his folded jacket. "I've added a few magnetic straps to the back of your jacket to act as storage. Just place the rifle and it will be held in place." He informed him, offering up the article of clothing. The soldier set his new acquisition down on the table and pulled on his jacket. Once done up, he tried out the crisscrossing straps Scipio had installed. Sure enough, the rifle grabbed on with a click, firmly held in place. Testing out the durability of the new grip, the soldier twisted back and forth and rolled his arms in an effort to knock it loose. But no matter the motion, his rifle remained in place. Pleased with the results, Scipio laid a hand on the soldier's shoulder. "I have complete faith in you, my boy. Now prove the Council correct in promoting you, show them what you've got. Go and raise some hell." He instructed. The soldier nodded, ready and willing to go forth and fight the Republic.

* * *

Malastare was a jungle world, not nearly as colorful as Felucia but certainly boasted enough trees to give the soldier plenty of hiding places. He observed the landscape as his shuttle descended from the skies, making its way towards the Separatist base of operations. The sun was low in the sky, slowly sinking as the day drew to a close. Nightfall could prove valuable on this world. The soldier would be able to blend in with the trees perfectly under the cover of darkness.

But the Republic wouldn't wait for darkness. Battle was happening here and now and the soldier needed to secure the flanks of the droid forces. Off in the distance, the soldier could see the outlines of refinerys where the Dug populace harvested the fuel Malastare was known for.

Dugs were a bizarre species to be sure. The soldier had studied them once and had to look sideways, just to make sure he was looking at the image right. But he was not concerned with the species of this world. If any got in the way, he would kill them... just like the Twi'leks on Ryloth. His shuttle landed next to a C-9979 landing craft where troop carriers were unloading battle droid forces. Upon disembarking, he was greeted by a tactical droid.

"Count Dooku informed me of your arrival." It stated in a monotone voice. "I understand you are here to protect our flanks and guard the rear." The soldier nodded in affirmation. "I will not stop you." The droid continued. "Republic forces are retreating, we are moving in to close the gap and attack their base of operations." It informed him. Accepting the information, the soldier moved on and left the base, now on the hunt for stray Clone patrols. He ventured deep into the jungle, stalking onwards through overgrown foliage and massive trees, winding his way through the dense forest in search of some opponents to kill.

Good thing time was on his side, this might take a while.

Hours passed as the soldier maneuvered through the jungle brush, carefully watching where he stepped to avoid making too much noise, just to make sure he didn't alert a patrol before he discovered them. On a world like this the element of surprise was crucial. As long as he could maintain it, his opponents were at a severe disadvantage. He had studied many elements of being stealthy, learning tips and tricks to conceal his form completely from his opponent. And thanks to the devices stored in his helmet, he could both see and hear his victims long before they saw him. On an environmental note, he was pleased the air was not nearly as thick and humid as Felucia was. Breathing shouldn't affect his performance, but the ability to suck in a lungful of clean, pure air was far more rewarding than the hot, choking stuff on Felucia. The woods began to thin as the soldier approached the edge of a cliff. Moving cautiously to avoid being detected, he crouched down low and made his way towards the edge. His helmet immediately picked up voices.

" _Greene, how's everything back there?_ "

" _For the sixth time Ace, all clear. There's nothing in this jungle!_ "

" _You never know when a droid'll pop up, I just want to make sure._ "

Clones. His first patrol.

The soldier laid down and crept towards the edge. Barely poking his head out over the side, he could see a thin trail below where a party of four Clones were walking. He knew not their destination but could only assume they were this far behind enemy lines for only one purpose: to undermine Separatist efforts. The jungle continued on the opposite side of the cliff, possibly giving the soldier another area in which to hide if need be. The soldier began calculating the angle of attack, forming a battle plan in his mind. Good thing this trail was so narrow the Clones had to travel in single file. If he could kill the soldier in the rear, it would give him the best advantage to maintain his cover. But even if he couldn't hide fast enough, he had no doubt he could handle the other three. Quickly moving to a crouch, the soldier reached behind him and grabbed one of his knives. Leaping off the cliff, the soldier pounced on his unsuspecting victims. Beneath him, the Clones continued on, unaware of their impending death.

The soldier dropped down and struck hard, driving his knife through the top of the last Clone's helmet. The Clone gave a quick grunt of pain as the soldier twisted his knife, solidifying the blow. Withdrawing his blade, the soldier dove for the underbrush as the dead Clone fell over, blood spurting from the wound in his head. The attack happened within a matter of seconds. By the time the other Clones turned around, their brother was dead and the soldier was nowhere to be seen.

"Greene!" One of the cried, quickly running to and kneeling by the dead Clone's body.

"What happened?" The leader of the group, 'Ace' if the soldier remembered correctly, asked of the trooper investigating the body.

"I don't know! He's been stabbed, clean through the head!" The Clone explained.

"Somebody's out there." The other grimly mused. "Look alive boys, we're not alone." He stated, arming his blaster. The other Clone stood up and quickly pointed his blaster around, checking to see if he could spot their quarry.

Of course, he couldn't.

The soldier watched the scene play out, waiting for an opportunity. He had forgotten how difficult it would be to strike now that the remaining three were on high alert. But he had quickly devised a plan of attack to take down all three. He just needed to wait.

"We gotta keep moving. Look sharp, shoot at anything that moves." Ace commanded. "And Trace, watch yourself." The Clones began to move out, returning to their single file formation while looking all around for any sign of an attacker.

Perfect.

The soldier quickly darted from the trees, drawing his knife again, and moved in on the rear Clone, Trace. Dashing behind him, he reached around slit Trace's neck as he passed by. The trooper never knew what hit him. But the soldier's presence was quickly detected by Ace and the other Clone. But the Separatist kept moving, quickly using his momentum to bounce off the cliffside as he brought his knife around and stabbed clean through his victim's neck. The Clone gurgled as blood sprayed from the wound, choking on his collapsed windpipe. Drawing his sidearm as he slid to a halt, the soldier raised his pistol and fired three rounds in quick succession, killing Ace. Wrenching his blade free, the soldier stood still as both bodies fell to the ground. Holstering both weapons, the soldier rolled his shoulders as the exhilarating high died down. It felt good to be out murdering members of the Republic again. This was truly where he belonged. Taking a moment to analyze the path he had discovered, the soldier determined he might find some more patrols if he followed it.

But which way should he go? Traveling to his right would lead back towards the Separatist base while traveling to his left would lead towards the battlefield... and the possibilities of more opponents to kill. The tactical droid did say the Republic was on the run, the Separatist flanks would be further ahead. And if that was the case, his mission lay further ahead. Stepping over the bodies before him, the soldier broke into a run and sprinted down the path with murder on his mind. Every time he readied for battle, every time he scored a kill he felt a massive adrenaline rush, sending him to a magnificent high every time he spilled Clone blood. Had this been ingrained in him? Was it something Scipio had done to him? Regardless of its origin, the soldier could get used to the rush. Daylight was fading fast, nightfall would soon be approaching. His opportunity to become a hunter would soon be at hand. The Republic would soon become his prey and they would swiftly learn to fear the predator that stalked them.

The soldier followed the trail towards the sounds of battle. Cannon rounds echoed loudly in the distance followed swiftly by the clamor of explosions, signifying the Separatist's use of mobile proton cannons. Nearing a clearing, the soldier stopped to look through a gap between the trees. The battle was off in the distance, vague outlines of the droid army on the horizon. Reaching up to his helmet, the soldier triggered the telescopic scan in his visor, allowing him to zoom in on the fighting. He could observe both forces from his vantage point, noting the presence of Falchion class tanks on the Republic side. The soldier saw wave after wave of B1 droids advancing before AAT's and proton cannons. The droid force must've been impressive enough to push back the Republic, given the kind of firepower they possessed. Assuming that the droid offensive was progressing well, the soldier determined that there may still be some Republic patrols behind their lines.

Patrols he would soon kill.

But given how long it had taken him to find just one patrol, he had to assume this kind of mission was not of grave importance to the Republic. No doubt they instead wanted to reinforce their own lines, rather than undermine Separatist operations. Remembering his studies, the soldier wondered if the Republic happened to have another plan, something they were waiting to employ. That would explain why they weren't terribly focused on defense.

Unfortunately, his current mission meant he did not concern himself with the battle at hand.

Disabling his telescopic scan, the soldier returned to the path, jogging on as he followed it towards what was becoming the very edge of the forest. The tail end of the Separatist forces were still within the jungle area as the battle sprawled out onto an open, rocky plateau. The soldier needed to make sure they weren't hit from behind by any Clone patrols with counter-productive plans in mind. Night had fallen, only the moon served to illuminate the world. Darkness set in quickly in the more forested areas, granting the cover of darkness he so sought. As he scanned the trees, a quick flash of white caught his attention, obvious in the nighttime glow.

Clones. Another patrol.

The soldier immediately dropped to a crouch, his brain on high alert. Shifting into a tactical mode, he began to quietly stalk towards where he had seen the flash of white. Adjusting his scanners, he began to pick up some chatter not too far away.

" _Move out men and watch out for clankers._ " It seemed like a small patrol had managed to move behind Separatist lines. He could only assume they were planning on derailing any more Separatist advances. He began to move a little faster, hoping to stalk his opponents fully until he could strike hard and fast and painfully end them. He made his way through the jungle brush, trailing back the way he came, following his soon to be victims. He began to consider the possible weak points in his targets, already beginning to plan his attack. He stopped suddenly, no longer hearing the crunch of footprints in front of him. He quickly triggered the newly added thermal vision Scipio had installed in his helmet. Immediately, a series of heat signatures were revealed to his optics. He counted seven figures altogether, but he was surprised when three of the signatures showed up significantly smaller than the Clones. Were they Dugs? Dug scouts? Interesting choice of companions. He could probably fell them just as easily. He slowly continued to creep forward, hoping to inch close enough to see his opponents without being spotted. He heard more voices through his helmet receiver.

" _The jungle is thick. Droids could very easily hide here._ " That sure didn't sound like a Clone. Must be one of the Dugs.

" _Then we need to keep our eyes peeled._ "

" _How're we supposed to fight droids if we can't even see 'em?_ "

" _That's the fun part Blu. We're supposed to see them, not the other way around._ " If only that Clone knew he was being observed. The soldier laid low and soon spotted his quarry through the brush. Sure enough, four Clones and three Dugs stood not far away, studying a holomap. They must've been plotting the terrain, attempting to locate the Separatist base. Or sabotage it. Either way, their allegiance alone made them the soldier's enemies.

The problem the soldier now faced was how to quickly eliminate his opponents. With so many opponents, he would have to work quickly lest they somehow band together and overpower him.

That's when remembered his newest weapon from Scipio. A blaster carbine would be most efficient. Withdrawing the weapon from behind him, the soldier armed it. It gave a very audible click as the energy powered up.

Way too loud for his taste. The Clones were swiftly alerted.

"Did you hear that?" One of them asked as the group whipped around.

"Must be seppies! Arms up men!" The apparent commander of the group ordered. The soldier cursed inwardly, there went the element of surprise.

But, then again, he didn't really need it. He was the deadliest warrior in the Separatist Alliance after all, he could fight anywhere!

Charging from the bush, the soldier took aim and and let loose with a volley of shots, downing one of the Clones. His enemies could not see his body as his clothing was too dark and blended in perfectly with the jungle around them. All they could see were two blood-red eyes.

"What in the hell is that?!" One of the troopers shouted as the soldier rushed forward and tackled one of his teammates.

"A spirit of the night!" One of the Dugs shouted. "Kill it!" The Clone he had tackled managed to roll him off and the soldier quickly rose to his feet, training his rifle on a nearby Dug. But his opponents were quick and the Dug's were upon him. Dropping his rifle, the soldier started to fight off his shorter attackers. Grabbing one Dug and throwing him to the ground, he crushed the alien's skull between his boot and the hard dirt, blood splattering across the ground. One of the Dugs jumped onto his back, grabbing the armor around his shoulders as he attempted to kick the soldier down. Another alien was busy attempting to attack his feet but was swiftly kicked away when the soldier's boot collided with his chest. He rolled across the ground and rested by the Clones.

"One of you must report this to your commanders." He said. "That thing is something most unnatural." One of the Clones gave an order and a single trooper took off, running back the way they had come. As this was happening, the soldier had managed to grab hold of the Dug on his back and, summoning his brute strength, ripped off the alien's head in a fit of rage. Tossing the remains of the dismembered Dug aside, he rolled his shoulders and sized up his remaining opponents.

"What is that thing?" A Clone wondered in shock.

"Whatever it is, it ain't normal. That's for sure." Another replied, powering up his blaster. The soldier reached for his knives, drawing both and twirling them around in his hands. He'd do this the old way. Armored up, the Clones rushed ahead, unprepared for a meeting with their death. The soldier struck hard and fast, impaling a Clone's arm before turning him into a living shield, using his body to absorb incoming blaster fire. Removing his knife, the Separatist drove both weapons forward and proceeded to gut another Clone. His knives carved deeply into his opponent's midsection, slicing through organs and armor as though they were nothing. The Clone fell, dying as remnants of his innards spilled onto the ground and the soldier moved on. The next Clone fired a series of shots, but missed as the soldier drove his fist into the armored torso of the Clone before raising his other arm high and stabbing his blade into the exposed neck, severing the spine. But before he let his enemy fall, the soldier quickly slit the Clone's neck before moving on to the Dug. The alien was terrified, backing away as the now blood-soaked figure advanced upon him. With a flick of his wrists, the soldier threw his knives with pinpoint accuracy, sticking the Dug's hind legs to the ground. Trapped and powerless to move, the alien could only watch as the soldier planted a boot on his chest, drew his sidearm and aimed directly at his head. The last thing the Dug saw were a pair of blood-red eyes as his killer pulled the trigger.

* * *

-REPUBLIC BASE: MALASTARE-

Hours Later...

Anakin Skywalker watched alongside Mace Windu as the massive Separatist army advanced on their own lines. The flat plateau gave him a very generous look at the entire enemy force approaching them. He knew right away that they wouldn't last long against an army of that size.

"There's way too many of them." He said. "We don't have nearly enough forces to combat an army on that scale."

"Give it time, Skywalker." The Jedi Councilor replied. "Once our secret weapon is ready, each one of those droids will be done for."

"Let's hope it works. Rex has finished pulling back, all our forces have retreated another few kilometers. All I can say is that bomb better be ready soon." The Knight responded, a level of doubt in his voice.

"I thought you were supposed to be the cocky one?" Windu mused, noting Skywalker's change in behavior. But before the Knight could reply, Mace Windu's Clone commander CT-411, also known as 'Ponds', arrived with another Clone beside him.

"Sorry to bother you General," the commander announced his presence.

"It's alright Ponds. What have you?" Mace responded.

"This is Glock," the Clone responded, introducing the trooper beside him, "he was one of the men we sent on a long range patrol the other day. And he's got something to share with you."

"Let's hear it trooper." Mace replied, giving the Clone his full attention. "But before you begin, where are your squad mates?"

"Likely dead, sir." The trooper's response made Windu raise an eye in questioning.

"And how do you know that?"

"Sir, while we were out, we came under attack from... something."

"What do you mean 'something'?" Anakin wondered, now curious.

"When it first showed up, the Dugs called it a 'night phantom' or something like that. I-It didn't have a form, sir. It was all black with two red eyes." The trooper described.

"Red eyes?" Anakin repeated, giving Mace a questioning glance.

"Yes sir, I'm telling you, I saw it myself! It leapt out of the bush and killed one of our men before tackling another. The Dugs attacked it and they told me to report this back to you. But as I left, I could hear it tearing them apart." The Jedi stopped to consider the Clone's report.

"Have you heard this, Ponds?" Windu asked his commander.

"Aye sir, he told me first. That's when I decided to have him tell you." The commander positively affirmed. Windu knew not what to think. This was most certainly a strange report, he wasn't quite sure how to go about this. But one glance at the battle below told him their priorities needed to be focused elsewhere.

"Right then. Thank you for that intel trooper, go get some rest. We'll need everyone at full strength." Mace dismissed him.

"Yes sir." The Clone stood at attention and saluted before Ponds began to usher him back down. "They didn't believe me, did they?" The Clone wondered.

"I will admit, your story is a little odd. But I'm sure there are plenty of strange sightings. Remember what the Twi'leks on Ryloth were telling us?" Ponds reassured him.

"But I'm telling you sir, there was something out there and it killed my brothers!" The Clone urgently stated. "Something's out there, hunting us, and it fights for the Separatists."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it's a long way off. You needn't worry about it any more." Ponds replied. Meanwhile, the Jedi were also wrestling with the trooper's report.

"What do you make of all that Anakin?" Mace wondered.

"Sounds like there's a monster out there." Skywalker concluded. "But then again, all these different worlds with distinct species, who knows what it could've been."

"Agreed. If there were any concurrent reports it may be worthy of investigating. But right now, we need every man here." Windu stated, making his decision.

He had no idea what kind of 'monster' the trooper was describing. He had no idea it was the same being he had heard described on Ryloth. But little did he know that this sole report was to become one of the first accounts in the legend of a mysterious killer, who attacked swiftly and without hesitation, felling Clones and paving the way for Separatist victory.

* * *

The soldier thought his efforts had been worthwhile and his mission rather successful. Eight Clones dead along with a trio of natives. Not a bad set of kills for just one day. He assumed that Malastare would be just like Felucia and that the Republic would be forced to retreat. He could then aid in subjugating the planet, murdering any resistance the Dugs may have offered.

But he assumed wrong.

He watched from a distance as the Y-Wing bombers dropped the mother of all explosives. A massive EMP that lit up the whole battlefield when it detonated, the explosion as brilliant as a man-made dawn. The soldier was blinded by the massive explosion, only to realize moments later that the entire droid army had been eliminated, permanently shut down by the blast.

Malastare had been lost.

His shuttle left mere moments after the Republic unleashed their secret weapon. He didn't stick around to see the conclusion, to see the mighty Zillo Beast rise from under the ground. He immediately returned to his base and reported to Scipio. While his mission to Malastare had proven worthwhile, the entire force had been lost to a new kind of EMP bomb. This was intel the Separatist Council needed to hear.

"It seems like your work has been successful, but is so bittersweet in the face of such a tragic loss." Scipio mused as he observed the soldier's footage from his helmet. "But on a more personal note, it seems like I must properly train you in the workings of that blaster carbine. And make it a more silent weapon." The doctor mused. The soldier quickly nodded in agreement. "Fear not my boy, I have a few more upgrades planned for you to enhance your capabilities. But, first things first, I must send this data to the Council. They should begin preparing for future use of this bomb." Scipio added. The soldier watched as the moment was replayed before him. Now, more than ever, he wanted to be out there. He wanted revenge for such a cheap tactic that utterly wasted a good army. That was not how you fought a war. In his mind, a war was fought up close and personal, sheer skill and numbers determined the outcome, not by cheating with technology.

For now, he let his resentment stew, waiting for his next assignment from his superiors.


	10. Scipio's Log 271B

Scipio's Log: Entry 774.82 - Who is he (continued)

 _"With the end of my last log I left the story of Project Sunstorm unfinished. Forgive me for keeping you waiting._

 _"I allowed the boy to age naturally, making medical notes as he did. As of now he was born fifteen years ago, he is a human male. I cannot say any more for secrecy's sake. I would like to say that unlike any average fifteen-year-old human, he most certainly lacks boyish features. The chemical has done wonders for his body, enhancing his muscles to peak perfection, engineering his brain to be rapid in responses. I timed his reactions once, it took less than a second to react to stimulus. I can only assume his brain is functioning at higher levels as well. I must do a brain scan sometime soon..._

 _"Once he had come to a proper age of learning, having nurtured him in the way he needed to be, I allowed the instructors to begin training him. I did my best to ensure he was ready. This was going to be his life. They taught him, stretched him, trained him, perfected his skills and abilities. At first, I was worried about how rigorous they were, but when I saw how well his body handled the physicality of it, my worries ceased._

 _"However, as he matured, I discovered that he leaned towards a more Republic mindset. There appeared to be an innate goodness to him that he simply couldn't conform to the Separatist doctrine I was trying to teach him. In the end, I had no choice but to brainwash him. In fact, I tried out a newer system that rewrote his personality and I created a more murderous and dangerous Separatist loyalist. It ended up working in our favor, making him more accepting and more compliant with our tests, message and commands._

 _"I shall elaborate on exactly what he is capable of later. For now, I have plans to upgrade his arsenal based on his recent performances where I saw potential for much more efficient combat. Once I have finished with these upgrades, my soldier will be unstoppable. I have included melee enhancements, new ranged weaponry, new armor and a few more devices that require some finishing touches. Did you think I was just a man of science? I shall have you know that I am very adept when it comes to machinery. Consider me a man of many talents._

 _"I shall also elaborate on these upgrades later."_

End of Log


	11. Rumors Spread

-Chapter 5: Rumors Spread-

Location: Geonosis

"Everything is fodder."

Geonosis had been lost.

A major Separatist homeworld had fallen into the clutches of the Republic. With it came the capture of Poggle the Lesser and the loss of one of the most bountiful droid factories in Separatist control.

Suffice to say, it was a bitter blow to the CIS. The Republic had their fair share of losses as well, the Geonosians bravely defending their home against the Republic invaders. But in spite of all efforts, the planet fell anyway.

Count Dooku was convening with Doctor Scipio and his soldier, explaining the situation to them.

"As you no doubt know, the loss of Geonosis has been a very hard blow to the Confederacy. The Republic is in the midst of setting up a base there in order to secure their control." The old man stated. "But we cannot allow them to get comfortable. That is why I'm asking your soldier to travel undercover to Geonosis and to strike out at the Republic forces there. We wish for them to remain but also to be ineffective. They may be settling in, but we do not want them to grow comfortable."

"We understand perfectly my liege." Scipio bowed in acceptance. The soldier simply nodded his head in understanding.

"Then your orders are clear: seek and destroy objects of importance to Republic forces, but remain unseen. I would rather our secret weapon maintain his secrecy a while longer. You will not be encountering any Jedi resistance, but there are plenty of Clones on the surface. Eliminate as many as you see fit." The Sith disappeared from the holotable as Scipio began to ready his soldier. It had been several days since the disaster that was Malastare, and in that time the Republic had lain siege to Geonosis and conquered it.

This soldier was to be the Separatist response to such a loss.

"You're all up to date on your training, I see." Scipio mused. "Carbine working better for you?" He wondered. The soldier nodded. "One of these days I may have to give you a more talkative personality. You can't nod forever." The doctor sighed returning to his work. That was something he'd have to work on... in due time. The soldier gestured to his jacket, giving Scipio a questioning look. At first, Scipio didn't quite understand. But then he got the message. "Unfortunately, I have not designed an alternate jacket for you. You make a good point, blue does not blend in well in a desert. I shall immediately work on some alternate uniforms for you." Scipio explained. "But I do have something else for you," the doctor headed over to a workbench and returned with five small discs, "these are explosive charges, engineered to be lightweight and possibly throwable. You only need one, placed in the right spot, to permanently disable a vehicle." He said, describing the devices. "If these perform well, I can have more made for you." The soldier took all five and tucked them into his jacket. "Given that Geonosis is now under Republic control, we'll have to land you away from where they are gathered." Scipio pulled up a holomap of Geonosis, highlighting an area to the north. "I've picked out a set of coordinates several kilometers away. There's a personal speeder loaded underneath your shuttle, you can use it to reach the Republic camp." Scipio powered down the map and turned back to his soldier. "You heard Count Dooku. Go and make them pay for taking Geonosis from us." The soldier nodded. His opportunity for revenge had come two-fold. Not only would the Clones on Geonosis suffer for the cheap tactics used on Malastare, but they would also suffer for taking Geonosis from them.

The soldier made his way to the platform where his shuttle was waiting, more than ready to unleash a Separatist kind of vengeance upon his foes.

* * *

Geonosis was a desert world, dotted with mountains and rocks across plateaus of sand and dirt. From any distance, the planet appeared barren, stricken by sand storms and dust-nados. Any signs of life could be contributed to the towering spires with unique designs carved into them. Geonosisians primarily lived in cave networks deep underground, seldom rising to the surface unless it was absolutely necessary. As of recent years, Geonosis had become a true hotspot for Separatist activity, boasting a mighty battle droid factory which provided the legions of mechanical fighters that made up the Separatist Army.

This resource had fallen during the Republic assault. Destroyed and collapsed upon itself, this factory would never again build droids for the CIS.

Such a loss was a real blow to the Alliance. The Separatists needed battle droids and Geonosis was one of their biggest producers. They needed to find other means for creating an army.

But even though some things could not be salvaged, they could be avenged.

Which was what he was here to do.

The soldier looked out across the barren landscape, speeder by his side, as he determined the best way to approach the encamped Republic forces. He needed to plan ahead of time. On a remote world like this, the Republic could see him long before he reached their lines. By determining his best course of action now, he could enact it later when it counted. The scanners in his helmet determined that the Republic had split their camp between a primary headquarters and a supply depot. The depot was his primary target, all supplies the Republic needed would be stored there. Plus, it was weakly manned and not well protected. It seems the Clones assumed that there was no one to worry about, no one to attack them. The Geonosians had been driven back, battle droids had been destroyed and the Separatists had pulled back.

Their assumption would be their downfall.

The timing of his attack needed to be perfectly precise, which is why he had waited until dusk. With the sun setting and nightfall quickly settling in across the desert, his appearance would hopefully be better concealed by a lack of exposing sunlight. Quickly devising a plan of infiltration, the soldier hopped back on his speeder and began to drive away from the Republic base. He needed a wide loop in order to turn around and remain unseen as he approached. Flooring his speeder into top gear, he shot forward as the desert passed by all around him. Rocks flew by as he ate up the distance, streaking ahead as he prepared to make his move. The sun was sinking lower in the sky, turning the brown sky to gold as it cast its final rays across the landscape. His hope was to minimize any shadow he may cast, which explained the amount of distance he kept between himself and the Republic base. He banked in a wide turn, arcing around the desert to minimize any dust he may kick up. He turned his head to lay eyes on his destination. A line of multiple AT-TE's and tanks remained stationary in the supply depot, their massive forms standing out among the other supply crates.

They would be his first target.

Finishing his turn, the soldier quickly killed the engine and let his speeder coast towards the Republic base. He was thankful Scipio had decided to install a form of 'silent running' in the engine, allowing him to drive without making any noise, relying solely on physics and antigravity for movement. He angled towards the Republic vehicles, hoping to mask his presence with their size as he approached. The base was still several kilometers away, the soldier could only hope he would remain unnoticed before he arrived.

What he wouldn't give for a sudden sandstorm right now.

Slowly his approach, the soldier began to creep up on the nearest AT-TE. The sun illuminated the giant mechanical war machine, shining brightly across his long metal exterior. Having studied blueprints obtained by Separatist spies, the soldier knew more than a few weak points in the vehicle's design on which he could capitalize. The joints of one of the six legs would be his best bet, destroying just one of those limbs could put the whole machine out of action.

And the less functioning machines the Republic had, the better.

The soldier turned sharply and jumped off his speeder, letting the air brakes slow it to a halt. He would return for it later... or just steal another one. Crouching low, he quickly ducked behind a nearby supply crate and waited, listening for any chatter from nearby Clones. He heard none, the only noises coming from much further away, meaning he was alone with the Republic's greatest assets.

Too perfect.

Even if there was a Clone guard or two, he could easily dispatch them without worry. Now, it was time to get to work. Poking his head around the edge of the crate, he quickly sprinted underneath the mighty AT-TE. Looking up at all the mechanical components above him, the soldier quickly traced out the joint for one of the central legs. Retrieving an explosive from within his jacket, the soldier scaled up the interior of the leg and wedged the device right at the top of the central joint, between the armored body and the leg itself. Arming the timer for a set period, the soldier jumped down and quickly sprinted over to the next AT-TE. He repeated the same process before moving on to the next vehicle. Staying out of sight, he did this to each of the four tanks located in the depot. It was then that he realized he only had one explosive left.

How unfortunate. For a sabotage mission, Scipio should've given him more.

Realizing he needed to find another way to deal some damage, the soldier quietly crept inside one of the makeshift armories the Republic was using. Inside, he discovered plenty of blasters, rifles, rotary cannons... and one Clone. Fortunately, he had his back turned, not noticing the soldier enter. Quickly drawing one of his knives, the solider raced up and slit his opponent's neck. The trooper gurgled and coughed as blood flowed from his punctured neck. Readjusting his grip, the soldier buried his knife deep in the Clone's torso, ensuring complete silence. As the body slumped to the ground and his knife was sheathed, the soldier took further stock of the weaponry available. Perhaps he could put some thermal detonators to good use. But that's when he noticed a large weapon crate, the top removed a leaning against the side. Curiosity got the better of him and he peered inside the box, discovering a flamethrower. He had read about the Republic making use of them when it came to dispatching Geonosians, normally equipped by specialized Flametroopers. Hefting the weapon out of the box, he quickly checked it's fuel reserve. Relatively full, definitely good for a few more uses. The soldier suddenly realized he had found a replacement for his explosives.

Oh, this was excellent.

Picking up his newest weapon, the soldier lit the torch at the end and primed the fuel dispenser. Considering the multiple uses at his disposal, the soldier was having a hard time picking just one course of action. Smirking under his helmet, the Separatist determined a new use for this weapon: he was going to torch the whole base.

Well, most of it. He hoped.

Quickly glancing outside, the soldier noted that the sun had finally set. Darkness covered the area, a nightly chill setting in across the desert. The once brilliant light of Geonosis' sun had finally disappeared.

Soon a burning Republic base would illuminate the land.

This was the best time for him to get to work. Pausing for a moment, the soldier began to plan his attack. First, he would sneak through the camp, locate any Clones who were still milling about and pinpoint any potential guards on patrol. The guards would be eliminated. The other troopers avoided. Then he would lure the other Clones to the supply depot, drawing them away from where he wanted to work.

Then he would set fire to the barracks, while Clones slept inside. Hopefully, this would allow him to half the Republic forces here. Perhaps he could kill a few more in hand to hand combat later. Either way, this base was about to become a death trap.

The soldier quietly advanced outside and moved behind the armory, stealthily creeping around in the quiet of night. The base perimeter was fairly large, giving him plenty of distance to cover. Too much for his personal timetable. Switching his optics to thermal vision, he quickly pinpointed a series of targets right in front of him. Spread out across the base, he could see the bodies of Clones milling about or patrolling the area. He scanned around, checking to see if he could find a target more isolated from the others, one who would make for an easy kill.

Suddenly, he detected motion right behind him. He had been spotted!

"Hey, you there!" The Clone behind him called out. The soldier needed to act quickly, he couldn't afford being discovered! Lunging forward, he propelled himself into the air and lashed out with two hard kicks to the Clone's head. The trooper stumbled back, dazed from the assault as the Separatist landed on his feet. Not sparing any more time, the soldier grabbed hold of the trooper and promptly snapped his neck. Letting the dead body fall to the ground, the soldier quickly ducked back into the shadows behind another building. That's when he heard voices, his scanners registering more Clones talking. He snapped his head towards the noise and his thermal vision picked up three more bodies in the armory. The Clone he had killed earlier had been discovered. The soldier rolled his head in frustration.

This was not going according to his plan.

Good thing he had been both trained and engineered to improvise. Though he preferred to do everything right the first time, he always had a Plan B.

In this case, he needed to murder all the witnesses.

The soldier quickly advanced on the armory, sticking to the shadows. He kept his optics on thermal, not wanting to be surprised again. As he grew closer, he stuck close to the wall, quietly drawing close as voices continued to register in his helmet.

" _What happened to him?_ "

" _Don't know. Looks like an assassination job to me._ "

" _But why him?_ "

" _I think the better question is 'who?'._ "

" _Better let command know. We could have another traitor in our midst._ " The soldier was at the door, ready to burst in. He quickly drew his knives, ready to kill. Bursting inside, he drove a knife through the back of the neck of one Clone before withdrawing, spinning around and stabbing another surprised Clone through the face. Blood soaked both knives as he advanced on the final Clone. Spinning his blades around, the soldier drove both knives into the sides of the Clone's head, impaling him. He held still for a moment, letting the dying body twitch for a moment before removing his blades from the head. Holstering his knives, the soldier decided it was time for a distraction, something to keep the other Clones occupied while he went about his mission of subterfuge.

He didn't have to wait long.

A sudden, thundering explosion echoed around the area, shockwaves shaking the armory. Seems like his explosives had run out of time. The AT-TE's were blowing up, and no doubt the detonations were enough to draw much attention. A second explosion followed closely after and was soon followed by another and another. Four simultaneous explosions rocked the camp, if that didn't grab someone's attention... then these Clones needed to be recycled. The clamor of shouting and running footsteps outside told him the distraction was working. Now it was time for him to work. Turning around, the soldier grabbed a can of spare fuel and began dousing the interior. If this was going to burn long and hot, it needed something to feed its flames. The smell of fuel filled the room as the soldier emptied the can. Picking up the flamethrower, he aimed his new weapon at the weaponry behind him and squeezed the trigger, filling the armory with a column of flame. Waving his weapon back and forth, the soldier ignited a blaze before quickly exiting the building, before anyone noticed. He quickly moved back outside and began sneaking around to the back of the armory, staying out of sight. Enveloped by shadows, he quickly ran towards the supply depot, planning on torching whatever ammunition or other essential supplies that may be hidden among the crates. He hoped to find find an ammo dump he could torch, possibly making an even bigger explosion and dealing more damage to the camp. He returned to the mountains of crates and wasted no time in pulling the trigger, setting fire to the supplies the Republic forces dearly needed.

The soldier quickly found a measure of joy in being an arsonist. Nothing like setting fire to equipment and tools of the Republic, torching them and rendering them useless. Knowing he could very well be spotted, the soldier sprinted from pile to pile, lighting fires and igniting the crates as quickly as he could. Destruction was at the forefront of his mind. He had a craving for vengeance and he was going to satisfy it. But sure enough, as he had predicted, he was soon spotted by a Clone. With a shout, the Republic trooper rushed him. Instead of dropping his tool, the soldier promptly turned it on his attacker, dousing the Clone in a sheet of flame. The trooper screamed in agony as fire consumed his body, eating away at the flammable suit he wore under his armor. The soldier watched for a few moments as the Clone dropped to the ground, writhing in agony. Savoring the pained look on the trooper's burnt face, the soldier ended his life by raising his boot high and crushing the Clone's skull between his foot and the ground.

But then he was spotted by another Clone. Two, in fact.

They both attacked him, moving in together as they sought to captured this foe. Dropping the flamethrower, the soldier rolled his shoulders in preparation. He would let them strike first. The Clones both threw punches simultaneously, aiming for his face. Raising his arms, the soldier deftly blocked both punches before wrapping his arms around the Clone's and twisting them around. Releasing them, he grabbed hold of both their heads and smashed them together. But as his dazed opponents struggled to recover, the soldier drew both knives and impaled them through the tops of their heads. The Clones stopped moving, twitching as blood began to trickle down through their hair. Removing his knives, the soldier sheathed both as the bodies fell to the ground. The sounds of commotion grew even greater, no doubt every Clone in the base had arrived to try and quell the flames. The soldier had done his duty, eliminating Republic artillery and burning through quite a few of their supplies.

Perhaps it was time to call this a victory and exit the premises.

But as he began walking back to where he had left his speeder, he stumbled across and entire squad of troopers.

"Hey you, Seppie!" One of the Clones exclaimed upon seeing the logo adorning his jacket. "Just where do you think you're going?" The soldier did a quick headcount. Five troopers were all that lay between him and his getaway.

Simple.

The soldier began to stalk forward, balling his hands into fists, more than ready to cut down these Clones. He didn't bother reaching for his knives, he was going to use his fists this time. The first Clone to attack him was quickly dispatched by a hard punch to the throat, collapsing his windpipe. The second suffered far worse as the soldier broke both his arms before snapping his neck. The next two charged in unison, much like the previous troopers he had killed. Only this time, he easily fended off one as he cracked the neck of the other before turning on his friend and silencing him with a broken jaw and kick to the throat. The final clone chose to let his opponent come to him, instead of advancing like his four dead friends. But once the Separatist drew near enough, the Clone lashed out with a kick... only to have his leg caught by the soldier, who promptly broke it. The Clone screamed in pain as his knee was bent at an unnatural angle before the soldier grabbed hold of his neck and crushed it between his hands. The Clone fell dead as the trooper glanced around to ensure there were no more Clones around. He'd like to be leaving now, feeling his job complete. But he suddenly remembered he still had one explosive left to use. Reaching back into his jacket, the soldier retrieved the disc and mulled over what he would use it for. Deciding he would rather leave than stick around, the soldier armed the detonator and tossed it over the mountains of crates, not caring where it landed. What he didn't realize was that his bomb had managed to land right at the feet of a group of Clones attempting to salvage some burning ammo crates. The explosive detonated seconds after landing... and ignited the ammo stores.

A massive column of flame erupted up from the even mightier explosion as the entire compound was rocked by a huge shockwave. That much destruction quickly grabbed the soldier's attention, forcing him to turn around and view the handiwork of his final explosive.

Not bad.

After regarding the burning column for a few seconds, the soldier moved to return to his speeder, climbing aboard the machine as he listened to the clamor of Clones recovering from the explosion, the screams of the burning and the groan of metal as it collapsed.

This would be something to remember for a long time. The Republic may have taken this world, but the Separatists would be back with a vengeance.

Vengeance that would be executed through him.

The soldier powered up his speeder and drove off into the desert, now turned cold by the lack of sunlight. Behind him, the desert would at least find some illumination from the burning wreckage that was once a Republic supply depot. He left the fire and flames behind him, knowing he had avenged the Geonosians and the army on Malastare.

* * *

 _Report by Clone Sergeant Zed: The Geonosis Incident_

 _"_ _Several days after taking control of Geonosis, our planetary outpost was attacked by an unseen figure. The supply depot was hit worst, most of our equipment and rations were torched beyond salvage. Our four All Terrain Tactical Enforcers were destroyed, investigations in the aftermath revealing small bombs had been placed along the leg joints but the explosions were powerful enough to also ignite the fuel reserves. Many of our men were killed, over two dozen. Most had stab wounds, indicating their assailant was equipped with a knife or two. One had been burnt to death and five of them had been brutally murdered by hand, as broken bones and bruising along the neck would suggest. But the rest were killed when an unseen explosive detonated a set of ammo crates. We found the flamethrower responsible for the torching by the edge of the camp, discarded after being used. The nature of this attack seemed to be in an effort to slow us down, to make us ineffective in maintaining our hold on this world._

 _And while I hate to say it, it worked._

 _In our current state, we cannot last long on this world. I don't know who was responsible for this attack, but they clearly knew what we were doing. Recommend that there be an increase in camp security and for new supplies to be delivered ASAP. If not, we wouldn't survive a Separatist assault._

 _Some of our men say they saw someone escaping on a speeder. However, there is no confirmation of this. Seems like anyone who did come across the saboteur ended up getting killed in a quick and brutal fashion."_

 _Report #1123_

 _Filed by Clone Sergeant CC-1784 'Zed'_

* * *

As the soldier left Geonosis, Scipio stood over a table, working alone as he pieced together the final components to his latest creation. A blade wrought from pure phrik, honed to a sharpened tenth of a mechanometer and double-edged, the Pau'un doctor fitted the weapon into a series of grooves along the base of a sheath. Splayed out before him were a series of triggers, interconnected by the same wiring and connected to the same bulky gauntlet. They were all part of the same purpose: a new armament for his creation, new signature tools to give fear a face and take part in the definition of fear.

"Forged from an indestructible metal, built for the purpose of sowing destruction," he mused, holding the weapon in his hand, "to be christened with Republic blood." There was a wicked gleam in his eye as he looked forward to his creation's next deployment.


	12. Scipio's Log 7217

Scipio's Log: Entry 271.7B - It's time for an upgrade

 _"_ _Since Count Dooku commissioned me to ensure my creation's battle-readiness, I have been hard at work developing new equipment for him to use. The recordings from the battles he has participated in have proven very useful. I have been examining his fighting style, analyzing the data available and have been making notes as to what may be improved upon or added to. There have been moments where I thought of weaponry that may have proven useful, in an instance where it had not been provided._

 _"_ _Given our newfound favor with the Separatist Council, I have set about engineering such an arsenal. Above all, my designs and machinations require a rare mineral in order to be manufactured: phrik. A metal known for being both blaster-resistant and lightsaber-proof. It seemed good to me that a soldier of such profound capabilities, engineered to inspire fear, only be outfitted with the best armor and weaponry available._

 _"_ _For the sake of this log, I shall provide a list of the armaments I wish to bestow upon my creation:_

 _-A pair of KD-30 slugthrower pistols_

 _-Two armored gauntlets, outfitted with computing components, forged from phrik_

 _-Twin custom-built swords to be attached to the gauntlets, also forged from phrik_

 _-Twin assassin grade wrist blades to be fitted under the gauntlets, also forged from phrik_

 _-An array of throwing knives_

 _-An array of explosive disks (the prototypes proved very useful on Geonosis)_

 _-Twin grapnel launchers to be mounted on the exterior of the gauntlets_

 _"_ _All of this is to compliment his current arsenal: twin DE-20 heavy pistols, twin combat knives (forged from phrik) and BR8 series blaster carbine. I have seen much potential for his use of these weapons. When the day comes when his secret is made known (and I know it will) these weapons will help him carve through his enemies with ease._

 _"_ _But before he can wear them, I must train him in the proper use of these tools. Some are pioneers in the way of melee combat, others have a long and honorable history of being reliable weapons. But one thing I am certain of is that once he masters this arsenal, he will truly be unstoppable!"_

End of Log


	13. Evolve

-Chapter 6: Evolve-

Location: Muunilinst

"When opportunity knocks, open the door wide."

Six shots. Six shots, all in the same place. The head-shaped target off in the distance now had a rather large scorch mark in the dead center of its single bulls-eye, thanks to all six rounds having hit the same exact spot. The soldier couldn't help but marvel at the accuracy of his carbine, thanks to the improvements Scipio had made. Re-engineering the firing chamber seemed to cut down on the recoil, and therefore eliminate a great percentage of variables that would affect his aim. And a quick adjustment to the arming mechanisms made for far more silent preparations. Over all, this improved carbine was proving much more reliable. Now, the soldier just needed an opportunity to test it out.

It had been several days since he had left Geonosis and severely disrupted Republic operations there. Ever since then, Scipio had been busy working in his shop on some kind of project. The soldier was not allowed to see, but could only imagine it was some sort of doomsday device... or something. Every so often though, Scipio would invite him to the briefing room where the doctor showed him intercepted reports from Geonosis. Rumors were starting to spread about a Separatist saboteur, with some Clones even claiming to have seen someone during the attack. The soldier was impressed. But Scipio was wary. He wanted this secret to remain so for as long as possible. The soldier was starting to question why, for he could be far more effective out in the open. But he was sworn to duty, to fulfill whatever command was asked of him. And for the moment, the command was to remain a secret.

He was in the base's target range, practicing his aim and honing his skills with all three of his ranged weapons. The enhancements to his body and mind provided steady aim, perfect hand-eye coordination and the ability to calculate angles within a fraction of a second. This allowed him to hit any target from any angle, always scoring a direct hit.

Suffice to say, he never missed.

Combined with his agility and strength, the soldier was capable of firing at any given moment in any given environment and guaranteed to score a kill. But it was here in the confines of his base of operations that he honed his deadly skills. Putting into practice things he had only learned. From a young age, he was taught how to wield a weapon, to use its deadly force to his advantage. He was still a child by the time he become proficient with the use of a blaster. No record ever set by any mere Clone trooper could compare to his remarkable skills. Scipio loved every silent minute of watching his creation take aim and fire, the silence of the training deck punctuated by periodic blaster fire as his soldier scored bulls-eye after bulls-eye.

All possible, thanks to him.

It was all routine to the soldier. He followed the same steps over and over again: arm, aim, shoot, repeat. He practiced for hours until he had the steps down to one fluid motion, his blaster going from holstered to armed to firing in a matter of seconds. Some might say he had mastered the art of combat.

He would say he had perfected it.

Training and studying were the only things to keep him from growing bored, the only things to occupy his mind and keep his insatiable desire for battle and carnage at bay until he was called upon to be unleashed. His role was not yet big, his name not yet renown. But even in these humble duties, he performed to the best of his abilities... for the glory of the CIS.

It was in this state of mind that Scipio found him. As he entered the target range he paused to watch as the soldier scored head-shot after head-shot, always on target, always accurate. With a proud smile, the doctor moved to one of the weapon benches in the room, placed just so for the soldier to practice dismantling and rebuilding a weapon... a just-in-case lesson if the need ever arose. On this bench, he set down two cases, both of which contained his finished crafts, his new equipment for the soldier.

"If you could spare a few minutes, my boy, there are some things I need you to see." He quickly asked between blaster shots. Hearing his request, the soldier stood up and walked over, leaving his rifle behind at the range. Scipio unlocked the first case and opened it. The soldier took a look inside and discovered a vast array of weaponry stuffed inside. Scipio reached in and pulled out a pistol. It the soldier, it seemed like a regular blaster pistol. But one look at the hammer and firing mechanisms and he knew otherwise. "The KD-30 slugthrower pistol." Scipio explained. "Carries a clip of ten rounds and is capable of firing most variants of slugs." Reaching back into the case, Scipio withdrew a fully stocked ammo clip and loaded the gun. "I'm working on acquiring the acid-lined variant, perfect for killing armored foes like Clone troopers." He handed the pistol to the soldier. "There's two of them. To compliment your twin DE-20's, of course. With an arsenal like this you should be more than ready to handle Captain Rex's weak and pathetic DC-17's." Scipio fished out the other one, loaded it and handed it to the soldier. "Go ahead, try them out." He gestured to the target range. Walking back to where he once knelt, KD-30's in hand, the soldier sized up the cutout downrange and calculated the angle he needed for a heart shot. Quickly raising his arms, the soldier fired two rounds, one from each pistol. Not quite expecting a kickback, his arms bent at the elbows as they recoiled from the blast. He was on target though, both rounds puncturing the cutout right where the heart would've been. Admiring the firepower of his newly acquired weapons, the soldier nodded fondly at their performance. Scipio smirked. "With a little practice, you'll be as masterful with them as you are with your DE-20's." He stated. "But we'll do more of that later. Come back over here, there's more for you to receive." The soldier obediently complied, setting both slugthrowers down on the table. Scipio next lifted a large gauntlet from the case. "I built these myself. They'll be the primary focus of your new arsenal." He held it out to the soldier. "Let's get it on you." The soldier held out his right arm for Scipio to use. The doctor quickly opened the gauntlet and directed the soldier to insert his hand through the frame inside, pushing his hand through the gauntlet, the soldier soon realized the fram was engineered to fit his hand. Scipio strapped the gauntlet into place and stepped back so the soldier could look it over. The piece of armour covered his entire forearm, perfectly fitting the contours of his muscular limb. It wasn't that heavy but it did feel solid and durable. "There's quite a few gimmicks in this one." Scipio explained. "They're all controlled by your hand movements, hence that wire-frame. Each trigger does something different." Scipio stepped back and held up his hand. "I'll start big and work small. First, flick your wrist down." He instructed, making a motion with his hand. The soldier did so, bending his hand down until he felt a tug and click from the frame. Suddenly, a blade shot out from the wrist of the gauntlet over top his hand. The soldier was genuinely startled. But as he took in the weapon, he was amazed.

The blade was thin and sharp, about a foot and a half long. Ending in a sharpened point, the blade was intricately designed, bearing the mark of the Separatists at its base. Scipio grinned at the reveal. "Forged from pure phrik, able to block even a lightsaber." He explained. "It's double-edged, honed to a tenth of a mechanometer. You'll be able to slice through anything with it!" He beamed. The soldier nodded his head in understanding, slowly coming to terms with his new weapon. "To store it, just repeat the same motion with your wrist." The soldier did so and the blade instantly retracted, sliding into the gauntlet with a metallic ring. Satisfied, Scipio continued. "Now flick your wrist up." The soldier did so and a smaller blade shot up from under his hand. If he wasn't careful with these motions, he just might impale himself on a hidden blade. The soldier quickly surmised he would have to be extra diligent with his hand motions, to avoid triggering a blade by mistake. This smaller blade was significantly thicker, but looked just as sharp. "Perfect for a quick, up-close stab. You can just walk up, deploy and no know would notice until it was too late." Scipio stated. The soldier practiced a few quick attacks, slicing away at the air. He could certainly see a benefit to having this 'assassin blade'. He would be a much more effective infiltrator and would be able to get the drop on his opponents easier with weaponry like this. "I think you know how to store it." Scipio reached back into the case as the soldier flicked his wrist again and the blade retracted. Scipio now carried a variety of small knives in his hands, bearing no handles and seemingly carved as one single unit. "These are throwing knives." He stated. "I've witnessed moments where you could've thrown your knives but chose not to, so I had these engineered as an alternative." Scipio motioned for the soldier to flip over his arm. "They store underneath your gauntlet and are thin enough for you to carry multiples." Scipio pried open a storage rack on the underside of the gauntlet and carefully inserted each blade, one atop the other. Closing the storage rack, Scipio spoke again. "The knives are located on the left. Just flick your wrist that way and one will launch into your hand." Scipio returned to the case as the soldier practiced, learning he could easily slide the throwing blades back in if he didn't need them. Scipio brought forth more of the explosive discs the soldier had used on Geonosis, recognizing them instantly. "I had more of these manufactured for you after witnessing just how useful they were. They'll work just the same as the knives, only you'll flick your wrist to the right." Scipio loaded up the discs, a significantly less amount than the knives, and stepped back to pronounce him completely armed. But he wasn't quite finished. "Oh! I almost forgot, curl your index and middle finger together at the same time to fire the new grapple I've mounted on top. This should help you scale walls and drop down from ceilings, generally making you more nimble and mobile." The doctor informed him, reaching back into the case for the second gauntlet. The soldier examined the launcher while Scipio loaded up the gauntlet for the soldier's left arm, placing each knife and disc in its proper compartment. Once outfitted, Scipio handed over the gauntlet and the soldier suited up. He looked much better with two, giving him and even bulky appearance than he already possessed. "Both of your gauntlets were forged from phrik," Scipio added, "so don't hesitate to block a lightsaber or deflect a shot." Closing up the first case, Scipio moved the other one over and opened it up. "These are mostly cosmetic upgrades, but you may yet find them useful." The soldier walked over and watched as Scipio pulled out a folded article of clothing. "I've been working on a new jacket for you." The doctor informed him, allowing the new one to unfold. "This one is far more armored along the arms, chest and back. Christophsis taught me that you needed to be better protected to avoid giving a false impression, so I had the plates made from phrik as well." The soldier turned around and let Scipio helped him put it on, although the shorter Pau'un was unable to lift the jacket all the way up the soldier's towering six-foot frame. "I've included some additional armor sewn in around the gauntlets, for double the protection." Scipio stated as he circled around the soldier, checking the size lengths. The first thing the soldier noticed as he did up the chest was how long this new jacket was. It trailed down to his ankles, forming more of a trench coat or duster-like appearance.

A nice touch to enhance his look.

Scipio reached back into the case and pulled out two new components, both parts of a helmet. "This is a new variant of your helmet, call it a 'Mark Two' if you will. New scanners in the optics, an improved _live_ recording feed, enhanced listening devices and the inclusion of a long-range communication system. I've had controls built into the side so you can adjust the settings more fluidly." Scipio described the new upgrades as the soldier pulled off his old helmet. "Given the increased AV abilities I had to remove the retractable mask feature and use that space for circuitry. Not that you used it anyway," he commented, "so I engineered a new face mask to cover your nose and mouth by wrapping around your lower jaw. It clips together via a strap and fits under the helmet." He explained as the soldier fitted the new mask in place before he slid the helmet on over top. Once in place, the headgear locked in around his head, plates sliding and clicking into place in order to solidly secure its position. "The mask also includes a synthetic voice modulator so your voice can be disguised." Scipio added with a slight grin. The soldier gave him a sideways glance.

" _You really want me to talk, don't you?_ " His voice came out deep and threatening with a hint of mechanization from the mask. Scipio's grin broadened at the soldier's query.

"Indeed I do my boy, and it seems like yesterday's reconditioning session had proven effective." He mused.

" _We'll see._ " The soldier rumbled. Scipio gave him a once over, looking sharp and menacing in his newest attire.

"You certainly look good. Combined with what you already have, you're sure to be unstoppable now." He noted, crossing his arms. "Just before my arrival here, Count Dooku contacted me with a dossier. He wants you on Muunilinst to run counter operations against the Republic. You recall that the Republic took it early in the war."

" _I do._ " The soldier nodded.

"Good. Than you know San Hill barely escaped before ARC Troopers came crashing in, lead by Kenobi. Use these new tools to terrorize the Republic, show them we do not back down so easily."

" _I always do._ " The soldier growled as he moved to leave. Rolling his shoulders and adjusting to the new jacket, it looked like he'd get to try out this new arsenal a lot sooner than he had anticipated.

* * *

The Republic grip on Muunilinst was a strong one. Ever since they had invaded and captured the capital city of Harnaidan, the Clone presence was strong and unrelenting. They had lost much trying to take this world and they would not lose it so easily.

But like all great things, the end must come. It may not be today, but it would be soon.

The soldier was glad for an opportunity to practice his 'urban warfare' techniques. It seemed like a very long time since he had hidden out in the buildings of Crystal City on Christophsis, killing Clones in the shadow of high-rises.

The soldier soon learned about the ARC Trooper detachment, known as the Muunilinst Ten, who had made Republic victory possible. He vowed that one day he would make them pay for their efforts. Grievous had managed to kill some on Hypori, but the soldier was after a much bigger prize: the head of Captain Fordo, leader of the Muunilinst Ten.

But Fordo was not his current objective. Weakening Republic forces was.

He was observing a convoy of tanks making their way through the city. Must be a patrol of some kind. He wasn't quite sure why the Republic was so heavy-handed in securing this world. Perhaps it could be traced to those who ran it: the Muuns. Although Muunilinst was the home of the InterGalactic Banking Clan and its leader San Hill, who were both aligned with the Separatist cause, the general population had cried out to the Republic for aid in overcoming Separatist forces. Such a contrast to Geonosis, where Poggle the Lesser served the CIS along with the entirety of the planet.

The slow-moving tanks would become his first victims. He'd attack from the rear, either causing a chain reaction or a spectacle to lure Clone away from the tanks. Suffice to say, his new explosive disks were about to become very handy. He waited in an alleyway, concealed by shadows. A pair of glowing red eyes standing out amidst the buildings. He watched as the tanks filed by, slowly counting them and their personnel. When the seventh tank reached him, the last one in the line, the soldier quickly sprinted from his cover and slid underneath the vehicle. Rising several feet off the ground, he was thankful these tanks were of the repulsorlift variety. It made dismantling them all the easier. Flicking his wrist and shooting a disc into his hand, the soldier planted one towards the rear of the vehicle, right by the drive system. He rolled out from underneath and counted ten seconds before the device exploded and the tank came to an abrupt halt. Scaling up the back of the vehicle, the soldier waited for the hatch to open, reaching behind him for one of his knives. He listened to the brief chatter inside as one of the Clones moved to get out and check the damage. He silently leaned back as the hatch opened and a trooper bearing the markings of a gunner popped up. But as the Clone moved to lift himself out, the soldier grabbed hold of him from behind and plunged his knife through the Clone's helmet. Blood soaked his knife as the trooper grunted in pain and died from his wound. But the pilot below took notice and cried in surprise. The soldier silenced him by drawing his blaster pistol and fired twin rounds into the cockpit of the tank, killing him. Holstering his weapon, the soldier looked up to see the hatch on the tank in front of them open as another Clone gunner appeared. Quickly reaching for his carbine, the soldier took aim at the unsuspecting trooper and fired three shots to the back of his head. His body slumped forward as the soldier returned his rifle to his back and jumped down onto the tank, dashing forward and jumping onto the tank before him. He climbed up to the hatch to hear the pilot mutter in confusion, knowing he was still alive. Arming another disc, the soldier leapt over the hatch and dropped his explosive down into the tank. Trapped by the dead body above, the Clone couldn't escape the disc as it detonated seconds after being armed. The tank exploded from the inside as smoke billowed up from the open hatch, the dead Clone flung away by the explosion. By now many other Clones from the final five tanks had climbed out upon hearing the clamor from behind.

The soldier now had a fight on his hands.

Leaping into the air, he quickly launched a throwing knife into his hand and tossed it towards the nearest trooper. His superior aim was true to its mark and the knife was impaled in the Clone's neck. Dropping down from above, the soldier triggered the new assassin blade on his right hand and plunged it through the Clone's visor as he tackled him. Blood spurted from the wound as the dead Clone hit the ground, the soldier still atop him. Drawing his newest sidearm, the soldier snapped up his arm and fired two slugs, killing a Clone before him with a pair of successful head-shots, blood spraying from the punctured head. Retracting his blade and stowing his sidearm, the soldier quickly climbed aboard the next tank just as the pilot was popping his head out. Drawing a knife, the soldier jumped up and brought his weapon down, impaling the Clone through the top of his head. Not wasting any more time, the Separatist freed his knife and somersaulted off the tank, whipping a throwing knife at another nearby Clone, this time spearing his leg. As the trooper cried out in pain, the soldier charged forward, extending both arm blades. Lunging forward he brought his arms around in a scissor-like motion, cleanly cutting the Clone in half. Cortosis blades passed through armor and flesh like so much air, bisecting his opponent with a gory spray of blood and severed guts. The soldier rolled forward and retracted his blades, the two halves of the Clone falling to the ground with a meaty thud. Rearming his carbine, the soldier rose, took aim and fired at the exposed fuel tanks on the rear of the second tank. His shot hit home and the tank was engulfed by a fiery explosion which killed both pilot and gunner. With a burning barricade before them, tanks three, four and five weren't going anywhere.

None of them were.

Lobbing four different discs at the fifth tank in line, the soldier watched as explosions ripped clean through the outer armor, creating large holes in the now destroyed vehicle.

Another Republic weapon made useless.

Turning his sights on the fourth tank, the soldier watched as the Clone gunner climbed out and spotted him. Snapping up an arm, the soldier fired one of his new tethers, a new plan forming in his mind. The cable caught between sections of armor and, summoning his vast strength, he yanked the surprised Clone towards him. The soldier caught the flying Clone with a hard punch, laying him out flat on the ground. Grabbing the trooper by his armor, the soldier dragged him back over to the tank and pushed his body underneath. Activating his arm blade, he quickly stabbed the drive system, short circuiting the repulsor engines. The multi-ton vehicle dropped like a rock, crushing the Clone underneath. The remaining pilots were quickly disposed of by way of the soldier's blaster carbine. Only one tank remained manned, evident by the way it turned around and trained its weaponry on the soldier. He quickly rolled out of the way as a pair of cannon rounds exploded the ground next to him... and an idea quickly formed in his mind.

He would use their own tank to destroy the others.

Breaking into a sprint he moved back past the wreckage of the fifth tank and climbed aboard sixth tank, now unmanned. Turning around to face his pursuer, he waited until the tank had lined him up in its sights. The soldier stared down the twin barrels, waiting for the perfect opportunity. As soon as the tank fired, he jumped forward and landed on the ground as the shots slammed into the tank he was just sitting on. The vehicle exploded in a fireball as the solider grinned beneath his mask. As long as the pilot and gunner kept tracking him, he could use their firepower to destroy these other tanks. He sprinted back, drawing his pistols as he approached the next tank, the last one in the line. Turning about he sprayed blaster fire at the heavily armored body, knowing it wouldn't be affected.

He just wanted to keep their attention.

He stopped before the seventh tank and laid down more fire on the incoming tank, watching as the barrels swiveled towards him and took aim. The soldier rolled out of the way just in time, rounds exploding the tank behind him, piercing through the armor.

Only one left to destroy.

Stowing his pistols, the soldier charged ahead and leapt atop the tank, triggering both arm blades. He scaled up the turret and sliced off first one barrel than the other, permanently disabling the weapons. Using his blade to pry open the cockpit hatch, he was promptly greeted by the Clone gunner who attempted to fight him off with his hands. The soldier promptly buried one of his blades in the Clone's helmet, almost cleaving his head in two. Blood sprayed from the gaping wound as the soldier grabbed hold of the body and yanked it out, arming twin discs and dropping them in on top of the startled pilot. He hopped off the tank and hit the ground just as his explosives detonated, consuming the interior of the tank with fire and smoke. Standing up straight, the soldier dusted off his hands and examined the chaos around him. Burning tanks, bludgeoned bodies, the smell of burning metal and spilt blood... there was nothing else like it.

But it was time for him to move on. There was a supply depot he wanted to hit before he left, and he dearly hoped there was a flamethrower for him to make use of.

* * *

 _Some time later..._

CT-1489, or 'Thatch', approached the gruesome scene before him, flanked by Clone sergeants. The sight of burning tanks and scorched earth was one thing, but the bloody remains of Clones laying across vehicles, sprawled across the ground, their blood splattered everywhere, that was a much more disturbing sight. He didn't bother counting the bodies or the tanks, reports had already informed him that each one had been destroyed.

"Any idea what happened here trooper?" He asked one of the Clones by his side.

"No sir. It was reported by one of our scouts out on recon."

"Any witnesses?"

"None sir. There were no survivors." Thatch balled his hand into a fist. It aggravated him when he had nothing to work with. He approached one of the tanks that had a gaping hole blown in the side, a small fire still burning within. His red streaked armor was similar in color to the decals on the now scorched tank. He ran a hand along the edge of the hole, wondering what could've possibly done this. The Muuns had no qualms with them, the IGBC was either on the run or captured...

"And you say this has happened elsewhere?" He asked, turning back to the trooper. The sergeant nodded in affirmation.

"Yes sir. A supply depot was attacked in the southern quadrant and another convoy was destroyed in the western quadrant. They all look the same sir: bodies everywhere, vehicles and resources left destroyed and burning, signs of a fight are everywhere... but our men were the losers." Thatch looked to a wall where a trio of blaster marks had been etched into the permacrete.

Nothing about this situation sat well with him. And he couldn't help but feel like there was a common cause behind this. He had read reports and heard rumors... but to see it first hand was something else. And it unnerved the Clone commander.

"Have either of you ever heard about the Geonosis incident a few weeks ago?" He asked. The second sergeant nodded in affirmation.

"I read through Sergeant Zed's report, sir."

"Notice any similarities between here and there?" Thatch asked, gesturing to the carnage around him. The sergeant glanced around.

"Now that you mention it, the pattern does look the same. Do you think they're connected?"

"Maybe. Now have either of you heard the report filed by Private Glock on Malastare?" Thatch asked again.

"You mean the one about the 'night phantom'?" The other sergeant piped up. "Yeah, sounds pretty crazy if you ask me." Thatch looked back at the ruined tanks before them.

"Maybe it's not." He mused.

* * *

 _Report by Clone Commander Thatch: Muunilinst Attacks_

 _"_ _Having taken control of Muunilinst, regular patrols have been order to ensure no Separatist uprisings. While the Muun's are grateful for our help, San Hill and the InterGalactic Banking Clan were a problem and the possibility of mass sentiment for his cause is possible. During one such patrol, a group of seven Sabre Tanks were attacked and destroyed, their gunners and pilots slaughtered. There were no survivors. Hours later one of our southern supply depots was attacked in a similar fashion, Clones were bloodily killed and any valuable supplies were systematically destroyed by fire or other means. Then another convoy in the western sector was hit, also destroyed in a similar fashion to the first._

 _Having read through Sergeant Zed's Geonosis report, I can't help but notice similarities between these incidents: the mass destruction, high body count and use of explosives and fire to achieve a level of sabotage. Perhaps there is a connection between these incidences that may very well unlock the mystery of this Separatist saboteur. Recommend that Private Glock's report from Malastare also be taken into account. Something about a shadow with red eyes may just shine a light on who's responsible for these setbacks."_

 _Report #1289_

 _Filed by Clone Commander CT-1489 'Thatch'_


	14. Scipio's Log 10148D

Scipio's Log: Entry 1014.8D - I am proud of him

 _"_ _They say hubris is a character flaw, one that causes the downfall of powerful men. It is treated as an affliction or is simply glazed over by those who have it._

 _"_ _But I am so very proud of what I have accomplished. What can I say? I am a pioneer in this field, the first to successfully engineer the perfect specimen, the first to train the perfect soldier, the first to unleash a weapon so powerful that his very presence terrorizes our opponents. I have achieved all of this... so why shouldn't I be proud?_

 _"_ _The injections to strengthen his body and enhance the effectiveness of the serum have been much more worthwhile than I had originally imagined. A dose just before he left for Muunilinst boasted impressive results. He adapted to his new weaponry far faster than he did the blaster carbine on Malastare. I had the opportunity to watch as he employed each and every one in efficient and brutal ways. He has exceeded every requirement and expectation, proving his worth and capabilities beyond measure. All that is left is to ensure his readiness._

 _"_ _I have stated before that I very much feel like a father concerning him. Is it wrong that I feel parent-like pride? Is it wrong for me to take pride in his actions?_

 _"_ _No. It is not."_

End of Log


	15. Extreme Notoriety

**Author's Note: If any of you readers are 'Luxsoka' fans... this isn't your chapter... just warning you...**

* * *

-Chapter 7: Extreme Notoriety-

Location: Mandalore and Onderon

"To have no mercy is to have no weakness."

 _Several hours ago..._

 _"_ _The Prime Minister of Mandalore, Almec, had been reaching out to us." Scipio was recounting. "You are familiar with Mandalorians, right?" He asked._

 _"_ _Good tactics. Proud warriors. Deadly efficiency."_

 _"_ _Indeed. Almec had been attempting to undermine the current Duchess of Mandalore to restore Mandalore's warrior heritage, instead of this pacifistic neutrality approach she seems to prefer. His efforts were recently thwarted when a group of cadets discovered his actions and had him arrested."_

 _"_ _Kids? Seriously?"_

 _"_ _Unfortunately yes. However, I want you to travel to Mandalore and-"_

 _"_ _Stage a prison break?"_

 _"_ _No. I want you to kill the four cadets responsible for Almec's imprisonment. Send a message that the Separatists will never abandon their allies." Scipio handed him a datapad. "Through a contact, I've managed to acquire the identities of the four." The soldier examined the information, committing facial features to memory. He paused on one._

 _"_ _Nephew of the duchess." He read aloud. Glancing up at Scipio, he rolled his shoulders. "That'll cause some mayhem."_

 _"_ _Are you worried?" Scipio wondered._

 _"_ _No. But 'Korkie' has to be the stupidest name I've ever heard. It's not even a nickname." He muttered. Scipio chuckled in agreement. "Count Dooku has sanctioned this mission?"_

 _"_ _No, it's of my own design." Scipio replied. The soldier glanced up, both curious and uncertain. "Don't worry, I'm sure the Council will be onboard with this..."_

* * *

Taking liberties. That's what Scipio was doing. The soldier pondered the current state of his mission as he waited on a rooftop, overlooking a nearby alley. He had managed to successfully infiltrate Mandalore and was already working his magic. Already aware of the identities of the four cadets responsible for ratting out Almec, the soldier was looking forward to dealing out more Separatist vengeance.

But he had to wonder if the Separatist Council would really be onboard with this mission. Scipio had reassured him they would be, but the soldier couldn't help but second-guess. The soldier himself was perfectly fine with this mission, it would be a perfect example to spread fear and get some payback.

But it hadn't been officially sanctioned.

However uncertain he may be about the authority of this mission, it was a mission nonetheless. Upon arriving on Mandalore, he had looked into Almec's situation and had learned from reports that not only did four cadets take him down, but they did so with the assistance of Ahsoka Tano: the Togruta female he had first seen on Felucia.

Funny how things come full circle.

He had retrieved a list of the four cadets responsible for Almec's imprisonment: Amis, Lagos, Soniee and Korkie Kryze.

The soldier had to shake his head. What a dumb name.

Moving past his personal bias, the soldier had used his new communications systems to relay an encoded message to each of the four. He couldn't quite remember the message, something about 'impressive work' and 'data on more Separatist activity on Mandalore', either way it was something so positively tempting that the four young adults would have no choice but to listen. He had left coordinates attached, ones that would lead the group to this very alley he was watching. And so, he had been for the past few hours, ever since he sent out the message.

Calmly waiting. Silently planning.

Thanks to his new armament, these cadets would be dead in seconds. What he was trying to figure out was how best to send a message.

It needed to be something visceral.

His planning would have to wait as the foursome arrived one by one at the entrance to the alley. About time. Triggering his audio receptors, the soldier quietly listened.

 _"_ _Well, this is the place."_ Amis mused.

 _"_ _See anyone, Lagos?"_ Soniee asked her fellow cadet.

 _"_ _No, maybe we're early?"_ The blonde replied.

 _"_ _The message said to meet here in four hours, if anything we're on time."_ The blonde-haired Korkie stated. _"Let's have a look around, see if they left anything for us."_ He suggested. Agreeing with his suggestion, the group slowly moved deeper into the alley, carefully checking around the walls and various empty crates for anything out of the ordinary... that may or may not be a message. Powering down his comms, the soldier moved to the edge of the roof and crouched, waiting for the right moment to strike. The young adults passed by underneath him, oblivious to the stalker above them. The soldier planned for them to enter the alley in more of a single-file formation, leaving at least one of them at the rear.

They would die first.

Taking stock of his soon-to-be victims, the soldier quickly identified the bald Amis at the rear of the group. Timing his attack, the soldier waited until the group had moved in far enough the Amis was right underneath him. Seeing his opportunity, the soldier jumped down, wrist blades extending from under his hands. He pounced upon Amis, coattails flying about him as he drove his blades through Amis' skull. Blood gushed over the ground as the soldier rode his falling body down, landing with a thud. The other three turned around in surprise, an emotion which quickly turned to horror when they took stock of what had happened.

"Amis!" Korkie cried in surprise as the soldier made to stand, wrenching his blades free and leaving two puncture wounds in his hairless head. The bloody weapons retracted as the soldier rolled his shoulders, ready to spill more blood.

"What is that thing?!" Soniee wondered, fearful of this new development. That's when the light illuminated the Separatist emblem on the soldier's jacket. Korkie saw it and gulped.

"I think we've just discovered a trap." He realized.

" _A trap set for you._ " The soldier growled as he advanced upon them.

"Korkie, what do we do?" A scared Soniee asked as they back away.

"We have to contact someone... police, my aunt, anybody!" He replied. "Lagos, if we hold him off, can you get some help?"

"Got it!" She affirmed.

" _I can hear your every word,_ " the soldier rumbled, " _and no one is going for help!_ "

"We'll see about that!" Korkie confidently responded as he charged forward and threw a quick punch, aimed at the soldier chest.

But he caught it and promptly broke Korkie's hand. The boy cried out in pain. "Lagos, go!" He ordered his fellow cadet. She moved to obey just as Soniee moved in to try and grab hold of the soldier. But a swift kick to her gut instantly put her on the ground, wheezing in pain. Painfully twisting Korkie's arm, the soldier turned and snapped up an arm, firing one of his tethers at the fleeing Lagos. The projectile sped through the air and made contact with her body. The blonde cried out as the grapnel dug into her skin.

" _Get over here!_ " The soldier growled as he reefed on the cable, forcibly yanking the girl back towards him. Lagos stumbled and landed on her back, the soldier pulling his tether free and retracting it. Releasing Korkie with a shove, the soldier stalked over to the downed Lagos and picked her up by the hair. Hoisting her to her feet, the soldier switched his hold and grabbed Lagos by the head. Hand covering her face, he summoned his incredible strength and slammed her head into the nearby wall, skull crunching between solid permacrete and mighty fist, shards of bone being driven into her brain.

If that didn't kill her, the blunt-force trauma certainly did.

Releasing her body, the soldier turned back to the final two cadets. Soniee had recovered from his attack while Korkie was still nursing his broken hand.

"She was my friend!" The brunette cried, anger driving her to attack this monster. As she did, the soldier remembered his earlier train of thought about leaving a visceral message behind.

And now, he had an idea.

Allowing Soniee to draw closer, the soldier reached for his knife and prepared to strike. Once she was, he struck with a quick slash, cutting a deep wound in the girl's abdomen. Soniee sputtered as blood stained her clothes, seeping from the grievous wound. Sheathing his knife, the soldier primed an explosive disc and promptly shoved it into the wound, Soniee gasping from the sudden pain. Task complete, the soldier turned around and waited. Soniee staggered back and almost fell before she exploded. Her body was evaporated into a shower of blood, a mighty splatter staining both Korkie and the soldier's back. Her upper body reduced to fragments, everything below her waist remained save for a small meaty chunk of what was once her torso. The remains of Soniee hit the ground and the soldier turned around to face the horrified Korkie. Covered in blood, the menacing Separatist stalked over and hoisted Korkie up by the neck.

" _You have the dumbest name I've ever heard._ " He mused aloud. His synthesized voice sent shivers of the boy's spine.

"Who... are you?" Korkie rasped. The soldier eyed his struggling form before he spoke,

" _An agent of the CIS, here to repay you for imprisoning Almec._ " He responded, arm blade triggering. Whipping his arm around, the soldier impaled Korkie through the gut, blood splashing down his blade. The boy gasped as the soldier delivered the deathblow, still holding Korkie by the neck, watching as he breathed his last. When the body ceased to move, the soldier pulled his blade free with a spurt of blood before carelessly tossing it on the ground. Retracting his blade, the soldier glanced around at the carnage he'd created.

Not bad, if he did say so himself.

Prepared to leave, the soldier suddenly stopped in his tracks. This wasn't enough to leave a message, it didn't feel like it. He needed to do something else. A sudden thought crossed his mind. Turning back to the body of Korkie, he began to craft a scene that would strike fear and horror into the hearts of everyone who saw it...

* * *

The soldier returned to his base feeling triumphant, another successful mission accomplished. Walking across the landing pad, metal boots clicking along the polished surface, he had completely forgotten his worries about partaking in a non-sanctioned mission. He entered the base with little concerns on his mind, expecting nothing more than a 'good job' from Scipio and orders to wait for his next mission.

But he was soon feeling something else when he saw Count Dooku's image on the holotable in the briefing room.

"There you are soldier." Dooku greeted him. "We were just discussing your absence." A very notable edge in his voice immediately told the soldier that Dooku was not pleased. He quickly cast a glance at Scipio as if to say, 'you said he'd be on board'.

"As I was saying my liege, the plan was all mine. Please do not be angry with him, if anything punish me instead." Scipio pleaded with the Sith.

"You have just found favor with us, doctor," Dooku nearly growled at the Pau'un, "and already you are taking advantage of our generosity?"

"I thought this would be a noble undertaking!" Scipio replied. "To avenge a cause lost to mere cadets..."

"It is Prime Minister's Almec's fault if he failed because of children!" Dooku thundered. "You are to relay orders directly from us, not to give out your own!"

"I apologize, my liege. It was not my intention to undermine your leadership in any way, shape or for-" Scipio was cut off as breath was suddenly cut from his lungs, his throat being crushed by an invisible hand. He started choking, collapsing to his knees as Dooku used the Force to cut off Scipio's air supply. The soldier rushed over to him. Realizing what was happening, he turned back to Count Dooku.

" _Release him._ " He stated. Dooku was taken aback.

"You can speak?"

" _Recent upgrade. I need him, so do you. If he ever does this again I'll kill him myself._ " The soldier promised. Dooku sized him up for a moment, considering his words. Remembering the soldier's immense value and importance to the Separatist cause, Dooku released Scipio who gasped as air finally flooded his lungs.

"Consider this a warning." He threatened before cutting the communication. The soldier quickly helped the Pau'un to his feet.

"Many thanks... my boy..." The scientist wheezed.

" _Nothing unsanctioned._ " The soldier stated.

"Quite right... I had better learn something from this." The doctor muttered. "I don't expect you to be... called upon any time soon. You better hand me your footage... and then go train..." He recommended, breathing deeply. "And I need to sit down." As the soldier helped him, Scipio couldn't help but thank his lucky stars that the soldier had intervened when he did. The soldier, on the other hand, was quick to realize who was really in control here.

Though he did not see Dooku in person, the old man certainly held all the power.

* * *

 _The next day, on Coruscant..._

When Duchess Satine contacted Supreme Chancellor Palpatine with an urgent message, Obi-Wan Kenobi just so happened to be there. As much as the Jedi Master was delighted to see his old flame, Satine's tone told him all was not well. Having been in a meeting with the Chancellor at the time, Palpatine invited Obi-Wan to stick around, knowing his recent involvement during the attempts on Satine's life. The Duchess stood before the two via a hologram.

"I thank you for taking the time to speak with me Chancellor, for something dark has happened on Mandalore." She explained.

"Your earlier communication indicated as much." Palpatine replied, knowing that Satine's worried tone could only mean that something had occurred. Mandalore was proving to be quite controversial as of late.

"First Almec and his schemes... what is it now Duchess?" Obi-Wan asked.

"The four cadets who helped in uncovering Almec's plot have been murdered."

"Murdered?" Obi-Wan was astonished, as was Palpatine.

"And it was not a simple shooting or stabbing, their bodies were butchered! Brutally so!" Satine exclaimed. "My own nephew, Korkie, had been decapitated!" Satine disappeared from the holocom and was replaced with a photo of the bloody alleyway. Prominent in the image was Korkie Kryze's decapitated head speared on top of what appeared to be a pipe, blood dripping down from his severed neck.

"Who could be responsible for such carnage?" Palpatine asked, very concerned. "Is there a Separatist presence on Mandalore?"

"Not that I'm aware of. And this certainly isn't the work of Death Watch either. Their methods are far... cleaner." Satine replied.

"Then appears we have a new enemy, one who's not afraid to leave a mark behind." Obi-Wan grimly mused. "This is obviously in retaliation for imprisoning Almec."

"Any ideas whom it may be, Master Jedi?" Palpatine inquired. "Someone in league with him, perhaps?"

"Not a clue. We could be dealing with a bounty hunter or something else entirely." He replied, stroking his beard. "There have been a trio of recent reports concerning similar occurrences on different worlds. But they were all battlefields, heavily contested planets of interest. Mandalore does not fit the trend."

"I have personally read those reports. The carnage and brutality certainly fits the description. But apart from that... nothing." Palpatine sighed, this was indeed troublesome but only lead to nowhere.

"The reason I'm telling you this is because I fear it may be part of something larger." Satine added. "The Separatists are gaining footholds in the galaxy and this may be part of it."

"We thank you for your concern Duchess." Palpatine thanked her. "We will do what we can should you ask of us."

"That's very kind of you Chancellor. I must go now; my family is still in shock but I believe the grief will be setting in soon enough." Satine excused herself. "Oh, one more thing Master Jedi, I'm not quite sure how to tell Padawan Tano about this development. She was close with those four, even instructed them personally."

"Don't worry Satine, I'll find a way to... break it to her." Obi-Wan reassured her. The Duchess ended her communication, leaving Obi-Wan and Palpatine to their thoughts.

"This situation is most distressing." Palpatine mused aloud. "If the Separatists are not above slaughtering young ones, who knows what could be next."

"My thoughts exactly Chancellor." Obi-Wan agreed. "But what bothers me more is that there is no trace of a culprit. Just like on Malastare, Geonosis and Muunilinst."

"Do you think they're connected?"

"Quite frankly, I don't know what to think." The Jedi admitted.

* * *

 _Some days later..._

The soldier lay on a table as Scipio finished administering injections. The yellow liquid being pumped into his system was designed to strengthen the serum enhancing his body, hopefully providing increased responses and improved enhancements.

"The things I do to make you the best." Scipio sarcastically mused out loud, as he looked over a datapad. "But at least it pays off. Statistically speaking, you're performing better." He noted.

" _Thanks to you._ " The soldier rumbled in reply. Scipio chuckled.

"Indeed." Suddenly, the holotable activated and Count Dooku's form appeared. Scipio immediately walked over to speak with their leader.

"I have new orders for your soldier, doctor." Dooku stated. "We have reason to believe that the Senator of Onderon, Mina Bonteri, has been attempting some sort of relations with the Republic." He informed them. "Monitored transmissions indicate she has been in heavy communication with Senator Amidala of Naboo, concerning the idea of forging peace from our own side."

"How unfortunate." Scipio said in a disappointed tone. "Onderon seemed like such a faithful world."

"We must ensure that any such thoughts are stamped out, galaxy-wide, so that any future rebellious thoughts by our affiliates do not come to fruition. Your soldier is the ideal candidate to send a message of this calibre. I want him to travel to Onderon and execute Senator Bonteri. No witnesses." Dooku ordered.

"It shall be done immediately." Scipio replied with a bow.

"Good work. I expect a report upon completion." With that, Dooku promptly ended the communication. Scipio turned back to his creation.

"I take it you heard all that?"

" _Every word._ " He answered.

"Good. We'll use the live AV feed this time. I'll transmit it all directly to Count Dooku." Scipio stated as he began to activated the visual systems in the soldier's helmet. Then he pulled free the tubing plugged into his arm. "That should be enough for now. Time for you to go and do your thing." Standing up, the soldier threw on his jacket, collected his weaponry and left without another word.

* * *

 _Later that day, at the Bonteri Estate..._

The Senator of Onderon, Mina Bonteri, sat alone in her study as she attempted to de-stress herself. The middle-aged brunette was tired. It had been a long past few days, days fraught with conversations back and forth with fellow senators as she explored the options before her. To be frank, Mina was war-weary. The Clone Wars seemingly had no end in sight, meaning there would be no peace for her, her family or her people any time soon. All she wanted was for an end to the conflict. Was that so wrong? What would her husband think? Her deceased partner, who served as an officer in the Separatist navy, would've had some insights for her.

But now she was all alone. Literally. Lux had gone out leaving her alone in her office. Alone with her thoughts and desire to try for peace again at another point in time. Her conversations with her good friend, Senator Amidala, had yielded some options for her to dwell on. But she was suddenly roused from her relaxed state when she heard a noise beyond the doors of her office. Concerned, she stood up and poked her head outside.

"Hello?" She called out. Mina cautiously entered the hall. "Is someone here?" She asked, not expecting a response. She began to walk through her home, checking for signs of an intruder. Rounding a corner and entering the den, she was surprised to see someone sitting in a chair, calmly waiting for her.

" _Mina Bonteri._ " The blue clad figure began. " _You've been busy as of late._ " The senator stepped forward and finally saw the full form of the man in her home. His face obscured by a helmet, all she could see were a pair of blood-red optics.

"What do you want with me?" She asked, fear slowly creeping up her spine. Although uncertain as to who this man was, he seemed to have unpleasant intentions for her.

" _It's not what I want, but what Count Dooku wants._ " The soldier stated as he rose up. " _Your public opinion of the Separatists has not gone unnoticed, neither have your private communications with the senator of Naboo._ " He he said, listing off various activities of hers. " _As I said, you've been busy._ "

"I just want the war to end." She explained, sounding anxious and desperate.

" _The war cannot end unless there is a victor!_ " He growled. " _The Separatists demand nothing less than total victory, something your undermining actions would not provide._ " The super-soldier advanced upon her, Mina slowly backing away as he continued. " _You have revealed your true colors. A statement you will pay for... dearly._ " Drawing his blaster pistol, the soldier calmly armed his weapon as Mina looked on.

"You intend to kill me?" She asked, very much afraid.

" _The cause must consist of those who are dedicated._ " He replied, aiming his weapon at her. " _Those who are not... will be purged._ " At that moment, Lux entered the room, having returned form his jaunt. He froze in mid-step upon seeing the Separatist agent holding his mother at gunpoint.

"Mother?" He asked, very concerned.

"Lux!" The senator gasped at the sight of her son, surprised by his sudden presence. Then she grew afraid, desperate for him to not lose another parent. "Please, don't do this." Mina begged the soldier. His gaze remained hard and unflinching. "Not in front of my boy!"

" _Then perhaps you should've considered that before you became a traitor._ " He retorted. " _Your husband would be very disappointed._ " He growled before pulling the trigger.

"Mother!" Lux cried as the shot from the blaster echoed throughout the room and Mina's dead body fell to the floor. Eyeing the politician's body, the super-soldier calmly holstered his pistol before regarding the teen. Horror and sorrow was written across his face as Lux glanced from the dead body of his mother to the soldier. "You monster!" He roared. Acting on impulse, rage clouding his vision, Lux charged forward, murder at the forefront of his mind. The soldier could see the desire for vengeance in Lux's eyes. Anger, pain, base instincts were fueling him now, driving him to act.

Perfect.

Without a second thought, the soldier quickly delivered a hard punch that knocked Lux back, dazing him. Grabbing the groaning teen by the throat and lifting him up, he stared down at his victim through his red optics. Lux flailed in his grip, his arms desperately trying to release the steely fingers from around his neck. But he was caught, and there was no way out. The soldier began to squeeze, choking the air from the boy's lungs.

" _What is it with politicians and dumb names?_ " He wondered aloud. " _Yours is the second I've heard._ " The soldier shook his head as he considered how dumb 'Lux' sounded. He said it over and over in his head... and every time it sounded dumber. Regardless, 'Lux' would soon be nothing more than a memory.

Wait... should he kill him now? Or should he have some fun with this boy? He'd already killed his target, so why not enjoy a little... recreation? Unfortunately, he reminded himself that he needed to leave before he was spotted, in order to keep up his stealthy reputation. Gripping Lux's neck with both hands, he squeezed harder, armored hands crushing Lux's throat with audible, sickening cracks. At last with a final, vicious twist, Lux's neck was snapped. Twitching for a moment in his iron grip, the boy fell still moments later. Dropping the lifeless body on the ground, the soldier dusted off his hands on his jacket and proceeded to leave, acting as though nothing had happened.

* * *

Once back at the base, Dooku immediately contacted Scipio as soon as he had finished viewing the recorded footage.

"You have done well, soldier. However, I remember asking for just one body and not two." Dooku stated.

" _You also said 'no witnesses'. He was technically a witness._ " The soldier replied.

"Indeed. Your ruthlessness and efficiency is to be commended. Keep it up." Dooku commended him before disappearing.

" _As you command, my liege._ " The soldier respectfully bowed as the communication ended. Scipio applauded his efforts.

"I agree with him, you've done well my boy."

" _This was hardly a challenge for me... just an expression of my loyalty._ " He retorted.

"Needless to say, your work has not gone unappreciated." Scipio explained, moving to one of the adjoining tables.

" _I prefer being a warrior to being an assassin._ " The soldier stated.

"I get the feeling you'll return to that role soon enough." The Pau'an replied.


	16. Scipio's Log 22987D

Scipio's Log: Entry 22.987D - They refer to him as "a wraith"

 _"_ _A most interesting development, I will admit. Ever since that trip to Honoghr, the Clone moniker of 'wraith' seems to surface whenever his actions are uncovered. I'm not sure if it is a nickname or title or insult... but it does suit his personality very well._

 _"_ _On a side note, I'm glad tapping Republic communications was on Count Dooku's list of priorities. I'm not one for gossip but there is some rather 'juicy' information to be heard!_

 _"_ _It appears that this new moniker has stuck. Even Count Dooku has taken a shine to it! It may be time for my solider to assume an identity of his own, no longer attached to me. I didn't think this would happen, but now that it has I can assure you I am pleased with the outcome._

 _"_ _No longer will he simply be 'soldier'. It seems his notoriety has outgrown such a common title. Now he is something far more fearsome..."_

End of Log


	17. Ghost of a Warrior

-Chapter 8: Ghost of a Warrior-

Location: Honoghr

"There is no escape from the shadow that is death."

"Trihexalophine1138 or THX1138 is an experimental bioweapon, engineered to be a defoliant powerful enough to upset an ecosystem and permanently cripple the environment." Scipio stated. Before him on the holo-table was a representation of THX's chemical formula and a data readout about the bioweapon, next to the holographic form of Count Dooku. The soldier analyzed both while he listened, Count Dooku now picking up the explanation.

"We wanted it transferred to a station where it could be deployed on a Republic world. Due to the capture of Nuvo Vindi and the destruction of the Blue Shadow Virus, the original target was going to be Naboo." He explained. "But then the Republic attacked. According to our information, Jedi Knight Rii'ke En and his cruiser shot down the transport ship, Gahenna, and now it lies on the planet Honoghr."

" _Home of the Noghri._ " The soldier mused.

"Quite right. The good news is that the Noghri are no friend of the Republic. But take every precaution, no Jedi or Clone is to stand in your way. Secure the Scientific Instrument Package at all costs." Scipio commanded.

" _Understood. Who's there?_ " The soldier inquired about his opponents.

"Jedi Master Aayla Secura and her unit of 327th Star Corps Clones, led by Commander Bly of course." Scipio replied.

" _Of course._ " The soldier nodded in understanding. The Star Corps was one of those units that was a bit of a big deal, much akin to the 501st Legion and the 212th Attack Battalion, and the Twi'leki Jedi General was no slouch either.

The soldier wanted a crack at all of them.

"I had planned on dispatching one of my acolytes to deal with this mission. But given your... talents, I believe this mission may be better suited for you." Dooku stated, indicating the soldier certainly held a position of importance in his mind.

" _May still need him. Noghri might get in the way._ " The soldier replied.

"I'll keep that in mind." Dooku responded with a quick nod.

"We will continue to use the AV live feed. It worked out quite well during your mission to Onderon. And now that I've updated your communication systems so that I can speak to you, feel free to contact me if you need any outside assistance. I'm good with maps you know." Scipio added, informing the soldier of his latest updates.

" _I'm on my way._ " The soldier stated, turning around and making for the exit. He sooner he was off to Honoghr, the sooner he could be alone with his thoughts... and away from Scipio's constant nattering. The doctor was good at what he did... but sometimes he talked too much.

"You'll do just fine, my boy!" Scipio called after him as he left.

" _I know_." The soldier muttered under his breath as he passed through the doorway.

* * *

The planet in question, Honoghr, was an Outer Rim world in the self-titled Honoghr System. A planet covered with rain forests, Honoghr was a rather historic planet boasting Rakata temples and signs of Rakatan society, given it had once been a part of the ancient Rakatan Empire some thirty-thousand years ago. What remained was now used by the warrior species who called this planet home: the Noghri. These humanoid creatures proved to be very violent and war-like, tribal in every sense of the word. So far, they wanted no part in the war, no part in the Republic and certainly didn't want any visitors. So a crashed Separatist core ship containing vital information the Republic needed was probably the most upsetting incident to occur.

The Noghri didn't want the war... but the war came to them anyway.

And as long as the Noghri weren't on friendly terms with the Republic, the soldier wouldn't have to worry about dealing with Clones. No doubt the Noghri were keeping them busy.

Having said that, he certainly didn't mind if he had to kill a few. And given that the Star Corps was here, he would certainly have his fair share of commanders to add to his list of kills.

Maybe even a Twi'lek Jedi General.

His shuttle touched down in a small clearing, far away from Republic operations. If he wanted to maintain the element of surprise he would have to venture forth on foot. Not the first time he'd done so, but he was glad his stamina was up for the task. He would have to move out quickly and almost immediately jump into a fight.

This might really put his limits to the test.

According to intercepted reports he had been reading on the way over, the Noghri had already recovered the SIP and had carted off to the depths of a Rakata temple. No doubt the Republic would be advancing on that position in their efforts to claim what was not theirs. The question was, which temple? There had to be hundreds. But the answer was a simple one: follow Republic troop activity. That wouldn't be too hard, given the entire 327th was here. Either that or he would follow the sounds of battle... or an army of Noghri warriors eager to repel the invaders or straight up kill them.

Scipio may have been good with maps, but he was no match for the soldier's abundance of common sense.

His shuttle landed on a hill, one that just barely cleared the tree tops, giving the soldier a bit more visibility to map out his plan of approach. But as he emerged from the craft, there was a distinct difference in the atmosphere noted by the scanners built into his helmet. He looked up as the rain was falling, noting the unique composition of the raindrops.

They weren't made of normal water.

" _Scipio, seems like THX1138 has made its way into the atmosphere._ " He spoke into his comms.

"So it seems. According to the readouts I'm getting from your visor, a rather substantial amount has been lost." Scipio mused. "I guess En was a little careless with his shots and possibly ruptured one of the containment units. That means Honoghr will be nothing more than a wasteland in a few months."

" _As long as it's not a few minutes._ " Satisfied with not suffering at all from prolonged exposure, the soldier powered down his comms and took off into the jungle at a jog. He entered the thick foliage and began to cut a path through towards the commotion caused by Republic forces. The scene reminded him much of Malastare and how he had scored a series of kills which earned him some prestige in the eyes of the Separatist Council.

Perhaps history would repeat itself.

The toxic rain lasted for a short while before it as reduced to random droplets, hardly enough to even soak his jacket. Not that he cared. His attire had been specifically designed to keep him separate from the environment. He wouldn't even notice it was raining until he looked up. His jacket was thick and insulated, able to keep out the harshest cold and keep him completely dry. He had been engineered to be the best, unstoppable no matter the terrain and his attire reflected it, constructed to enhance his unstoppable nature.

Clones couldn't stop him and neither could the environment. Although he had considered using more 'environment appropriate' attire. Scipio had spoken about designing a desert themed jacket, but the soldier was beginning to consider a few other environments where he may need something other than dark blue: snowy mountains, marshy wetlands, thick forests, with the proper attire he could blend in easily.

And deliver death that much more efficiently.

Time ticked by as the soldier jogged through the forest, his optical HUD displaying his route and the general location of Republic forces. They appeared to be advancing towards a nearby Rakatan temple, most likely the location where the Noghri had hidden the SIP. Picking up movement nearby, the soldier stopped and crouched low, hoping to blend in with the foliage around him. Adjusting his scanners to infra-red, he quickly located a pair of Noghri warriors off to his right. They were advancing towards his location, no doubt en route towards all the Republic activity. Hopefully they wouldn't notice him and continue.

If they did, they would die.

Scipio had instructed him to not take any chances when it came to the Noghri. If they were to challenge him, he should eliminate them as soon as possible. The Noghri were notoriously formidable hand-to-hand combatants. Some might even say they were masters of this art of warfare.

Maybe he should kill these two now and spare himself some potential future headaches.

As he began to plan the demise of these two locals, the soldier quickly considered the kind of warriors the Noghri were: they preferred primitive weaponry like knives and were often thought of as master assassins.

Thinking about his own knives, the soldier knew exactly how to counter their fighting style.

Forming an attack plan, he knew he was incapable of sneaking up on the Noghri. Their senses were far too evolved for him to successfully assassinate them.

It was time for him to exercise some brute force.

Drawing both knives, he waited until the Noghri were only a few feet in front of him before lunging forward, bursting from the trees to attack the surprised but ready Noghri. The warriors had their own knives ready and Wraith was sure to make certain where they were at all times. He dove in to attack, slicing at the arms of both Noghri as he flew past them. Blood sprayed from the quick wounds and landed on the ground as the soldier turned about and readied for the Noghri to attack. They did so with guttural war cries, lunging forward with knives at the ready. The soldier was quick with his movements as he countered each swipe and slash, always moving to ensure he maintained an advantage over his opponents. The fighting was fast a furious, the Noghri were certainly impressive warriors, but the soldier had been engineered to be better than all.

And he was proving that fact right now.

The Noghri to his right thrust forward with his blade, the soldier quickly sidestepping as he caught the outstretched arm and drove his own knife into the Noghri's flesh, tearing three wounds along the arm in quick succession. Shoving the wounded Noghri aside, the soldier leapt forward and drop-kicked the second Noghri as he rushed him. Turning around, the soldier leapt upon the rising Noghri he had wounded and drove his blade into the alien's chest. The Noghri roared in pain as the soldier dragged his knife across, cutting a deep wound across the Noghri's chest. Pulling his blood-soaked blade free, the soldier quickly readjusted his grip and slammed it back down, spearing the Noghri's heart with the tip of his blade. Gurgling as blood filled his mouth, the soldier held the blade in place as the Noghri died beneath him. An angry cry erupting from his left, the soldier turned to see the other Noghri charging him, a powerful desire for vengeance in his black eyes. The soldier waited until the Noghri was almost on top of him before lashing out with his free blade, cutting deeply across the Noghri's face. Blood spurted from the wounded creature as it cried out in pain and surprise. Wrenching his blade free from the dead Noghri, the soldier spun his blade around and impaled the other Noghri in the back of the head. His blade pierced through flesh and muscle until it was driven through the skull, killing the alien instantly. The soldier stood still, firmly holding his blade, watching as the Noghri twitched, dropping his knife as he died. Blood dripped down the soldier's knife as he yanked it loose, the Noghri dropping next to his dead companion. Sheathing both blades, the soldier paused to try and wipe some blood from his hands. The slick residue would not clean easy and he gave up moments later.

He had bigger things to worry about.

Casting one final look at the dead Noghri, the soldier moved on and resumed his journey through the forest.

* * *

For being older than the Republic, the Rakata sure knew how to build elaborate structures.

The temple was tall and wide, circular in design and impressive in height. Ornate designs covered the exterior walls and parapets, small statues lined the exterior gates and entrances. The architecture of it all was very impressive, considering it had been some thirty-thousand years since the Rakatan 'Infinite Empire' had risen and fallen.

Such was life. All things came to an end.

The complete 327th had encamped around the Rakata temple where the Noghri had hidden the SIP. From his vantage point several feet away, high in a tree, the soldier could distinctly make out the markings of several different units within the 327th, namely Hawkbat Battalion, Talon Squad and the 7th Legion. Obviously, the Republic wanted whatever information they could get on THX1138 and were willing to send whomever they could to deny the Separatists access to their own chemical weaponry.

But no number of Clones would ever be enough to stop him.

However, there was a problem he had realized upon scoping out Republic forces: there were simply too many.

It may have seemed absurd for him to think that, but his tactical mindset was hard at work. And for any one tactic to be effective, he needed to slim down these numbers.

Now would be an appropriate time for the Noghri to attack. Suddenly pausing after his seemingly random musing, he suddenly realized how useful these violent natives could be. He could take advantage of the chaos caused by a Noghri assault and fulfill his mission with relentless vigilance. The SIP would be his and the Clones would be dead.

Perfect.

So far, he had yet to spot Aayla Secura, the Twi'lek Jedi General in charge of the Star Corps or her chief Clone servant, Commander Bly. They would be his ultimate targets. For now, he needed to scout the area, identify his attackers and come up with a backup plan just in case the Noghri didn't play into his original plan. Adjusting his audio receptors to receive incoming vocalizations, he began to listen in on the conversations of the Clones, hoping luck was with him and he could learn some useful information from these useless duplicates.

 _"_ _You hear General En was killed by Noghri?"_ Well. How about that.

 _"_ _Yeah, him and his guard. These ugly brutes know nothing apart from killing."_

 _"_ _Haven't you heard? They don't like us very much. They're pretty firm in their neutrality."_

 _"_ _Yeah, they'd rather kill us as soon we show up than gently shoo us away!"_

So Rii'ke En, the one who started this whole mess, was dead.

That was good news. One less Jedi to worry about. But it also showcased their mortality. If Jedi could be slain by a horde of Noghri, then they weren't nearly as invincible as people made them out to be.

Because they could certainly be slain by him.

The soldier quickly powered down his receptors and re-activated his comms and informed Scipio of the new development,

" _Rii'ke En has been killed by the Noghri._ " There was a brief pause before the Pau'un's voice came over his receptors.

"Well, I suppose a dead Jedi is better than a living one." The doctor replied.

" _Words to live by._ " The soldier growled. He paused to survey the massive structure before him. " _Going to climb up this temple, wait for the Republic to emerge with the SIP then ambush them._ "

"Any thoughts on how to bypass all these Clones?" Scipio asked. The soldier had yet to determine his course of action. He had a plan, but required the timely intervention of...

Suddenly his built-in scanners alerted him to the presence of multiple approaching targets.

What timing.

" _Sensors indicate Noghri approaching. I'll let them do the dirty work._ " He explained before powering down his comms. Switching his optics back to thermal vision, he scanned over the approaching Noghri warriors. A very large horde was en route to the Republic camp. No doubt their presence would result in the entire Clone force going into battle against them. The soldier would then wait until the fighting was in full swing before making his presence known. His targets would be the leaders of the individual squads within the 327th. Clones were just like everyone else: with no leaders, there would be no organization.

And it was time for the leaders of the Star Corps to meet a gruesome fate.

Movement from the Republic camp sparked the beginning of the conflict. The soldier watched in eager anticipation as Clones suited up, hurriedly grabbing their battle gear and preparing for conflict. The war cries of the Noghri could be heard in the distance and the soldier watched through his thermal vision as the two groups began to clash, Noghri charging forward into Republic blaster fire. As long as the Clones were so focused on the Noghri, the soldier may very well be able to attack from behind. But knowing the overwhelmingly violent nature of the Noghri, the soldier assumed he needed to only wait until chaos broke out in the camp.

And break out it did.

He didn't have to wait long for the Clones to fall into a state of disarray with the Noghri running rampant all around them. The only direction they were receiving was from their individual squad leaders.

Leaders who would soon die.

Deciding to capitalize on the moment, the soldier sprinted forward and leapt out from the forest, lunging onto the battlefield and triggering both arm blades. He rolled across the ground and took a swipe at a nearby Clone, severing his right leg with a spray of blood. The Clone cried out as he fell, only to be silenced as the soldier swiftly impaled his falling body, pinning him to the ground. Another nearby Clone was promptly killed as the soldier impaled him twice in the stomach, blood spilling across his arms and blades. A third Clone met his death just as swiftly when the soldier tackled him to the ground, retracted both arm blades in favor of his wrist blades and shoved both weapons through his neck, a quick shower of blood soaking his hands. His attack was soon spotted by another trio of Clone troopers who quickly advanced upon him, weapons raised. The soldier sheathed both blades and drew just one of his slugthrowers, his mind rapidly calculating angles of attack based upon the speed and direction of the incoming Clones. The first one rushed in, firing his rifle at point blank range. But he was taken aback when every round pinged off his heavily armored body. The soldier responded by knocking his rifle away, striking him squarely in the face with his palm before firing a single shot aimed right between his eyes. These new Clone helmets, Mark Two he believed they were called, had forsaken the old wide-visored approach for a pair of singular eye visors linked together by one ultra-thin visor. This gave the soldier an even better target as his shot bored a perfect hole between the eyes, blood splattering from behind his head. As he finished this Clone, a second opened fire, only to find his rounds also rebuffed by the heavy armor on the soldier's arm. His fate was far more precise as the soldier shot his right knee, chest and forehead in quick succession, downing the Clone in only a second. The third took longer to dispatch as a pair of blaster rounds to the head momentarily stunned the soldier. But he quickly shook off the effect and shot out both knees of the Clone trooper. The Republic soldier cried in agony as he fell to his knees, blood pooling around him.

The soldier abruptly ended his suffering with two shots, one in each eye.

His assault was enough to gain the attention of one of the nearby Clone commanders. The soldier could tell based on the yellow armor markings that it was A'den, none other than the Senior Commander of the 7th Legion himself. Flanked by a pair of Clones, the commander charged ahead, blaster rifle trained on the Separatist. The soldier acted quickly, snapping up his pistol and firing two rounds at the trooper on A'den's left, piercing his heart and killing him before he hit the ground. Realizing he had used up his clip, the soldier unloaded his slugthrower and speedily drew his second sidearm, gunning down A'den's other bodyguard. The Clone to his right took a shot to the ankle before the soldier finished him off with two shots to the head. Angered by the deaths of his brothers, A'den surged forward, snapping up his own blaster and firing a trio of shots as he drew closer. Each round ricocheted off the unfazed Separatist as he reloaded his empty slugthrower without looking. A'den reared his weapon back with a cry and prepared to bash the soldier as hard as he could. The soldier let him hit, and the weapon predictably managed to only scratch the armor plating of his jacket. Grabbing the Clone with one arm, the soldier emptied four slugs into A'den's abdomen in quick succession. Slumping forward with a grunt, A'den dropped his weapon and fell to his knees as the soldier took a step back. Blood seeped from a gaping hole in his torso as A'den looked up into the crimson stare of his victorious opponent. The soldier promptly pistol-whipped A'den across the face, shattering his helmet as the Clone dried out in pain. Spinning his pistol around in his grip, the soldier stretched his right arm over his folded left and took aim at the cracked hole in A'den's helmet. His aim was true and the slug ripped through A'den's face. Though he could not see the carnage, the splatter of blood on the inside of his helmet told the soldier that this Clone was certainly dead.

Time to move on.

His actions were quickly becoming noticed by other Clones and a few who weren't fending off the Noghri advanced upon him. One of which was Clone Major Twelve, the leader of Hawkbat Battalion. They were a notorious group of Clones, having been first deployed at Geonosis when these Clone Wars first started.

Their long history was about to meet an abrupt end.

Knowing how tough these Clones would be, the soldier sheathed his slugthrowers and charged the advancing group of five head-on. Twelve knelt as did two other Clones while the remaining two took aim over top of them. With five blasters trained on him, the soldier was thankful for his speed, agility and pain tolerance.

This would be a fun one.

He raised his indestructible gauntlets, blocking most of the incoming fire save for a few shots to his abdomen. But he shrugged off the pain and charged ahead, plowing through their barrage. Leaping up off the ground, the soldier twisted in mid-air and drew both blaster pistols. Arcing high over his attackers, the soldier rained down fire from above, pulling the triggers as quick as he could. His primary intention was to simply pepper them with fire until he could strike, but a series of lucky shots pierced the armor of two Clone's, killing them with scattered shots to the chest. Landing opposite his attackers, the soldier sheathed his pistols as he squared off against the remaining three Clones. Twelve was the first to attack, pulling one of his own sidearms free from his hip and taking aim. But the soldier was already moving, snapping up his right arm and firing a grapple. The tether embedded itself in Twelve's blaster, disabling the weapon. Wrenching the weapon free from his grip, the soldier turned his grapple into a whip, spinning around and using his newfound tool to bash a Clone hard in the head. His helmet shattered as the gun fractured his skull, tearing a deep laceration in the Clone's head. With only two remaining, the soldier reeled in his tether and pulled off the broken weapon.

"Sir, what is that thing?" The remaining trooper asked Twelve.

"I don't, trooper. All I know is it's a Seppie, so we're taking him down." Twelve replied, reassuring the Clone.

" _Good luck. You're really gonna need it._ " The Separatist growled. Taking that as a challenge, Twelve moved in to attack. The soldier rushed ahead, crouching low as he prepared to execute his own maneuver. As soon as he drew close enough, the soldier lept up and drove his knees into Twelve's chin. The Clone was propelled up with the soldier, who sent his opponent sprawling by lashing out with a hard kick. As he landed, the soldier turned on the final Clone, who decided to rush him. But as soon as he was close enough, the soldier struck with a pair of hard blows to the face. The force of impact shattered the Clone's helmet and spun him around, dazed. Seeing an opportunity, the soldier quickly fired the grapple mounted on his left arm, aiming for the neck. The Clone was snagged and reefed back into the soldier's outstretched leg. The hard impact cracked the Clone's spine as the soldier's boot connected with his back. The trooper fell to the ground, paralyzed and more than likely dead, leaving only Twelve alive.

Not for long.

The Clone was on his feet and seeing his dead brothers lying around him was more than ready to take another crack at this Separatist. The soldier was not the least bit concerned with Twelve's demeanor. But he _was_ concerned with the dwindling number of Noghri. The Clones wouldn't be so busy for very long and he still needed to acquire the SIP... wherever it was inside that temple. He'd have to do some more planning once he had disposed of Twelve. As the Clone rushed to attack him, the soldier calmly drew his rifle from behind and gunned down the commander with a volley of six shots. Each round struck home and Twelve fell forward, dead. As he returned his rifle to his back, the soldier noticed a series of cylindrical devices on the back of Twelve's belt. He immediately recognized the strobe grenades and decided to take them, assuming they may yet come in handy.

And they were about to.

He soon found himself surrounded by a squad of Clones, evidently having finished with the Noghri. Among them were Sergeant Green, the leader of Talon Squad and Lieutenant Galle, both of which were high-ranking leaders of the Star Corps.

"Hands where we can see 'em, Seppie." Galle ordered. The soldier remained unfazed as he examined the Clones around him.

" _Should've brought more men._ " He growled. " _You can't handle me and the Noghri._ "

"What're you talking about?" Green demanded. "They've taken off!"

" _And they'll be back. With a lot more than last time._ " The soldier replied. He knew how the Noghri operated, once they were devoted to an objective they would never stop until it was completed.

"We'll worry about them later. For now, you're coming with us." Galle replied.

" _Keep dreaming._ " The soldier growled, dropping one of the strobe grenades he had quietly armed. His visor quickly adjusted to the blinding light, preventing him from suffering and adverse effects. But the Clones weren't so lucky. By the time they could see again, three of their brothers were dead, including Sergeant Green. All with slit throats.

But their Separatist quarry was nowhere to be found.

"Sir... what was that thing?" One of the troopers asked Galle.

"To be honest, I don't know. But I'd say he's worse than the Noghri. We have to find him." Galle determined.

"Sir, if I may, we're short on men. Between him and the Noghri... well, there's not much of the 327th left." A Clone reported. Galle looked around at the bodies surrounding the area. Twelve, A'den and so many others had been killed. They needed reinforcements if this mission was to be a success. That's when he remembered a small squad that was on area patrol.

"Get in contact with Tyto and Bacta Company. Tell them to meet us half-way between their position and the temple. They're the only option we have left and we need to protect the SIP once the General gets it. But we can't afford getting ambushed by the Noghri when there's so few of us left." He explained. The Clone saluted and went to relay the orders. Galle took another look around and sighed.

This day had gone from bad to worse all too quickly for his liking.

In truth, the soldier had used the diversion to hide out behind the walls around the Rakatan temple. He was completely invisible to the Clones and was able to watch as they disappeared into the forest. He had been listening to their communications the whole time and knew they were going for help.

Good. He now had a window of opportunity to claim the SIP.

But why do it himself when the Jedi General was doing it for him? All he needed to do was wait for her to exit. Given he had not spotted Bly during his earlier recon, he could only assume the Clone Commander was with her. Once the Clones had left, the soldier quickly scaled up the side of the temple and waited over the entrance. From this position, he could easily drop down and surprise both Jedi and Clone Commander.

Especially if his entrance was accented with a strobe grenade.

Time ticked on as the soldier sat in waiting. Minutes turned to hours as the clouds he had left behind began to form over the area, preparing to empty more of their toxic rain onto the planet's surface. All the while, the soldier stayed in place. He scanned the area, planning his battles before time, considering every option available to him. He checked over his jacket and armor. A few scrapes a scorch marks here and there, but nothing that couldn't be fixed. He pinged his scanners periodically, his optics detecting no movement beneath him or before him.

For the moment, he was alone.

The respite would only last for so long, however, as his thermal scans soon detected a pair of individuals making their way out of the temple.

His victims had arrived. Right on schedule.

The blue female Twi'lek and her armored companion exited the temple right below him, totally oblivious to their stalker. They paused in shock as they surveyed the bloody battlefield before them.

"What the hell happened here?" Bly wondered aloud. "Looks like a massacre!"

"Something troublesome is going on here Bly." Aayla stated cautiously. "Radio your men, perhaps someone out there is still alive." Bly did so, adjusting to a much broader frequency. "If anyone can hear me, this is Commander Bly of the 327th Star Corps. Are there any Republic units out there, over?" His response came moments later.

"Commander, this is Lieutenant Galle." Hearing his voice made Bly breathe a sigh of relief.

"Galle, thank the Force you're still alive. What happened outside the temple?"

"Noghri for one thing. But there's something else out there, some kind of Separatist." Galle warned. Bly and Aayla exchanged curious looks.

"Weren't all the droids destroyed?" Bly radioed back.

"I think so... whatever this thing is, it doesn't play nice. I've gone to rendezvous with Tyto and Bacta Company, to avoid another Noghri attack. We'll be back shortly."

"Understood." Bly replied before powering down his comms. Before he or Aayla could say another word or discuss this mysterious Separatist Galle had reported, a pair of strobe grenades bounced to their feet.

They had already been armed for some time.

The sudden blast caught both off-guard. Aayla would've normally recovered quite quickly, but a pair going off simultaneously doubled the effect of the explosion, literally knocking her senses. Suddenly, the soldier descended from above, spinning around as he executed a tornado kick. His heavy metal boot connected squarely with Aayla's temple, knocking her out cold on the ground.

The last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was a single pair of blood-red eyes.

Bly managed to pick himself up a little quicker before being kicked back by the soldier. As his vision returned, the Clone could start to make out the appearance of the attacker stalking towards him. The first clear indication he had was the Separatist emblem emblazoned to the left of his dark blue jacket. Bly pushed himself to his feet only to receive a pair jabs straight to the helmet. He groaned as he stumbled back, shaking his head as he shrugged off the hard blows.

"Who are you?" He asked his assailant.

" _Death._ " He growled. " _Your death._ " The soldier triggered his arm blades, ready to spill some more Clone blood. The shrill metallic ringing alerted Bly to the danger he was in and he put up his fists, ready to fight.

But he was still dazed from the strobes and was in no position to partake in hand-to-hand combat. The soldier knew this and attacked swiftly without hesitation. Bly stood little chance as he was impaled not once, but twice through the gut before having a blade jabbed through his legs. Falling to his knees, the stunned and injured Clone was incapable of fighting back as his powerful attacker retracted his weapons and ripped off Bly's helmet before shoving him to the ground. " _You have something that belongs to us._ " The soldier stated as he removed the SIP from the back of Bly's belt. Standing up, satisfied with his prize, the soldier turned and began walking away from Bly, crushing the Clone's discarded helmet underfoot in the process. The soldier examined the small, square box he held. His optics briefly scanned over the package and determined it had been unharmed. Now it was time to leave his mark, as if the battlefield around him wasn't testament enough to his power. Bly was bleeding out, if he wasn't already dead. Perhaps he could use the temple in some manner to display the dead body of Aayla Secura. But as he pondered the possible methods for execution, he failed to realize his latest victim was not dead.

All of a sudden, the SIP exploded in his hand, ripped apart by a sudden blaster bolt. The soldier recoiled as shards of metal flew in all directions, leaving only the sparking and charred remains of his valuable intel in his hand. The soldier turned towards the direction of the shot and saw Bly, pushing himself up with a smoking blaster in one hand.

"Not... today, Seppie." He grunted with a satisfied smirk, pain still coursing through his abdomen.

The soldier was royally miffed.

Dropping the shattered instrument package and stalking over to the wounded Clone, the soldier delivered a sharp kick straight to his face, knocking Bly senseless and sending his blaster skittering away. Walking over to the discarded weapon, the soldier picked up the standard issue Clone blaster and promptly snapped it in half. Tossing away the pieces, the soldier returned to Bly's prone form and placed a heavy boot on the back of his neck.

" _Be a good Clone, and stay dead this time!_ " He growled before stomping down hard, breaking Bly's neck under his heel with an audible crack. Stepping away from the dead Clone, the soldier began to ponder the situation he found himself in. With no data to return and no means of making a copy, the soldier was stuck in a troubling predicament. This was all his fault, he failed to ensure Bly's death. How could he have been so stupid! This mistake could result in his first failure...

No! He had maintained a perfect record thus far and it would not come to an end today! Or any day for that matter!

He needed a 'Plan B', something he could rely on to achieve the objective he was given. He needed data on the virus and he needed it now! The question was: where was he supposed to get it? The scientific instrument package contained every piece of data on THX1138, its composition, molecular structure, everything! Where would he get something li-

Suddenly remembering the wreck of the Gahenna, the soldier tracked down the crashed ship through his visor and sprinted off into the forest, leaving the blood-soaked battlefield behind him.

* * *

Lieutenant Galle and his men had managed to link up with Bacta Company and were steadily making their way back to the temple. Galle was recounting their run in with the Separatist to Tyto.

"So, you mean to tell me he killed eleven Clones, without hesitation, and then vanished into thin air?" Tyto couldn't believe what he was hearing. "That's impossible! Only someone like Grievous has the kind of skill to take out more than one Clone at once."

"Exactly what I thought, until I saw it happen." Galle responded. Tyto could only shake his head in dismay. "Seriously Tyto, remember the reports from Muunilinst and Geonosis?"

"Just rumors! Probably advanced droids or something." Tyto replied, dismissing the matter. But his second in command, a Clone by the name of Vudu, wasn't so certain.

"Sir, did you get a good look at him?"

"I did, we all did. But after that strobe, everything's fuzzy. All I remember are these piercing red eyes and a dark form."

"A wraith?" Vudu whispered as soon as he heard Galle's description. His commander overheard it.

"What're you talking about Vudu?" Galle asked, curious.

"Don't you remember the natives on Anzat, sir? Whenever something bad happened that couldn't be explained, they blamed it on a spirit. They called it a 'wraith': a willowy, wispy spirit of vengeance or something like that. It's supposed to be forgotten soul who roams around endlessly, looking for something to kill to avenge the misdeeds done to him." After a moment of silence, where Galle digested what he heard, Tyto gave a quick laugh.

"You seriously think the Republic is being stalked by one of these 'wraiths'?" He asked, not superstitious in the least.

"No. But that name sure does fit the situation, now doesn't it?" Vudu replied.

"You may very well be my 2IC, Vudu, but I find that really hard to bel-" at that moment, the patrol cleared the forest and entered the staging area by the Rakatan temple.

And Tyto got a good first look at the carnage before him.

Bloodied bodies, rent and torn, blood soaking the ground beneath, armor ripped to shreds, the whole scene seemed unbelievable.

And yet here he was, staring right at it.

"You see what I mean?" Galle said to him. Tyto didn't immediately reply.

"And... we have no idea what did this?"

"Mostly Noghri, but something else too." Galle replied. Tyto paused and turned to his second in command.

"Uh, Vudu?" He asked. "What, ah, what were you saying about a 'wraith', again?"

* * *

 _Days later, Jedi Council Meeting Room..._

Sixteen of the most powerful Jedi met together in the top tower of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. They comprised the Jedi Council, the wisest and most powerful of all the Jedi. Most could be present in person, but some were away on distant worlds leading Clone armies into battle. Of these few, Master Aayla Secura was present via a holographic communication and was about to report on her work on Honoghr.

"Master Secura, how goes Honoghr?" Mace Windu asked her holographic form.

"Not well I'm afraid, Master Windu. We were plagued by the Noghri the entire time and lost Master En." She relayed.

"We heard. A sad loss to be assured." Windu replied.

"That's not the worst of it Master. Something vicious attacked my men and slaughtered them in droves." The Jedi exchanged looks of worry. They had heard this before, in the reports from Muunilinst, Malastare and Geonosis. This trend was becoming very problematic.

"How do you mean Aayla?" Nautolan Master Kit Fisto asked her.

"When Bly and I left the temple, instrument package in hand, we returned to find most of our Clones had been killed, ripped apart and gutted by what could only be blades. Then there was a tremendous flash of light and smoke, it disoriented me quite badly. A shadowy figure suddenly dropped down between the two of us and knocked me out cold with a hard kick. The last thing I saw were a pair of blood-red eyes."

"Blood-red?" Obi-Wan repeated, pondering the new information.

"When I came too, Commander Galle and a small patrol were there to help me." She continued. "They had left to regroup with another squad in order to bolster our position. We found Bly not far away with a crushed spine, his body horribly mutilated, and the SIP containing THX1138 had been destroyed beyond repair."

"That is most troubling. This is the fourth incident involving this killer." Windu stated, knowing his fellow Councilors were aware of the previous reports from other worlds where similar situations had arisen.

"More like the sixth." Obi-Wan grimly mused.

"How so, Master Kenobi?" Master Ki-Adi Mundi asked his friend.

"Duchess Satine's nephew, Korkie, and the three cadets who helped Ahsoka expose Prime Minister Almec on Mandalore were also murdered in a brutal fashion. That and we've heard reports about the murder of the Bonteri family, done in a point-blank execution style."

"Something feels very wrong here and I don't mean in the missing information manner. I have a feeling these incidents were performed and executed by the same entity." Plo Koon stated, earning nods of agreement from the rest of the Council.

"They do seem to share a similar trademark brutality. The question now is 'who'?" Windu rhetorically asked aloud.

"My men have taken to calling sickening discoveries as 'signs of a wraith'. I believe the saying originated during our time on Anzat, we spent several weeks assisting a group of local natives. A rather spiritual lot." Aayla added.

"A wraith, eh?" Mundi mused. "Well, if anything, we now have a title for these disturbing events."

"Indeed. However, it is the continual reoccurrence of these discoveries that has me worried most." Obi-Wan agreed, stating his own opinion. The Council fell silent as they individually considered the problem at hand.

"Afoot, something foul is. Ahead, dark times are." Yoda mused. The wise old Jedi Grand Master's words drew the attention of the rest of the Jedi Council. "This wraith, a source of much sorrow, will he be. What he will do, know I do not. But a dark spirit, I sense."

* * *

 _Elsewhere..._

The soldier stood behind Scipio as he ran a tactical analysis through the footage from Honoghr. One of the helpful components he had installed in his primary computing system was the addition of a program that calculated the soldier's efficiency rate based upon footage available and noted possible improvements that could be made the next time a mission of the same caliber was undertaken.

To date, no improvements were needed.

"Your skills continue to impress, my boy." Scipio mused. He chuckled as he watched the soldier dispatch the pair of Noghri. "That one looked like it hurt."

" _It was supposed to._ " The soldier replied.

"You appear to be quite a master at- oh! Oh, that one really looked like it hurt!" Scipio interrupted himself as he watched the way the soldier executed Commander A'den, chuckling as he did.

" _At delivering pain?_ " The soldier finished for him.

"Yes, indeed. I believe it was an innovative idea to have you study those death arts." Scipio mused. They continued to watch for a moment longer before the holo-table behind them was lit up by the appearance of Count Dooku. Both soldier and scientist immediately moved to greet their leader.

"I wanted to personally congratulate you on a job well done, soldier." The old man began. "Though, if I may, why did you send us a vial of 1138 instead of the instrument package?"

" _That cursed Bly found his second wind after I beat him. He destroyed the package with a blaster shot._ " The soldier explained.

"I see. I take it you finished him off then?"

" _Correct. I remembered the Gahenna's crash site and located a raw sample of the toxin in liquid form._ " The soldier explained.

"Well, at least you've proven capable of thinking outside the box. It will take time, but I believe our scientists can break down the sample and relearn what we have lost." Dooku responded. "You're doing well soldier. You continue to exceed our expectations and are helping to tip the war in our favor. Well done."

" _I live to serve, my liege._ " The soldier bowed from the waist. Dooku turned his attention to Scipio.

"I have been giving the matter some thought and I believe it is high time we give you're soldier a name. What do you think of 'Sunstorm', Doctor? Shall we name him after this secret project of ours?" Dooku suggested. Scipio just so happened to have some input on that subject.

"My lord, if I may," the doctor politely interjected, "recently intercepted transmissions have revealed some... interesting theories about our soldier by the Republic." His words intrigued the Count. He wanted to know what their enemies thought of this soldier.

"Go on."

"They are beginning to refer to their findings as 'signs of a wraith'. A report made by Commander Galle mentions this moniker more than a few times." His report made the Count stop and pause, considering the idea of calling this soldier 'wraith'. Admittedly, it was a good name...

"What do you think, soldier?" He asked. "Should we let the enemy name you?"

" _Not bad. Could be worse._ " The soldier mused as he stood up. Scipio grinned.

"In that case, Count Dooku it is my personal honor to introduce to you to the first successful soldier of Project Sunstorm: The Wraith!" The very utterance of the name sounded foreboding, like something sinister was coming soon... and very soon.

"Wraith it shall be." Dooku nodded in agreement, a small smile appearing on his face. The soldier mulled over his new designation. No longer was he a nameless soldier, now he truly was somebody.

He was the Wraith.


	18. Scipio's Log 33199

Scipio's Log: Entry 331.99 - An instrument of destruction

 _"_ _I had no idea what the trip to Antazi would hold for him. The live AV feed had somehow shorted out and required my full attention while he was away. But what I saw when he returned was certainly a sight that would strike fear into those who didn't know better._

 _"_ _Covered from head to toe with blood, scorch marks adorning his body, a few new scratches on his armor... I swear I got chills just from looking at him. And the footage from his helmet told me everything. Carnage on a scale I had not witnessed until now, an entire squad of the Republic's finest Clones, dead by his hand._

 _"_ _This is what I engineered him to be._

 _"_ _I am glad Count Dooku was able to bear witness to this mighty feat, this triumph will surely increase his favor with the Separatist Council. It was also fortunate that many Separatist officials happened to be present. The fear of the Wraith has spread greatly... and his skills continue to impress with each visceral display of sheer dominating force._

 _"_ _Dooku's original plan was for Wraith to simply become acquainted with the Separatist heads of government. But this mission has only served to accomplish my original goal of spreading terror with his name."_

End of Log


	19. Growing Prominence

-Chapter 9: Growing Prominence-

Location: Antazi

"Wars are won by men. Now what happens when there are no men...?"

With the murder of the Bonteri family, Count Dooku began to realize just how notorious Scipio's soldier would soon become. It seemed to be a prevalent thought in many minds that the secretive nature of Project Sunstorm would soon be revealed to the Republic. The reality was inevitable, but had anyone really thought the day would come? Dooku began to consider what kind of role this soldier would play in the coming days.

In the end, he decided that Wraith should have a more familiar presence among members of the Separatists. He should be a figure with whom many are acquainted, that way his feats would be more renown and his terror well spread. Not only was he proving to be most effective against the Republic, but he could also be an enforcer when it came to keeping supposed 'loyalists' in line. The first step in this approach was to allow Wraith to accompany him on a simpler mission.

Dooku had been asked to review a new battle droid factory that had been constructed on the desolate world of Antazi. Comprised of little else apart from rocks and ores and located in the far reaches of the Outer Rim, the factory seemed to be in a very good position beyond the reaches and immediate gaze of the Republic. It would be a gathering of several key Separatist leaders, including those of the Techno Union and the Trade Federation. To the Sith it seemed like a good idea that the Wraith join him as an enforcer and a measure of security... just in case. Plus, his presence may put an element of fear in those who may consider Dooku to be an 'outdated' leader. The one who mercilessly killed the Bonteri Family at the Count's beck and call would surely establish his role. Those who were on good terms with Dooku should view the Wraith as an ally. Those who didn't need only remember what happened to Mina Bonteri...

Dooku was relaying this information to Doctor Scipio at his genetic engineering lab, located at the heart of a Separatist stronghold.

"So, you see Doctor, I would like for Wraith to become better acquainted with his superiors, for the simple purpose of them getting better acquainted with him."

"A most excellent idea, my liege," Scipio applauded the plan, "I shall ready him momentarily. Where would you like me to send him?"

"We shall arrive together on Antazi. Perhaps it would be better to have him shipped to my current location. I'll upload the coordinates to you momentarily."

"It shall be done, Count Dooku." Scipio readily agreed.

"Tell me, where is Wraith at this moment?" Dooku inquired.

"We were just finishing a reconditioning session, to keep his mind a peak capacity... and complicity." Scipio informed him. "Don't worry, my lord, he'll be ready for departure within the hour."

"Excellent work Doctor. Continue on, you are the important link between Separatist success and failure."

"I live to serve, my liege." Scipio bowed as Dooku ended his communication. Moments later, Wraith entered the room, his mental reprogramming finished.

" _What's the word?_ " He asked the doctor. Scipio responded with a smirk,

"First, I'm pleased you're speaking more often."

" _The Republic might say I've gone from a silent menace to a talkative one._ " Wraith replied.

"So they might," Scipio chuckled, "secondly, you're going to Antazi. Dooku wants you present as he reviews a newly constructed droid factory."

" _As much as I would like to see the loss of Geonosis compensated, why me?_ " Wraith asked.

"Simple, really, Dooku wants you more familiar with Separatist leadership. Some representatives of the Techno Union and Trade Federation will be there and our leader would like to you to be present."

" _Hopefully he's not just showing me off._ " Wraith growled, preferring the heat of battle to the dull atmosphere that came with socializing.

"I doubt it. He wants you there as a measure of security, a representative enforcer of Separatist ways." Scipio replied, hoping Wraith would see the good in this.

" _That I can handle._ " Wraith crossed his arms, satisfied. " _When do I leave?_ "

"Whenever you're ready. Dooku would prefer you rendezvous with him beforehand so that you two might arrive together." Scipio explained.

" _If that's the case, I'll leave now. Wouldn't want to keep him waiting._ " Wraith replied, turning to go.

"No, we wouldn't." Scipio agreed, knowing Count Dooku was prone to attacking even his allies when they disappointed him. He shuddered at the memory of having the Force close around his neck, choking the very life from his lungs after he commissioned Wraith for a mission that was not of Dooku's design.

* * *

There was really nothing much to Antazi. It was a smaller planet that boasted no unique fauna, no indigenous life-forms, no civilizations, nothing. The only thing Antazi had was incredibly vast amounts of rock, dust and ores. It was an out of the way world that was probably the most insignificant piece of rock in the known galaxy.

And it was perfect for constructing a battle droid factory away from the Republic's prying gaze.

It seemed good to the Techno Union and the Trade Federation that a new droid factory be constructed somewhere less popular than other worlds such as Geonosis who seemed to be under the Republic's constant watch. But once Antazi was found, meeting every qualification the company heads put forth, a decision was readily made to have a new factory constructed on the small, desolate world. And upon the realization of Antazi's vast supply of ores, the Mining Guild quickly made an effort to pool their own resources and assist in the Separatist occupation of Antazi, in order to harvest these ores for the production of more Separatist weaponry. The factory had been completed in record time and was now ready for review. It may not be nearly as impressive as the factory on Geonosis, but it would certainly help replace what had been lost.

Count Dooku's personal solar sailor touched down on the freshly constructed landing pad just outside the factory. A small entourage of Separatist officials were already waiting, not far away. The docking ramp extended out before the exit doors opened to reveal the Count of Serenno. But behind him, concealed by shadows, stood the Wraith. With only a pair of blood-red optics visible, he was just as menacing even without being fully revealed.

Such was his trademark nature.

Dooku slowly made his way down the ramp, Wraith following right behind him.

"Count Dooku, we are honored by your presence." A Neimodian of the Trade Federation welcomed him.

"An opportunity to review a new battle droid factory seldom occurs, Tu Khaan. Besides, I was personally invited by Manager Kaf himself." The Count replied. Rel Kaf, the lone Geonosian present, was the representative of the Techno Union and the one responsible for the factory's upkeeping.

"So I understand." The Neimodian glanced behind Dooku at the Wraith. "And I see you're not alone."

"I thought it prudent to bring along a fellow Separatist." Dooku stated. "Gentlemen, may I present to you the first creation of the Techno Union's Project Sunstorm: The Wraith." He introduced the soldier behind him, stepping out of the way so the officials could get a good look at the soldier in his complete battle gear. Dooku had to admit, the way the soldier carried himself with an air of intimidating readiness always looked impressive when accompanied by his large arsenal. Dark blue jacket, dusty coattails, glimmering helmet and sharp visor were very definitive and the twin sets of pistols wrapped around his belt just screamed 'try me'.

"I certainly hope this isn't an effort to show up our battle droids, Dooku." Khaan mused.

"Far from it. I simply wished for our secret weapon to meet his superiors. You know, he is the one who helped us conquer Ryloth and win the first battle of Felucia. He is also responsible for the sabotage on Geonosis and Muunilinst, the retrieval of THX1138 on Honoghr and the execution of Mina Bonteri. For being active only a year, he already possesses a rather impressive track record and is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Republic Clones." The Count explained. The Separatists nodded amongst themselves.

"I must agree Count Dooku. From the stories and reports we've heard, The Wraith has certainly put the fear of the CIS in the hearts of the Republic." Another Neimodian concurred.

" _And I'm not done yet._ " Wraith rumbled, crossing his arms. " _There's plenty more Clones for me to kill._ " The Separatists appeared startled.

"He speaks?!"

"A recent enhancement." Dooku explained. "You didn't expect him to be the silent but deadly type forever, did you?"

"I-I had originally assumed he was an assassin, trained to be stealthy." Tu quickly replied.

" _I happen to be quite effective on an open battlefield._ " Wraith informed them, his synthesized voice sending chills through a few spines. " _As a matter of fact, it is my preference. But I am adept at all forms of combat._ "

"Are you now?" The Neimodian's curiosity was piqued.

" _Yes. But enough about me, there's a factory to be looked over._ " Wraith cut the conversation short, hoping to avoid the boredom he was already feeling.

"Quite right, soldier." Dooku agreed. He motioned back towards the factory. "Shall we, gentlemen?"

* * *

The original blueprints for the Geonosis factory had been used in the design and construction of this new one. The layout was remarkably similar, save for the lack of an underground feeling. Since this facility was to replace the lost Geonosian facility, and make up for the lack of droid production, it only made sense that this factory be equipped with the same state-of-the-art production systems that made the Geonosian factory the prime producer of battle droids. The production line was the first destination of the tour, led by Tu Khaan himself.

"As you can see, Count, the way we build droids here is incredibly similar to the manner used on Geonosis. We start with forging raw components before having them assembled and activated. We are projecting a two-hundred percent efficiency rating by the time we are operational!" The Neimodian proudly stated.

"Geonosis boasted a four-hundred percent efficiency rating." Dooku mused. "But... beggars can't be choosers." Wraith leaned over the balcony as he examined the conveyors and machinery being fitted into place by construction droids. He found himself growing fond of battle droids. They were easily to build, easy to maintain, excellent at following orders and engineered to take objectives with ease. Wraith could only imagine droids were much easier to work with and command than the erratic Clones who, despite being duplicates, all possessed different personalities.

It was a wonder the Republic was even surviving the war.

His moment of reflection was cut short as Tu moved ahead, meaning he had to keep up with the Count he was 'guarding'. The next destination was a series of laboratories where the droid schematics were maintained. A collection of scientists evaluated droid performance, watching for any design flaws, exposed weak points and possibilities for improvement. This was a first among battle droid factories, a feature not even Geonosis had boasted.

"Here in these labs, Techno Union scientists are constantly working to improve the B1 and B2 battle droids, always on the lookout for improvements and possible corrections." Tu explained. He led the small group over to a human scientist who was bent over a table, studying some holo-schematics of what appeared to be a modified B2 battle droid. "This is our factory's chief scientist, Doctor Zek Stromm. He is a brilliant mechanical engineer and innovator." The Neimodian introduced his colleague.

"Foreman Khaan is too kind." The human stated as he stood up straight and bowed. Wraith quickly sized up the scientist. By appearance he looked to be in his mind-forties, salt and pepper sideburns, matching goatee and striking jet-black hair. The dark blue lab coat certainly completed his appearance, making him look just like you'd imagine a scientist would look like. "I like to think of myself as more of an inventor, one who would use his skills and spend his time working for the Separatist Alliance."

"And we are glad to have you with us." Dooku replied. "Tell me, Doctor, what are you currently working on?" The Count asked, gesturing to the holo-design on the table.

"These are our newest designs for a series of advanced B2 droids. Given the copious amounts of Phrik on this world, I've decided to accelerate the production of the B2X model. Their indestructible armor would prove most valuable on the battlefield." Stromm explained. Wraith knew what he was talking about as phrik comprised the entirety of his armor. "This factory could be the first to test and produce the most powerful battle droid yet. A true milestone!"

"And as much as I would like to agree with our Techno Union friend, we simply cannot afford to waste time on theories and tests. The current versions of the B1 and B2 droids are doing their job and we need more of them. These B2X's should be built in a closed lab and not in an essential factory." Tu countered.

"And why do you say that?" Dooku asked him, curious as to why progress should be delayed.

"Simply put, my lord, it would divert time and resources away from the production of droids we need more of. The B1 and B2 are tried and true, we need more of them right now." Khaan replied. Dooku paused as he considered the matter before him. Should he really be making the decisions the foremen of this factory were supposed to make?

"Wraith, what do you think?" The Count asked his enforcer. "Should we continue on with normal droids or give these next generation 'super battle droids' a chance?" All eyes turned to the soldier. Crossing one arm over his chest, Wraith held his chin in one hand as he mulled over the options before him.

" _I'd recommend starting work on the B2X designs. Once we have the Republic at a point where it's weakest, we can steamroll right over them. These droids would be the key to overcoming their Jedi._ " He stated at length. Count Dooku trusted the soldier's tactical opinion, knowing Scipio had engineered him with such capabilities. Nodding in agreement, the Count added his affirmation as did the rest of the Separatist leaders.

But Tu Khaan did not.

"You are foolish to think now is the time for progress!" He accused Wraith. The soldier turned on the Neimodian, shooting him a withering glare through his blazing red optics.

" _I am the result of progress!_ " He growled. The menacing tone in his synthesized voice caused Tu to shrink back in fear, not wanting to become Wraith's next victim. Anger abating, slightly, Wraith returned his gaze to Stromm. " _But we shouldn't start just yet. The Republic has yet to reach its weakest point._ " He added.

"I'll keep that in mind. After all, there are still some bugs to work out." Zek nodded in agreement. Then he paused, glancing over the soldier. "You are The Wraith?"

" _I am._ "

"I've heard about your exploits and I am truly pleased to see you in person. You are a true triumph of the Techno Union."

" _And I bring more triumph to the Separatists, with every Clone I kill._ " Wraith rumbled in reply.

"That I have no doubt you will do." Stromm nodded before turning back to Dooku. "I have no doubt you have pressing matters to attend to, my lord, don't let me keep you."

"Thank you for sharing your research Doctor." Dooku thanked him before turning back to Khaan. "I believe we are ready to continue when you are Khaan. As long as my associate hasn't frightened you too terribly." The Neimodian cast a quick look at Wraith who turned and glared at him. Tu shivered with fear.

"Of course not, my liege." Tu quickly scampered to the front of the group, avoiding all possible eye contact with The Wraith. Dooku cast a quick smirk at his associate who calmly shrugged.

" _Nerves._ " Wraith stated simply. The Count chuckled as the tour continued. The group continued onward, exploring the factory in its entirety as Tu pointed out the supply docks, shipment bays, refineries, smelting pits and recyclers. The factory had been outfitted with every possible mining tech available, to ensure a smooth conversion from raw material to functional battle droid. The final destination of the tour led the group up a winding staircase to the top of a spire where holo-screens adorned the surfaces and consoles lined the walls, all of which were being carefully observed by a red-marked security droid.

"This is our observatory." Khaan explained. "From here we will able to keep tabs on all areas of the factory. Security has been our top priority since construction began, we wouldn't want the Republic dropping in unannounced, now would we?"

"I'm pleased to see you have considered such variables." Dooku stated. "Such an important location needs to be protected at all costs."

"Quite right, my lord," Tu agreed, "our defense sentries are still under construction, but by the time they are operational, this factory would be considered an impenetrable fortress!" Tu proclaimed with a smile. He was feeling quite proud of himself, having forgotten about how terrifying The Wraith was. But his moment of glory was cut short when the droid reported,

"Proximity sensors detecting multiple hostiles approaching from sector three!" Having gained the attention of everyone in the room, the monitor was soon crowded by the guests, Wraith and Dooku at the front.

"The Republic? Here?!" Khaan gasped, not expecting such an early infiltration.

"A pity your sentries are still under construction." Dooku mused.

"Contacts indicate ten Clone Troopers moving in." The droid reported again. Running his digits over the monitor, the droid pulled up a live holo-feed from the perimeter system. Wraith looked intently at the images before he suddenly recognized the squad of Clone troopers as the Muunilinst 10: the ones responsible for the Republic takeover of the Banking Clan homeworld.

They were Clones he had wanted to battle for some time now.

" _Captain Fordo._ " Wraith growled. Tu seemed to recognize the name.

"You mean... ARC Troopers?" He worriedly asked.

" _The same ones that helped conquer Muunilinst._ " Wraith affirmed. He turned to Count Dooku. " _They are approaching from the southwest. I could leave now and cut them off before they do any damage._ "

"Do so," Dooku nodded, "and be quick about it! We can't afford to have them relay a transmission." Wraith nodded and moved to obey.

"We are most fortunate you have joined us Wraith, we lack the firepower to repel such an assault." A Neimodian called out as the soldier made to leave the room.

" _Clones are dead men walking whenever I'm around._ " Wraith stated before marching through the exit, leaving those behind him to dwell on his chilling comment.

* * *

The factory was too much of a maze for him to retrace his steps, so Wraith followed the nearest possible exit: a ventilation shaft. While not his most proper exit, the Muunilinst Ten needed to be dealt with immediately. Once outside the facility, Wraith quickly studied the terrain as he determined his approach. Antazi was barren and rocky, so unless the Clones had decided to don desert camouflage armor, they would be very easy to spot.

And so would he.

Wraith decided he needed to stalk his victims, watch them from a distance and attack from behind... before they arrived at the factory. He began to move at an angle, away from the base and towards his quarry, in a direction from where he could see them but he would remain unseen. Now facing away from the factory, Wraith triggered his thermal vision. On an empty world like this, the only heat signatures would be coming from the Clones, giving him a clear indication of where they were.

With minimal environmental advantages, he would need every ounce of his training to ensure he remained undetected.

He broke into a run, quickly maneuvering across the rocky terrain as he left the factory behind him and zeroed in on the Clones before him.

Meanwhile, Clone Captain ARC-77, AKA 'Fordo', was leading his elite team of ARC Troopers on foot across the rocky plains of Antazi. The Muunilinst Ten was a famous group of hard-hitting Clones, taking after their Captain's preferred tactic of overwhelming firepower, who were some of the best among ARC Troopers. For this reason, and because of their successes on Muunilinst and Hypori, the team was selected to investigate rumors about a new Separatist droid factory being constructed somewhere on this rocky planetoid. So far, Fordo could confirm the existence of the factory, having spotted it from a distance, and now had plans to disable it. Permanently. His team was well equipped for a sabotage mission and had high hopes to throw a big wrench into whatever the CIS was planning.

"Sir, we're within the factory's perimeter scan now." A lieutenant reported.

"Any indicator's they've spotted us?" Fordo asked, not expecting this to be easy.

"Negative. They would've done something by now, I'm sure of it." The Clone replied.

"Fair enough. Stay on your toes men, keep an eye out for any clankers who might want a piece of us." Fordo commanded, not willing to run the risk of being spotted. The Clones nodded in obedience and continued to move.

Wraith's long-range audio scanners had only managed to detect the latter half of Fordo's orders. But now he had a much clearer picture not only in regard to their movements, but also as to where his enemies were.

Breaking into a jog, Wraith began to move in a wide circle, hoping to approach from behind unnoticed. He bounded across rocks and as he quickly moved across the terrain, hoping to end the Clone threat before they truly became one.

The Clones moved in single file as Fordo led them towards the factory. While his sensors were trained on the objective before them, keeping him informed on possible droid activity, he and his men remained oblivious to the threat looming behind them...

Wraith had managed to sneak behind the Clones undetected. He kept the squad of ten in his sights at all times, thermal vision telling him exactly where they were. He crouched behind a rock outcrop as he tuned his audio receptors to pick up anything his opponents might be saying. He had to time his attack just right, at a moment when the Clones would be least prepared for an ambush. An opponent lulled into a sense of security was much easier to defeat than one on high alert. But these Clones weren't slowing down, obviously intent on fulfilling their mission.

Meaning there was no time to waste.

The Muunilinst Ten was notorious for their efficiency. If Wraith didn't take them down now, he may very well miss his opportunity and be too late to stop them from sabotaging the factory.

Choosing his course of action, Wraith quickly evaluated the positions of the Clones as he drew and armed his carbine. All he needed to do was attack from behind and storm his way to the front, fell the leadership and mop up whatever was left.

Easy.

Wraith sprung from his hiding place, rifle in hand, and opened fire on the nearest Clones. With a volley of shots, he gunned down two in quick succession before the others noticed him.

"Look out! Incoming!" A Clone cried out in warning, moments before Wraith drew his pistol and blasted the Clone square in the forehead. Fordo wheeled about and examined the situation unfolding before him. He hadn't been expecting such a surprise attack, or such a different opponent.

This was no mere battle droid.

"Take him down, men! Weapons free!" The Captain ordered as he drew both of his sidearms and took aim at the Separatist logo on the soldier's chest. But Wraith was already moving, holstering his pistol and sprinting away from Fordo as he barreled into another Clone with his shoulder. The force of impact sent the wind rushing from the Clone's lungs, stunning him as Wraith triggered the wrist blade under his right hand and impaled the Clone's chest, weapon piercing clean through the white armor.

Four Clones dead. Six to go.

Clones started rushing him from all angles, blaster lighting up his back as bolts chipped away his armor.

It was time to thin the herd.

Whipping about, Wraith drove his outstretched foot into a nearby Clone, clubbing them across the face. Promptly gunning him down with his rifle, Wraith turned to see a single Clone with a pair of blaster pistols standing directly before him. Unfazed by the twin pistols staring him in the face, quite possibly able to kill him at this point-blank range, Wraith moved like lightning as he set about disarming his opponent. After dropping his rifle, a quick pair of palm strikes knocked both weapons away, opening his opponent and allowing Wraith to move in and deliver a quick jab straight to the Clone's armored head. Whipping about, Wraith drove his armored elbow back and into the Clone's face, the sharp impact creating an audible crack as the helmet fractured. Grabbing the Clone's flailing arm, Wraith forcefully threw the Clone over his shoulder before slamming his body on the ground and breaking his wrist. As the Clone cried out in agony, Wraith raised his boot and stomped on his victim's neck, cracking the spine. The dead Clone fell limp in his grasp as he released his hold and moved on. He soon spotted his next victim, the Clone nearest to him. Sporting blue markings and the rank of a lieutenant, the Clone trained his blaster on Wraith and squeezed the trigger. Rapid-fire blaster rounds leapt from the barrel and slammed into Wraith, chipping his armor and scorching his jacket. But he remained unhurt. Triggering his right arm blade, the Separatist rushed his attacker and thrust his blade clean through the trooper's chest and right through his heart. Shoving the dead body away, Wraith retracted his bloodied blade and searched for his next target.

He didn't need to wait long.

A Clone rushed him with a cry and attempted to bash Wraith with the butt of his blaster rifle. But the Separatist grabbed the rifle, wrenched free of the Clone's hands and promptly smashed it into the trooper's chin. The Clone stumbled backwards and fell to the ground before Wraith stalked over to him and stomped down on his exposed neck, crushing windpipe and spine beneath his boot. Snapping the rifle over his knee, Wraith tossed the pieces aside in a show of minimal effort... maybe even a little annoyance. Blocking twin jabs from another attacking Clone, Wraith attacked with a trio of hard blows to the torso, the Clone grunting in pain with each heavy hit. Following up, the Separatist spun around and delivered a hard kick to the Clone's head, armored boot cracking the white helmet on impact. As the dazed Clone recoiled, Wraith grabbed hold of his head and slammed it down into his raised knee, crack echoing from the shattered face of the helmet. Wraith finished off the Clone by executing a back-flip, both feet connecting with the Clone's chin and breaking his jaw with a final, audible crack. The force of impact knocked the Clone flat on his back, leaving him groaning in pain on the ground. Seizing the opportunity to ensure his defeat, Wraith leapt atop his downed foe and extended his wrist blade before plunging it through the Clone's neck, blood spurting around his hand. Standing up and retracting his weapon, Wraith scanned around as he suddenly realized he had killed every one of the Muunilinst Ten. This was the Republic's finest? This is what they called 'elite ARC Troopers'?

Pathetic!

His musing was cut short as a Clone he had blasted earlier started to rise up, slowly crawling to his knees. Groaning as he rose, the Clone had no idea death was coming his way as a sudden throwing blade whistled through the air and pierced his throat. The Clone stopped suddenly, coughing and gurgling as blood flowed from his neck before promptly collapsing, blood pooling around his body. Satisfied, Wraith turned and confronted his last opponent. He had managed to slaughter nine out of the ten squad members.

The only one left was Fordo.

"I don't know who you are, seppie, but you've made a big mistake killing my men!" The Captain growled, arming his blasters.

" _Does the term 'wraith' ring a bell?_ " The Separatist asked.

"Seen it in reports. But those are just theories... legends even."

" _Well..._ " Wraith stretched his arms out, " _the legend exists._ " Fordo was taken aback, but didn't visually show any surprise. He was face to face with _the_ Wraith.

Bagging him would be a much bigger success than demolishing a factory.

"Good to know." Fordo mused as he began stalking forward. "Now I know whom I'm taking prisoner."

" _If you're trying to intimidate me, you should know you're failing._ " Wraith replied. Fordo made no response but snapped up his pistols and blasted Wraith, pulling the triggers as quickly as he could. Wraith swiftly raised both arms to ward off the incoming fire, blaster bolts ricocheting off his cortosis arm guards. Dashing forward, Wraith plowed through Fordo's defense and punched the Clone across the head before launching two mighty uppercuts that knocked him senseless. With Fordo stumbling back, incapable of defending himself, Wraith stepped forward and delivered the killing blow. Triggering his both of his arm blades, the soldier executed the Clone before him with a simple decapitation.

Muunilinst had been avenged.

Fordo's headless body lay on the ground, his helmeted head nearby. And all around him lay the bodies of the Muunilinst Ten, the so-called 'elite ARC Trooper squad'. All of them had been cut down and killed.

Killed by the Wraith.

He stood tall amidst the field of bodies, splattered from head to toe with the blood of Clone troopers, scorch marks decorating his attire. The whole scene seemed unbelievable at best.

Yet it remained a visceral reality.

Retracting his blood-soaked swords Wraith began to walk back to the factory, stepping over bodies as he left the carnage behind him and made to return to the droid factory.

The battle would go down in history as one of the most brutal defeats in ARC Trooper history. With no survivors, those who retrieved their data could only guess what fate had befallen the Muunilinst Ten. Thus, another tale in the legend of 'the wraith' was added to the annals of history. This legend of the Clone Wars and its notoriety would only grow through wild speculation and vivid imaginings. For now, 'the wraith' was still a vengeful spirit, lurking around the battlefields, waiting for unsuspecting Clones to pounce upon and tear into pieces...

* * *

 _Later..._

Wraith had been ordered to return to base by Count Dooku upon his return to the factory and having reported a successful mission, adding Captain Fordo and the Muunilinst Ten to his list of kills. Scipio was surprised to see Wraith in such battle-damaged attire, but understood once he viewed the footage from Wraith's helmet.

"So, you've conquered the Muunilinst Ten. Well done!" Scipio congratulated him.

" _If that's what the Republic calls its best, I'll have no trouble carving through the Jedi._ " Wraith replied.

"One opponent at a time, my boy. Don't overwhelm yourself." The doctor quickly reminded him.

" _Sure,_ " Wraith shrugged, " _I'm going to need some environment appropriate attire. Might make life easier next time._ "

"Yes, so I've noticed. I have been working on some 'extreme environment' attire for you, but I'll have to begin work on some camouflage as well." Scipio made a mental note to review the appropriate colorations for camouflage attire. Wraith had a point in wanting to blend in, such a silent killer rendered invisible would be the ultimate threat against the Republic. Scipio finished his viewing moments before the holotable activated and the form of Count Dooku appeared.

"How is our super soldier, Doctor?" He asked.

"Quite well, my lord. We were just finishing a recap of what happened on Antazi." Scipio replied.

"I certainly hope you see how effective he is, even under surprise circumstances."

"I most certainly do. Just the way I engineered him." Scipio proudly stated.

"After some consideration, I have decided to have Wraith promoted from Elite Combat Specialist to Elite Commando. This will not only result in more missions specially designated for him but also in an increased use of his capabilities, something I know you've been avidly seeking Doctor." Dooku informed him.

"I only wish the best for my creation." Scipio replied. "I cannot thank you enough, my lord, we are honored by your decision."

"Loyalty and efficiency beget great rewards. Continue your work Doctor, I'm sure we will have need of it." Dooku replied before the communication ended.

" _Guess I'm moving up in the world._ " Wraith mused, crossing his arms.

"Not a bad turn of events, now is it?" Scipio responded.

" _Hardly. Just give me another Clone squad I can rip apart._ " The soldier rumbled, cracking his knuckles in eager anticipation. Scipio couldn't help but laugh.

"I have no doubt one will come, my boy. Speaking of which, I must have your attire cleaned before the next mission. Blood can be a rather difficult stain to remove."


	20. Scipio's Log 37128C

Scipio's Log: Entry 37.128C - Does he have what it takes?

 _"_ _Apparently, some Separatists who have been stricken with fear or mistrust of my creation have been wondering if he is reliable. These questions stem from those who are worried their droids will be replaced by more of his kind. They would think that such a loyal, reliable and, as Count Dooku calls him, model Separatist would even dare turn on his own kind!_

 _"_ _Of course he has what it takes! The Wraith has been engineered to be the perfect soldier, superior in every way. I should know! Wraith is not one to fail, nor does he hesitate in the heat of battle!_

 _"_ _But perhaps they require a more visceral demonstration. His efforts on Antazi certainly proved his usefulness to those present... but to the rest of them..._

 _"_ _Perhaps Wraith is deserving of a mission where the result instills confidence in his allies. One where he strikes such a grievous blow against a hated enemy, the other Separatists will have no choice but to accept him as a true Separatist warrior._

 _"_ _I can't help but wonder if some of these comments stem from jealousy... perhaps there are some who are envious of Wraith's high standing with Count Dooku._

 _"_ _But no one would be so foolish to attack him. If they did, they would suffer a fate worse than that which befell Mina Bonteri..."_

End of Log


	21. Search and Destroy

-Chapter 10: Search and Destroy-

Location: Alderaan

"Life is a battlefield, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose."

Wraith and Scipio stood before the holographic form of Count Dooku, receiving a debrief for Wraith's next assignment. Between them stood the holographic image of the world of Alderaan. The newly promoted 'elite commando' was about to embark on his first mission to a Republic stronghold. This would be his first true foray deep into enemy territory and Count Dooku had some very specific perimeters for this mission.

"Alderaan is one of the more curious worlds. They have adopted a zero hostilities policy and are open to welcoming refugees from the various worlds engulfed by the Clone Wars. Senator Bail Organa, husband of the monarch Queen Breha Organa, is a staunch ally of Senator Amidala and is a very prominent Republic senator." Dooku explained.

" _Sounds like a real Republic cesspool._ " Wraith growled.

"Indeed. Some would go so far as to say Alderaan is a model Republic world."

" _Let me guess, you want me to liven things up with some Separatist fireworks._ " Wraith theorized.

"Not quite." Dooku replied. The image of the planet quickly shifted to the image of a young, well dressed, woman. "We've recieved word that Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo is planning on delivering some supplies to help out the numerous refugees flocking to the planet. Last we heard, Alderaan's refugee camps are full to overflowing." Scipio turned to Wraith, curious to his creation's thoughts.

"See where this is going, my boy?"

" _There's a few different ways it could go._ " Wraith mused, crossing his arms. " _But how about you tell me what you want me to do._ " He told Count Dooku.

"It's simple, really," the count began, "no doubt Senator Amidala will say a few words of hope and encouragement to try and cheer up the refugees. Your objectives are twofold: destroy the supplies and wound the senator." Wraith cocked his head in slight confusion.

" _Wound? Not kill?_ " He inquired.

"I know you are capable of delivering a message with dead bodies. But this time, wounding a prestigious senator will more than likely instill the fear of the Separatists in the Republic." Dooku stated, making his suggestion quite clear.

" _Consider it done._ " Wraith rumbled in reply. " _I know a few ways to make blood fly without killing someone. They say the very sight of it is enough for some to faint._ "

"Exactly the point we are trying to prove. But torching the supplies will be the primary objective." Dooku stated.

"If I may, my lord," Scipio interjected, "with two rather clamorous events taking place simultaneously, it may prove a little difficult for Wraith to be in two places at once."

" _You doubt me?_ " Wraith wondered, casting a sideways glance at the Pau'un.

"Far from it, my boy. But no even you can be in two places at once."

"I'm glad you think so, Doctor," Dooku chimed in, "and for this reason we have arranged for someone to accompany you, Wraith. A partner if you will." This news was certainly a surprise to Wraith. He'd worked for people... but never with them.

" _Better be someone good. I don't want to play 'sitter' with them._ " Wraith growled.

"They are indeed." Dooku replied as the image before him changed into a tall pale woman, clad in an orange jumpsuit and sporting a mostly bald head, save for one large ponytail in the back. "Aurra Sing. Bounty hunter. But in this case, she shall be your teammate." Dooku stated. "You have several days before Senator Amidala arrives. Doctor, I hope you don't mind a houseguest for a few days." The count asked of Scipio.

"Arrangements can be made. I presume you plan on sending Aurra here?" The doctor asked.

"It would seem prudent that you both plan out your schemes together." Dooku replied, speaking to Wraith. "I shall keep you two updated as to Senator Amidala's plans as the day draws near. I trust you're competent in planning such a maneuver?"

" _Just give me the schematics of the location. I'll do the rest._ " The super soldier replied. Dooku nodded before ending his communication.

"A bounty hunter." Scipio mused, stroking his chin. "I'll be honest, I never expected a 'team-up' mission. But that name... she sounds familiar."

" _There was an assault on the Senate offices, spearheaded by a cadre of bounty hunters. She was supporting the operation by sniping senate guards from afar._ " Wraith recited, leaning back against the holotable and crossing his arms.

"That's right!" Scipio affirmed, snapping his fingers in remembrance. "They freed Ziro the Hutt."

" _Right. And if I'm not mistaken, she's also responsible for a previous attempt on Amidala's life. But it was foiled by Skywalker's apprentice: Ahsoka Tano._ " That name. Wraith couldn't help but wonder if he'd see that young Togruta again. Out of all the Jedi he wanted a crack at, the duo of Skywalker and Tano were at the top of his list.

"Wasn't there something else? Something about an attempt on Mace Windu's life?" Scipio wondered.

" _Believe so. Foiled by the incompetence of a rather unusual young Clone. Called himself 'Boba Fett'._ " Wraith affirmed. " _Never send a kid to do an adult's job._ "

"I see. Glad you're memorizing those reports I gave you." Scipio commended him. "Well, it most certainly seems like Aurra's record is worthwhile."

" _Let's see how much of a team player she is._ " Wraith grimly mused. " _Or this might be her last contract._ "

* * *

True to Count Dooku's word, Aurra Sing arrived the next day. The tall, chalk-white shaded, near-human bounty hunter possessed an elegant grace amidst her deadly track record.

And her armament certainly defined her deadliness.

Twin blaster pistols were holstered along her waist, a slugthrower rifle was slung over her shoulder, twin thermal detonators adorning her belt... not to mention the odd-looking communication antenna jutting out of her head. Scipio was prompt in greeting her on the landing pad and escorting her to the central room where Wraith was reviewing the schematics for the location Senator Amidala was supposed to meet the refugees.

"So, this is where the magic happens." Aurra mused. "Quaint."

"It provides what we need, when we need it." Scipio replied. "Feel free to store your gear wherever you wish. Wraith is over at the holotable." He directed her.

"So I see." Aurra dropped her weapons next to Scipio's master console and made her way over to the Separatist commando. Her partner. "So, you're the guy the Republic is buzzing about." She mused in greeting. "They say you're a cold-blooded killer, some kind of savage beast."

" _The Republic would use such terms._ " Wraith rumbled. " _I prefer 'efficient'._ " He stated, turning around to face his new partner. Having been hunched over the table, Aurra didn't quite realize how tall Wraith actually was. Wraith, however, knew all Aurra's physical stats. She was only five-foot seven, while he was six feet tall.

"I guess that's one way of looking at it." She replied, cocking her hip. "You and I have some things in common."

" _If relentless pursuit of completing the objective is one of them, then I suppose you're right._ " Wraith didn't believe he had much in common with this bounty hunter, apart from her own cold-blooded nature. Aurra glanced behind him to look at the holotable.

"Is that the layout?" She asked. Wraith turned and invited her to the table.

" _Correct. Count Dooku sent the plans this morning._ " Wraith enlarged the plans for the depot on Alderaan where the supplies would be delivered. " _Seems like Senator Amidala is going to keep the crates in a secure location before she distributes them to the refugees. I'm assuming she's going to proffer up some hopeful words about the war ending, the Republic winning and similar nonsense. We can strike during her speech, that way we'll have everyone focused on her while we go and sabotage things._ " He explained.

"Dooku said something about a two-fold objective." Aurra added, understanding the sabotage portion of the mission but not knowing the other.

" _That's why you're here._ " Wraith nodded. " _You're responsible for sabotaging the supplies. I'm responsible for spreading chaos and fear by attempting to assassinate the senator._ "

"Gotcha." Aurra nodded in understanding. "That means you'll be needing a rifle. Care to borrow mine?"

" _Doctor Scipio has already acquired one for me to use._ " Their conversation was cut short when a beep echoed from the table, indicating there was a communication awaiting. Wraith quickly powered down the schematics and opened the broadcast. Count Dooku's holographic form appeared shortly after.

"Wraith, Aurra," the old man greeted them, "I trust you've been hard at work?"

"Blood-n-guts here was just filling me in on the objectives." Aurra explained. Under his helmet, Wraith raised an eyebrow. Blood-n-guts?

"Good. I have more information for you regarding your upcoming assignment." Dooku replied.

" _We're listening._ "

"As it turns out, Senator Amidala won't be the only one making this trek. The other senator from Naboo, Jar Jar Binks, will be accompanying her. Likely as part of a show of unity."

"That Gungan buffoon?" Aurra rolled her eyes. "Pfft, no problem."

" _He may be a fool, but his foolishness has been an aid more than once._ " Wraith countered. " _Orders?_ "

"If the need arises, eliminate him." Dooku stated. "We can't allow anyone to reveal this plot until after it's happened. Not even him." Wraith nodded in understanding. Between him and Aurra, taking down Senator Binks would be a relatively easy undertaking. "The second piece of news I have is that Senator Amidala will be travelling with a trio of Jedi bodyguards." Aurra stiffened a little.

"Well, this plan just got harder." She mused.

" _I'm not concerned. I've killed Jedi before and I'll gladly do it again._ " Wraith rumbled. " _And I bet I know which ones are going with her._ "

"If your guess includes the trio that is Skywalker, his apprentice and Master Kenobi, then you would be right." Dooku affirmed. "With the presence of Jedi this mission just became one of complete stealth. No one can see either of you. If you are discovered, then you will have three Jedi hounding you and they will most likely disrupt the mission." He warned the duo.

" _Understood. Anyone who sees us will be killed on the spot. The Republic will have to wade through bodies to find us._ " Wraith reassured the count.

"I will hold you to that, Wraith." Dooku replied before cutting his communication and leaving the two alone with their thoughts.

"I know they say you're pretty deadly, hon, but any Jedi can be a problem." Aurra told Wraith. "I tried to kill Amidala before and the little one managed to stop me. They're no joke."

" _And yet they are._ " Wraith casually replied. " _The Jedi may be tough, but I was engineered to be tougher. I can handle them... and I need you to as well._ " With that, Wraith and Aurra set about planning the best options for their assault and their escape. Since silence and stealth were now a top priority, they needed to kill anyone who saw them. But a body trail might set off alarms long before they were ready. And even though they knew they needed to strike during Senator Amidala's speech, they didn't know how long she was speak for.

Time was of the essence. Silence was of the essence.

Aurra couldn't wait for this job to be over. But Wraith was planning everything in advance. Even if Aurra's plans failed, he had every backup sorted out in his mind. This mission would succeed.

Even if it meant revealing himself to the Jedi.

Aurra and Wraith spent several hours prepping for their mission, Wraith developing tactics and generally doing most of the work while Aurra listened carefully and asked pertinent questions. They determined the best course of action would have Wraith 'attempt' to kill the senator first. Having located a suitable building several hundred feet away, Wraith would need to perfect his aim in order to score a wounding blow and not a critical one. The ensuing panic would give Aurra enough cover to sabotage the supplies stored several feet over in a small compound.

Of course, if this didn't work, the back-up plan would be in the exact opposite order: Aurra would detonate a series of explosives to destroy the supplies and, using the shock of the moment, Wraith would fire on the senator. That was the easy part, getting out of there would be a little harder.

With Wraith's overall secrecy at the forefront of this mission, the two planned to have Aurra take any flak while Wraith prepped their getaway in the form of his shuttle. Hopefully, it would be an easy extraction with no hiccups.

But Wraith prided himself on being prepared for any eventuality.

After several hours of plans and preparations, the two parted ways to go and pursue individual pursuits. Aurra went for a walk around the base to refresh her mind and to try and memorize the plan. Wraith, having memorized everything, disappeared into the shooting range to work on his long-distance aim.

Scipio was also waiting for him.

Wriath found his doctor standing over one of the workbenches, putting the finishing touches on what appeared to be a rifle.

"Finished your plans?" The Pau'un asked.

" _For now. Plan A and B are prepared, I'm still ironing out Plan C and D._ " Wraith rumbled in reply.

"Yes, excellent work keeping several steps ahead. Good thing you still have a few days to finish planning." Scipio applauded his efforts. "Even though you can't count on everything to go according to plan, it's always a good idea to be ready."

" _Always._ " Wraith nodded before peering over at Scipio's work. " _What's this?_ "

"Your next big upgrade." Scipio proudly presented the rifle on his workbench. "This is a modified slugthrower rifle, customized by yours truly." Wraith reached over and picked up the large weapon. It vaguely resembled his carbine, save for the extended barrel, larger body and additional scope.

" _What'd you change?_ " Wraith wondered as he sized up the thick metal plate sticking out of the right side.

"I've modified the firing chamber so you can switch between blaster and slug rounds." Scipio explained. "All you have to do is unlock the central compartment and rotate the whole assembly down. That way the ammo clip is lined up and can be locked into place." He instructed. Wraith quickly tried out the system and switched from blaster energy to slugs. "Well? First impressions?" Scipio inquired.

" _Solid weight, not too heavy or too light. Chamber switch is fluid and relatively quiet. Now I just gotta test it out._ " Wraith responded, nodding.

"The range is all yours. Any idea how far away Senator Amidala might be?"

" _My initial calculations put her at approximately one-hundred yards._ " Wraith replied, arming his weapon. Scipio nodded and proceeded to adjust the distance setting on the holographic target display.

"Although our facility isn't quite one-hundred yards, I'll set you up as close as possible." The doctor informed him as Wraith took his place in front of the range. Kneeling before the tiny target before him, Wraith cradled the rifle in his hands and pressed the butt into his shoulder, taking aim through the scope. Even zoomed in, the target was quite tiny, barely able to be seen in detail. It resembled the shape of a person, so Wraith quickly adjusted his aim from the head down to the shoulder. He supposed it didn't matter which one he shot, all that mattered was that he still shot the senator.

He inhaled deeply, then held his breath. With steady hands, he took aim and aligned his crosshairs with the left shoulder. Slowly releasing his breath, Wraith simultaneously squeezed the trigger.

Seconds later, a scorch mark decorated his target. "Not bad. Perfect accuracy, as always." Scipio applauded him. "I'll let you keep training. Let me know if you feel like any modifications should be made to the rifle." Scipio began to walk away, Wraith remaining in the same position, not even stirring. But such was his nature. "Oh, that reminds me," the doctor suddenly turned around, "I'm putting the finishing touches on some new tools for you to use. They should be ready soon enough." He stated, hoping to gain Wraith's attention. But the soldier did not move from his position as he trained his sights on the target before him. Nor did he speak. Scipio shrugged, knowing his soldier had other things on his mind, and prepared to leave.

" _Can I get a hint?_ " Wraith suddenly asked before a second gunshot resounded and a scorch mark adorned the right shoulder of his target. Scipio smirked.

"I don't want to give too much away," he replied, "let's just say it will be... shocking." Smirking at his own riddle, Scipio turned about and exited the range.

Wraith could only guess his next piece of equipment would involve electricity.

While the idea of shocking his opponents to death or being able to deliver a painful jolt appealed to him, he had to focus on the here and now. Pushing the thoughts of electricity from his mind, Wraith returned to staring through his scope at the target before him...

The days leading up to Wraith and Aurra's mission were full of preparations. Aurra ensured she had enough explosives packed, courtesy of Doctor Scipio, to completely destroy the supplies while ensuring she was equipped for the task of eliminating any unnecessary attention. Wraith had acquired a series of patrol routes, stolen by an informant on Alderaan, and Aurra set about memorizing the paths the Alderaan royal guards would be patrolling. This way, she knew exactly what to avoid and, should she run into trouble, knew exactly where to expect it.

Wraith's preparation was much different.

He worked out in the base's gym, pressing weights and performing curls to keep his body in top physical condition, honing his agility until he could scale a wall within moments and hold himself between two rafters for upwards of ten minutes. And when he wasn't perfecting his aim or working his body, he was studying. Everything from architecture to bullet variables passed through his hands as he committed to memory the most minuscule of details that may play a role in his upcoming performance. From a distance, Aurra watched with fascination. She had only heard rumors and stories about The Wraith, but to seem him practice and train was something else entirely.

But for Wraith, this was just another day.

This was how he always prepped for a mission.

When the time came, the duo was as ready as they could be. Aurra had studied and memorized, Wraith had trained and practiced, both were prepared to perform to the best of their abilities.

Success or failure depended on their actions...

* * *

 _Aurra was trapped, chased down a dead-end hallway that wasn't on the map. Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had her cornered... there was truly no way out._

 _"_ _You'll pay for what you've done Aurra!" Anakin declared, leveling his blue lightsaber at the bounty hunter._

 _"_ _If you can catch me, hon. You know I'm not easy to corner." She replied with a smirk._

 _"_ _Enough of this. Now tell us, how did you manage to shoot the senator and plant the explosives?" Obi-Wan asked._

 _"_ _You presume I acted alone." Aurra replied mysteriously. While the Jedi stood puzzled by her statement, a figure dropped down behind them... handguns drawn. The Jedi turned to face their attacker._

 _"_ _And who might you be?" Obi-Wan asked._

 _"_ _Ever heard of 'The Wraith'?" The Separatist replied as he snapped up his weapons..._

"Wraith?" Aurra's true voice stirred Wraith from his musings. "You awake?" She asked the Separatist soldier. Wraith slowly turned to face her, his emotionless face demoting no obvious surprise.

" _I was just thinking... about Plan C._ " He responded, turning back to look out the window at the tunnel of hyperspace they were passing through.

"You want to run through it again?" Aurra asked, sitting back in her seat. Wraith shrugged, assuming he might as well run through things again... for her sake.

" _Plan A is us getting away with little to no interference. Plan B involves me assisting you from a distance. Plan C, if we need it, has me fully reveal myself to make certain of our escape._ " Aurra looked at him oddly.

"Why does each of those plans involve you helping me out of a jam?" She asked, quizzing him.

" _It's preparation for an eventuality,_ " he stated, " _you're closer to our enemies than I am, meaning the probability of you being trapped or cornered is higher._ "

"I've gotten myself out of a few jams before, Wraith. I think I can handle myself." Aurra countered.

" _We'll see._ " Wraith leaned back and crossed his arms. " _We're coming up on Alderaan. You know the drop zone?_ "

"A few miles away from the refugee compound. We'll use the airspeeder to drive there and split up just out of sight. Once we're done, we'll do our best to make it back to the shuttle without making a scene or getting noticed." She recited, deciding to go through the whole plan once more.

" _And if we are?_ " Wraith asked, curious to her next answer.

"One of us will help the other... according to one of your three plans, depending on the situation." She replied. "Is this how you usually perform? With such methodical preciseness?"

" _All the time. In a day and age where time is not on anyone's side, efficiency is the key to any and every victory._ " He responded. " _But enough of that. Make sure your gear is ready, we'll be dropping out of hyperspace shortly._ "

* * *

 _Meanwhile, on Alderaan..._

Bail Organa stood next to the Republic transport as crates of supplies were off-loaded by his own royal guards. He waited alongside Padme Amidala, overseeing the arrival of desperately needed supplies for the refugees from all over who had taken shelter on Alderaan.

"Your gifts are most appreciated, Senator. I know those who have fled here will welcome them graciously." He thanked her.

"The Chancellor wished to extend a hand of fellowship to these refugees, let them know they haven't been forgotten. I suppose it's more of a joint effort, mostly done through Naboo." Padme replied, stating the facts.

"Regardless of intent or location, I'm sure the receivers will be more than happy." Bail smiled, imagining the happy reactions on the faces of those displaced by the Clone Wars. Meanwhile, the trio of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano, investigated the area around the refugee compound. Charged with ensuring everything went peacefully, Anakin was rather focused on securing the grounds where Senator Amidala would be addressing the refugees. Unbeknownst to everyone else, he was in fact married to Padme. And Anakin was ready and willing to go above and beyond to do whatever was necessary to ensure the safety of his wife.

"Senator Organa says he has a twenty-four-hour guard posted around the compound. The guards will be available for use of any kind." He told his comrades.

"Anakin, I highly doubt these refugees are going to pose a problem. If anything, they'll be overly grateful for our aid."

"With all due respect, Master, you never know who's hiding in a ragtag crowd like them. The Senator and I did so once, remember? When she was being threatened by assassins?"

"I do. It plunged us into this whole mess and pretty much became the catalyst for the onset of the Clone Wars." Obi-Wan replied, reminiscing the whole affair with little fondness.

"Don't think I've heard the whole story Master." Ahsoka piped up.

"Not much to tell Snips. Though if we ever have time I'll fill you in." Anakin responded, feeling a little too preoccupied for a story. "Right now, we need to make sure security is in prime condition. You never know what might happen."

* * *

The small, unmarked shuttle landed on Alderaan unnoticed, several miles away from the refugee compound. Aurra was the first to disembark while Wraith triggered the speeder release. The same airspeeder he had used to infiltrate the Republic base on Geonosis was soon released from the magnetic clamps holding it in place and gently hovered a few feet above the ground. Wraith fondly remembered the time he torched the Geonosis base.

Good times.

"Looks like a one-seater. You plan on sharing?" Aurra asked, concerned by the small appearance of the obviously one-man speeder.

" _More like loan,_ " Wraith stated, " _you're driving. I've got enough stamina to sprint the whole way._ " He told her, standing up and ensuring his sniper rifle was strapped firmly across his back.

"You sure?" Aurra asked, not quite grasping the full extent of his abilities.

" _No time to argue._ " He countered. " _Time is of the essence. I suggest we get moving._ " Without another word, he broke into a run, sprinting across the plains towards the compound in the distance. His powerful legs and long strides carried him across the great distance, the miles passing by as he sprinted ahead. His enhanced stamina powered him forward, never slowing, never tiring. Aurra raced by moments later, riding the air speeder. Obviously, he lacked the speed that a machine could boast, but compared to others, he could do what they required a vehicle to accomplish. His hellbent nature, devoting himself entirely to the complete accomplishment of his goal, always saw him through the end of every mission.

And when Wraith set his eyes on the prize, nothing could stop him.

* * *

Padme and Bail, now joined by Jar Jar Binks and flanked by a company of royal guards, made their way towards the compound's interior, where the refugees had gathered and the Jedi were waiting. Although Padme was expecting a calm and orderly affair, but was greatful for the combined security. In all her days of being a more adventurous senator, she knew that anything could happen at a moments notice.

Especially during a war.

"Are you nervous, Padme?" Bail asked her as they neared the end of the corridor.

"Hardly. This isn't my first speaking engagement in front of a crowd." Padme replied with a smile. But then her tone grew serious. "I just can't help but wonder if all this security is an omen... that something dark is about to happen."

"Such thoughts plague the minds of all senators." Bail nodded in understanding. "Fear not Padme, we all have your back."

"Yousa be not worryin' Padme!" Jar Jar chimed in, being his usual boisterous self. "Yousa do fine, everythin' be okiehay! Meesa say nothin' goin' wrong!" Padme couldn't help but smile and chuckle at the Gungan's positive outlook.

"I certainly hope so, Jar Jar."

* * *

Mere moments before this conversation, Wraith arrived at the exterior of the compound. He had to wonder what Alderaanian royalty was thinking with high walls and guard towers. Obviously, they wanted to maintain a level of security, but to Wraith, the compound struck him more like a prison.

Good thing he was trained to handle such security measures.

The first thing he needed to do was set up. One of these guard towers would work just fine, it would provide him with a clear line of sight to keep tabs on his Republic enemies.

The second thing he needed to do was quit worrying about sabotaging the supplies. Aurra was capable... but Wraith felt better when he did everything himself.

Unfortunately, Scipio was right; he couldn't be in two places at once.

There was a small door at the base of the tower nearest to him, no doubt the entrance. Wraith would start here and work his way up, believing he'd have to fight through a multitude of guards.

And upon prying open the door, he was right.

A lone guard stood with his back to the entry, quickly disposed of as Wraith plunged his wrist blade through the back of his helmeted head. But the thud of a dead body hitting the ground gained the attention of a trio of guards, each armed with electro-pikes. Wraith would have to work quickly before the raised the alarm and revealed his presence. Launching a trio of throwing knives into his hand, Wraith whipped his arm around, projectiles spearing his opponents in their throats. Charging up a flight of stairs as his opponent's fell dead, Wraith drew his knives and quickly slit the throats of two more guards on his way up. Upon arriving at the tower's primary platform, Wraith pulled the standing guard down to the stairwell base and promptly stabbed both knives through the guard's chest, ensuring his silence. After quickly scouting out the top of the tower, Wraith soon realized he needed to stick to the shadows in order to avoid detection. Sitting in the back-left corner of the deck, Wraith drew his sniper rifle and quickly sized up the last minute podium which had been constructed for Senator Amidala. His view of the area was perfect, he couldn't have asked for a better angle to shoot his opponent. He now took an opportunity to survey his surroundings, noting the locations of several Alderaan guards and the trio of Jedi guarding the front of the podium. The bearded Obi-Wan Kenobi and the black-clad Anakin Skywalker were easy to identify.

But Ahsoka Tano had changed since he last saw her... all that time ago on Felucia...

She was now wearing a full-body top that ended in the middle of her thighs, made to look like a skirt with the belt and sash she wore. He was curious as to the origin of the design, as a diamond shaped window displayed part of her chest. It was also backless. She now wore dark grey leggings with a series of diamond holes running down the sides of her legs and also sported brown bands around her bisceps. Her montrals appeared larger and longer, denoting an older and more mature appearance, compared to the last time he saw her. Also, not one but two lightsaber hilts were clipped to her belt, signifying her advanced proficiency in combat.

" _Hm. Interesting._ " He quietly mused to himself, sizing up the young Togruta through his scope. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to gawk. " _Aurra, report._ " He ordered through his radio.

"I've made it inside the storage base, working my way towards the supplies."

" _Have you encountered much resistance?_ "

"Just a few guards, easily disposed of." The bounty hunter reported.

" _I'm in position, awaiting the senator. Keep me appraised of your progress. Wraith out._ "

* * *

Senator Amidala ascended the podium after a few words with Anakin and made her way centerstage, flanked by Bail and Jar Jar. She stood before the throng of refugees, comprised of a multitude of varied species, all of them waiting her words of greeting. It was time for her speech... and she had every intent to make it brief. Short, sweet and to the point. These people didn't need long-winded rhetoric, they needed reassurance.

"I bid you all greetings, though I wish it was under more pleasant circumstances." She began. "I am here on behalf of Chancellor Palpatine, who is busy leading the Republic's war efforts against the tyranny of the Separatists. I know you all would rather hear from him than me, but he is doing his best to coordinate our forces and push the Separatists and their battle droids out of your homeworlds..."

Wraith paid little attention to Amidala's speech as he aligned his crosshairs with her left shoulder. Her speech contained what he had expected, meaningless propaganda about the evils of the Separatists and the doubtful Republic victory that would end the war.

He was looking forward to shutting her up.

Amidala kept talking and time ticked on. For five minutes Wraith awaited Aurra's signal, keeping a steady hand on his rifle at all times.

At last, he heard the words he had been waiting for.

"Wraith, I'm in position. Sabotage is almost complete."

" _Understood._ " He replied, tightening his grip on the rifle and targeting Senator Amidala, " _Let's cause some mayhem._ "

"...I know these times may seem dark, like the Separatists are steadily on the rise and there is no way to defeat them. You of all people know this better than us, forced away from your homes by their war machines. But as long as we hold together and believe in the ideals the Republic was founded upon, we will emerge triumphant." The crowd applauded as Senator Amidala finished speaking. Suddenly a shot rang out and Padme fell to the floor, blood spraying from her left shoulder. Screaming and shouting erupted as the crowd was thrown into a panic. Anakin was by her side in seconds as her body fell into Bail's arms.

Wraith was pleased with the outcome.

The sudden panic of the refugees combined with the sight of the downed Amidala was a clear indicator everything was off to a good start. The Jedi were distracted and there was no one to-

Wait a minute.

Wraith's gaze moved to the Gungan senator, who was staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed... right at him.

Dooku warned Binks might be a problem, despite his innate foolishness. And Wraith decided Binks was definitely a problem. Pressing his rifle into his shoulder, he took aim through his scope...

"Ani! Meesa be seein the shootah!" Jar Jar cried. "Hesa be right up-" The Gungan was cut off as a second gunshot echoed throughout the area.

Only this time, the slug went right through Jar Jar's head.

"Jar Jar!" Anakin cried in dismay as the dead Gungan hit the ground, an obvious bullet hole in the centre of his head. Quickly standing, Anakin looked around for any sign of the shooter. If Binks could've been shot so easily, they must be somewhere close. He followed Jar Jar's gaze and looked up into one of the nearby guard towers.

And there, amidst the shadows, he saw the smoking barrel of a sniper rifle.

"Anakin! This was no blaster, it was a slugthrower!" Obi-Wan shouted, gaining his attention. "The shell was laced with a neurotoxin, she needs medical attention!" Anakin swiftly turned back to his injured wife. This day had gone to hell in a handbasket all too fast...

" _Aurra, now!_ " Wraith commanded into his comms, knowing this was the moment of confusion she needed. He waited, looking for a sign it was time to leave.

A rather thunderous explosion echoed from the far side of the compound, throwing the refugees into an even greater panic. Wraith assumed that was his que and barreled down the stairwell. " _Just how many explosives did you use?!_ " He radioed, concerned about the explosion's radius.

"Don't look at me! It was your doctor who gave them to me!" Aurra retorted as Wraith sprinted back into the open plains. Of course Scipio would go a little overboard.

He'd talk with him about that later.

" _Make your way back to the shuttle as soon as possible. The Jedi will be on the prowl in no time._ " He ordered.

"Already moving."

Anakin barely had time to register Jar Jar's death and the neurotoxin coursing through his wife when an explosion rocked the group. Bail turned to see a column of smoke billowing from the depot he and Padme had just been visiting.

"The supplies!" He gasped. Obi-Wan quickly put the pieces together.

"This was a diversion. They didn't want to kill Padme, they wanted to wound her and keep us from realizing the supplies were under attack."

"So this wasn't an assassination... but sabotage!" Ahsoka mused.

"Master Jedi, please, find the saboteur, they may still be close by." Bail asked the trio. "I will see to it Senator Amidala receives medical attention." With one last uneasy glance at his injured wife, Anakin stood and led his friend and student around the the exterior of the compound. There they soon stumbled across the open tower entry and the mass of dead bodies inside.

"Dear me!" Obi-Wan exclaimed, seeing the blood splattered corpses lying around. "It's just like Mandalore!"

"And Geonosis. And Muunilinst. And Honoghr." Anakin grimly added

"You don't think...?" Obi-Wan trailed off, hesitant to finish his thought. Anakin looked to his friend with an expression of wariness.

"I'd rather this rumor remain a rumor." He replied before turning to a trio of royal guards. "Any indicators who did this?"

"No idea sir, but it's likely they're the one who tried to kill the senator." One of them replied. Suddenly, the mechanical whine of a passing speeder drew the Jedi's attention back outside. The trio emerged to see a small speeder racing away from the compound and although they couldn't see the face of the rider, one look at the semi-bald head and jutting antennae were enough evidence for them to deduce the identity.

"Master," Ahsoka pointed to the fleeing rider, "that's-!"

"Aurra Sing!" Anakin finished her statement. "Let's move!" Summoning the Force to increase their speed, the Jedi took off at a sprint. They bounded across the open plains in hot pursuit of Aurra's speeder... not knowing her true destination or that she was not alone.

The near-human bounty hunter looked over her shoulder to make sure her getaway had been a smooth one, only to find she was being followed by the three Jedi. Thinking fast, she proceeded to contact her ally.

"I'm being tailed!"

" _Think you can make a jump?_ " Wraith replied. " _The mag-clamps will grab the speeder, I'll keep them occupied._ " Aurra quickly caught on to his plan and drew one of her sidearms. Turning around in her seat she squeezed off two shots, hoping to slow her pursuers. The Jedi were still some distance away, but it wouldn't take long for them to close the gap.

Wraith had managed to return to the shuttle and was already prepping the engines for takeoff. But Aurra's distress call forced him to rethink his strategy as he began to consider his three plans for escape. Now that Aurra had been discovered, leaving wouldn't be so easy. He quickly mapped out a way to maintain his secrecy, but relied on Aurra's natural agility.

Hopefully she was up for the task.

Triggering the magnetic field on the underside of the shuttle, Wraith grabbed his rifle and ejected the clip of slugs, only to replace it with a clip full of normal slugs...

Holstering her blaster, Aurra looked ahead to see the shuttle coming into view. It was already hovering a few feet off the ground, meaning Wraith was aboard and more than ready to leave.

The Jedi also noticed this.

"That's her escape plan!" Obi-Wan called to his allies.

"Come on, we can't let her get away!" Anakin increased his use of the Force, racing ahead as he broke into the fastest sprint possible, eager to catch the one he thought responsible for shooting his wife. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan were right behind him, moving as fast as they could.

Wraith could see the chase would be a close one. He and Aurra only had one shot at making a clean getaway... and it was all up to her now. Pressing the butt of his rifle into his shoulder, Wraith took aim through his scope at the sprinting Anakin.

Remembering Wraith's plan, Aurra quickly floored the speeder's engine and switched from a seated position to a crouched one. The shuttle was coming up quick and if Wraith's plan was going to work, she had to time this just right. "Aurra!" Anakin cried as he saw her trying to escape, reaching for his lightsaber.

"Sorry hon, better luck next time!" She called over her shoulder with a teasing smirk, knowing the Jedi weren't close enough to catch her. Shutting down the engine, letting speeder coast towards the shuttle, Aurra launched off her ride high into the air. Reaching out with her abnormally long fingers, Aurra managed to grab the floor of the shuttle as the speeder slid underneath and was drawn into the magnetic grasp of the holder below. The bounty hunter pulled herself inside and crawled to her feet, only to realize Wraith was pointing his sniper rifle at her.

" _Aurra, duck!_ " He ordered as he squeezed the trigger. The bounty hunter did so and the slug flew over her head, barely missing her by a matter of inches. Flying at incredible speed, the slug found its target seconds later when it pierced Anakin's knee, downing the Jedi with a cry of pain. Wraith quickly swivelled his aim and fired upon the paused Obi-Wan. The slug whistled through the air and pierced clean through the elder Jedi's shoulder, blood spraying from the wound as Kenobi stumbled backwards.

"That was close!" Aurra cried as she picked herself up.

" _Too close. Let's go._ " Wraith agreed as he dropped his rifle and ran to the pilot controls, triggering the door before flooring the engines to top speed.

Back on the ground, Ahsoka watched as the shuttle took off, stuck wondering who Aurra's partner was. Knowing the attempt to apprehend her had been a failure, Ahsoka turned around to check on her masters, disappointed by the outcome.

* * *

Wraith and Aurra managed to escape Alderaan airspace undetected and quickly rocketed into hyperspace as soon as they were clear of the planet. With Wraith's base of operations programmed into the nav-computer, the two could only lean back and sigh in relief.

"Thanks for the save. Probably would've been caught by the Jedi if it weren't for you." She thanked him.

" _Just doing what needed to be done._ " He calmly replied. Despite his unfazed demeanor, Wraith was inwardly thankful Aurra was up to par with his standards of planning. Had it not been for her agility, he may very well have been forced to leave her behind.

"Sure, whatever you say." Aurra crossed her arms, believing that despite his cold exterior, Wraith willingly cared about his teammate. The soldier stood up.

" _I'm going to contact Scipio._ " He informed her, moving towards the ship's onboard communication systems. " _He'll have transport arranged for your departure._ " Without another word from Aurra, Wraith powered up the system and called up his doctor. Moments later, the Pau'un's voice was patched through the system.

"Ah, Wraith! How does the mission fair?" He cheerily asked.

" _Objectives completed. The Senator has been downed and the supplies destroyed. Minor interference from the Jedi, but my identity remains unknown._ "

"Good! Very good work, my boy." Scipio applauded his efforts. "I trust Ms. Sing performed just as admirably?"

" _She did. Although... your explosives caused her some trouble._ " Wraith explained, casting a glance at the bounty hunter.

"Oh... I take it I added too much nitroglycerin?" Scipio asked.

" _Way too much._ " Wraith affirmed. " _This was a hit and run mission, not a sabotage one._ "

"In a way, it was a sabotage mission... but I see your point." Scipio agreed. "I'll fix things up for next time."

" _Good._ _Contact Count Dooku, Aurra is going to need a ride out._ " Wraith added before powering down the communication. He returned to his seat next to Aurra and leaned back, content with watching hyperspace pass by before him. Silence ensued between the two teammates as they recovered from their escapade. Aurra knew she was being paid well for accepting this job, but she certainly hoped the payout was worth all this frantic hit-and-run nonsense. She preferred to be out in the open, as it made for easier movement and freedom to function. But Wraith was meant to be a secret project, one meant to terrorize the Republic. She had to play by his rules.

And despite the tight perimeters, he was an alright teammate.

Minutes later, the shuttle exited hyperspace and touched down on the landing pad outside Wraith's base. A second craft was waiting nearby, obviously meant for Aurra. Wraith exited the shuttle first and began making his way towards the base, planning on letting Aurra go about her business and not keeping her a second longer.

"Hey, Wraith," she called to him from the exit. Pausing in place, Wraith looked back over his shoulder at the bounty hunter, leaning against the doorframe. "It was good working with you." She told him. "And I kinda hope we get to do so again some time." Aurra wasn't expecting him to reply, or to even care. But he had to be one of her better partners in recent years and wanted him to know that. She expected him to simply nod and continue, but he surprised her by simply saying,

" _Likewise, Aurra._ "

* * *

 _Back on Alderaan..._

Anakin Skywalker sat with a series of bandages wrapped around his knee. The slug had passed clean through him and although it still hurt like crazy, there was no severe damage. After passing a few toxicity tests, Alderaan doctors had simply patched him up. Anakin was left thinking about the situation at hand.

What had seemed so simple and perfect earlier that day had managed to sour in under a half-hour. The supplies were gone, Padme had been shot, Jar Jar had been shot, both he and Obi-Wan had been shot...

His thoughts were interrupted as Bail approached him.

"Feeling any better Master Jedi?" He asked, eyeing his bandaged knee.

"I'll be fine, Bail. A little time and some Force Healing will get me walking soon enough." He reassured the Senator. "How's Padme?" He asked, hiding his deep concern for his wife.

"We're currently administering an anti-toxin. It appears to be working, the poison is being broken down and removed from her system." Bail explained. Anakin breathed a sigh of relief, pleased by the positive results.

"And Binks?" He asked. Bail shook his head sadly.

"Dead before he hit the floor." He gravely reported. "The shooter obviously knew what he was doing."

"You can say that again." Anakin nodded. "He didn't try to kill Obi-Wan or myself, he just wanted to slow us down."

"He? So it wasn't just Aurra Sing?" Bail asked, intrigued by Anakin's words.

"Someone shot us from that shuttle, and it sure wasn't Aurra." Skywalker explained.

"Most curious. I'm going to consult with the guards who first discovered the carnage in the southwest tower. Perhaps there are some clues to this mysterious gunman's identity." Bail added as he turned and walked off. Just then, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan walked over to Skywalker, Kenobi sporting a sling around his right arm.

"How's the leg, Master?" Ahsoka asked.

"Nothing I can't handle Snips." Anakin smirked. "But I'll admit, I wish the situation was better."

"You and I both, Anakin." Obi-Wan couldn't help but agree. "This day has taken a turn for the worse and we're bearing the brunt of it."

"Yeah. Everything just happened so fast and so quickly. Unfortunately, I don't believe we could've been prepared for it." Anakin added.

"This was well planned, maybe even more than what Aurra is capable of." Obi-Wan noted. If his hand weren't in a sling, he would've started stroking his beard in thought.

"Well, we know Aurra had a partner, just a matter of who..." Anakin replied, remembering how they had been shot while the bounty hunter was climbing aboard the shuttle.

"Did either of you get a good look at the shooter? I know I didn't." Obi-Wan asked.

"Not really. Just shadows." Ahsoka shook her head.

"Yeah, me neither." Obi-Wan sighed in disappointment. No visuals meant the investigation would go nowhere.

"Well, at any rate, I'm off to inform the Chancellor and the Council about these recent developments." The elder Jedi walked off

"I wonder if this is one of those signs... the sign of a wraith." Anakin absentmindedly mused. Ahsoka was intrigued by his comments.

"What do you mean Master?" Anakin realized he had not shared with her the reports concerning this supposed Separatist ally. Well, better late than never...

"There've been rumors, ever since the war started, about a soldier who travels from battle to battle, killing whole armies, doing his best to undermine the Republic. They say he's like a one-man army, cold and merciless, with more kills than anyone in recent history. Some say he's a mutant. Others say he's some kind of Sith or an unknown alien species. But most people don't believe he exists, simply because no one's ever seen him. But those who do believe in his existence call him a 'vengeful spirit'. A wraith." Anakin explained. "There have been at least five worlds he's apparently visited... we already told you about Mandalore." Ahsoka grew quiet, digesting what she had heard. Something about the situation didn't sit right with her, an eerie darkness of some sort that just disturbed her.

"What do you believe Master?" She asked, hoping for his input. Anakin shrugged, not having a straight answer for his apprentice.

"I don't know what to believe, Snips. All I can say is those massacres, those killings, even this attempted assassination... someone, or something, was behind them. I just don't know what."

* * *

 **Author's Note: To all you Jar Jar haters out there (myself included)... you're welcome.**


	22. Scipio's Log 347551

Scipio's Log: Entry 347.551 - The Wraith made known

 _"_ _I had always known the day would come. Maybe I just didn't expect it to come so soon._

 _"_ _All of us, Count Dooku included, knew there would come a day when The Wraith would be made known to his enemies. When the Republic would finally have a face to attach the name to. We all expected it to happen at some point. I knew Wraith couldn't remain a secret forever, his lust for battle and desire to fight would've resulted in his reveal sooner or later._

 _"_ _But never did I think it would happen as soon as it did._

 _"_ _Perhaps I was a fool to think I could keep something so great under wraps for so long. But it was not I who strove for the secrecy of Project Sunstorm, that was the Separatist Council's ideal. But did anyone really expect such mass carnage and open brutality to go unnoticed and overlooked? Secrecy was but a momentary dream, a hope to build fear through the unknown._

 _"_ _And yet... now that Wraith has been made known... there is even greater room for opportunities, the likes of which were not possible beforehand. I sincerely hope that the Council recognizes Wraith's immense potential as a soldier on the battlefield. The average Clone stands no chance against him, so why not (as they say) let slip a dog of war?_

 _"_ _Some may say that this was a grave setback... I say the war is about to tip in favor of the Separatists. Fear has a name... and now it has a face!"_

End of Log


	23. Dark Intentions

-Chapter 11: Dark Intentions-

Location: Coruscant

"Remove the shadow from the light and the shadow will grow."

After the 'attempted' assassination of Senator Amidala and the demise of Senator Binks, the reported findings of a shadowy red-eyed killer began to circulate around the Republic. Apparently, some high end officials who were more involved in the war effort began leaking information about the 'signs of a wraith' that had been discovered on numerous worlds. While some adapted the moniker 'Wraith' for more common usage, others referred to the subject as 'the Clone Killer'. With the rise of reports about a shadowy killer making mincemeat out of Republic forces, citizens of the Republic began to acquire a fear of the unknown. The prospect of a seemingly invisible killer who struck at random began to worry even the most stoic Republic leaders. Who knew who would be next.

An artist by the pseudonym of 'Shabby' drew up some rather humorous concepts as to what this killer might look like. His images quickly circulated around the Holoweb, bringing much mirth to those who saw them and temporarily alleviating the looming threat of fear.

This mirth was quickly replaced by terror when Shabby was discovered beheaded in his studio, lying in a pool of his own blood.

While fear and terror were common undertones to this discovery, some people began to question the legitimacy of these attacks. These supposed 'experts' began to make some rather audacious claims concerning the rumors about 'the Clone Killer'.

Chief among them was an opinionist by the name of Daav Philo'nis.

Owner and operator of a blog known as _TruthHurts_ , Philo'nis started claiming that the 'so-called' Wraith was nothing more than a scare tactic, an attempt at fear-mongering and psychological warfare by the Separatists... a "poorly executed one" according to him. Many people started believing his words, desperately hoping that his comments were in fact real and that a brighter tomorrow (without the threat of death and destruction) was coming.

But there was one individual who was angered by Daav's claims... and his name was The Wraith.

* * *

Scipio was busy instructing Wraith on how to use his latest anti-personnel device: the stun chip.

"Now, the device is engineered to generate a powerful electric shock just five seconds after activation. It works under any circumstances, but the closer in contact it is with actual flesh, the better. The timer is located on top, all you must do is press it once to activate the countdown sequence." He explained the device's inner-workings. "I've had a few manufactured for you, you can store them on the new belt I've engineered for you. The magnetic strap along the lining will allow you to keep multiple metallic items on hand."

" _Right._ " Wraith curtly replied, promptly taking the device and sizing it up for himself. Scipio cocked his head. He had been noticing an odd pattern in Wraith's behavior recently, some abrupt sentences and dismissive tones to name a few.

It was as if Wraith were enduring a mood swing.

"Are you alright, my boy? You sound rather perturbed." The doctor asked, curious if Wraith needed a mental adjustment or a flat-out overhaul during his next reconditioning session. The soldier gave his creator a quick glance.

" _I was reading Philo'nis' blog recently._ " He admitted.

"Again? Wraith, what have I been telling you?" Scipio sighed, shaking his head. "You're better off not reading that garbage. All it serves to do is put you in a bad mood."

" _A mood I could work off if I had some Clones to slaughter._ " Wraith retorted. " _This naive fool claims me to be nothing more than a rumor!_ "

"Then just ignore him!" Scipio countered. "If you keep reading his nonsense, you're likely to go rogue and slaughter him. Don't think I've forgotten that stunt regarding Shabby. I barely convinced Count Dooku to keep you in service!"

" _An effort I am grateful for._ " Wraith added, relaxing slightly. " _I still believe all who degrade us should taste our fury._ "

"Perhaps one day they will." Scipio replied. "For now, keep your killer instincts in check... just this once... please."

" _Fine._ " Wraith begrudgingly agreed to do so. " _Have you even read the things this lunatic has posted?_ "

"I can't say as I have, but I believe you've told me enough." Scipio replied.

" _Maybe I can introduce you..._ " Wraith mused, " _the felon is supposed to be a talk show guest later today. Perhaps I can sway you into action with his words._ "

"Don't count on it. Unlike you, I'm not a 'glutton for punishment'." Scipio retorted. Turning on his heel, the doctor made for the exit. But as he left, Wraith uttered a few simple words that made him stop.

" _Why must I be such a secret?_ " Scipio turned to eye his creation. Never had Wraith ever asked a question like this. " _You and I both know I could do the cause a world of good by being out in the open._ " Wraith continued. " _If I were on the battlefield, the outcome of the war would shift in our favor._ "

"I know. I'm only doing what the Council calls for." Scipio replied. "I tried to put you into action on Teth, after your very first mission to Christophsis. But Count Dooku said no."

" _Does he not understand my true potential?_ " Wraith asked, turning around. " _Sure, I'm good at undercover and hit-and-run missions... but I BELONG on the field of battle! That's why you made me. I'm a soldier; a living, breathing, organic soldier! I may hunt, but I'm wired to fight._ " Scipio could hear the desire in Wraith's words. He understood his creation's passion to lead the Separatists to victory, it was ingrained in his mind, part of the mental programming process Scipio made to ensure Wraith remained the perfect soldier.

"I know." Scipio simply replied. "Wraith, you know I'm just looking out for our best interests. I don't want you to lose favor with the Separatist Council... and I don't want to receive another choking from Count Dooku. And while hit and run operations may not be your dream, it is keeping us in good favor."

" _Hmph._ " Wraith grunted, crossing his arms, not seeing Scipio's point.

He was a bit of a stubborn soldier.

* * *

Later that day, Wraith had pulled up a seat before the holotable and keyed up a specific communication frequency. Scipio was busy in his lab, supposedly working on Wraith's next enhancement. Wraith decided to capitalize on the moment, ignore Scipio's suggestion and watch the talk show Philo'nis was going to be featured on. He wanted to both see and hear the criminal words from Daav's own mouth, so he could feel justified in hunting down this fool of a man who sought to make a mockery of the valiant Confederacy.

After all, that artist paid the price... why shouldn't someone else?

Syncing the live feed and calibrating the display options, Wraith set about cloaking the signal output of the holotable, disguising it like another common holotable. The HoloNews was a vast place, where anything and anyone could be discovered... even him. He didn't want the location of his base to be revealed, then there'd be even more hell to pay. If Scipio even knew what he was up to, the amount of planning and preparation he'd done for this, surely there would be consequences of some caliber. Their severity depended on how successful he was.

And he had been proven to be very successful.

He planned on watching the broadcast, the talk show known as _The Fode and Beed Show_ , where the special guest was Daav Philo'nis. During his investigations into this man, Wraith had learned just how much Daav enjoyed the spotlight and thrived off power. As long as gullible people continued to feed off his lies, half-truths and twisted facts, Daav would remain in his element and enjoy his prominence.

An arrogant prominence Wraith had a very strong desire to end... brutally so.

At long last, the program began... well, not right away. The beginning of the show was slow and tedious for Wraith's liking. It was not what he wanted, but it was the format of the program. The two-headed Troig took time to recap the recent Podracing event on Theron and detailed the upcoming championship on Anoat. Having been an announcer for the popular Boonta Eve Classic on Tatooine, the show gained a large portion of its viewership from podracers from around the galaxy. Fodesinbeed Annodue proved a popular host in podracing circles. The show itself was half podracing talk, half special guests.

It was a bit of an oddity. Much like its host.

But once the podracing was out of the way, it was time for the special guest portion. One Wraith was eagerly looking forward to.

"And now for tonight's special guest!" The Troig announced with gusto, possibly as excited as his audience. "I'm sure most of us have read his blog and enjoy his expert opinion and ability to debunk Separatist ploys and generally hopeful outlook. So please, give it up for Mister Daav Philo'nis!" Beed quickly translated into Huttese as Daav made his way on stage. Wraith leaned back in his chair, firmly crossing his arms as the studio audience applauded the man who entered from stage right. For the first time, Wraith could get a good look at the man who's work belittled his reputation. Daav was a round man with a circular head and body to match. A salt-and-pepper beard adorned his face, which remained somewhat hidden beneath his broad-rimmed hat. Such a design Wraith had only seen in images of the bounty hunter Cad Bane, only Daav's was significantly smaller. The man walked over and shook one of the Troig's four hands before waving to the audience and sitting down. The man's very aura seemed to carry a level of pride.

" _Arrogant fool._ " Wraith growled, his anger already stirring. He continued to watch as the two exchanged pleasantries before Fodesinbeed moved on to a series of questions.

"So, tell me, how did you come up with writing a blog like yours? I mean, you don't see a whole lot of people doing what you do."

" _For good reason._ " Wraith rumbled.

"Well Fode, I guess you could say I was inspired by everything going on around me." Daav replied. "I saw how the war was throwing people into a depression, worrying that the Separatists would be triumphant and that they would conquer the galaxy. So, I decided to 'expose' them, as it were. I wanted to let people know that the Separatists weren't nearly as big and bad as they seemed, that everything they're doing can be undone."

" _A mistake you shall pay for dearly._ " Wraith muttered.

"How exactly do you pick apart these 'conspiracies', as you call them?"

"It's simple research, really. I just look for telltale signs, or flaws, that match up with previous findings and similar events. There's nothing new that the Separatists haven't already tried. That's why I can honestly call it like I see it, because I know exactly what it is and it's been done before."

" _You know nothing!_ " Wraith growled.

"Let's talk about your personal life for a moment." Fode moved on. "It's obvious from your writings that you support the Republic. Do you happen to have any particular favorites among the commanders?" What a bizarre question.

" _My favorite Clones are dead ones._ " Wraith chuckled darkly. " _I like my Jedi the same way._ " That's when he paused and considered Skywalker's apprentice: Ahsoka. She struck him as unique, not like the other Jedi. There was something about her he simply couldn't shake, a desire within him to... to...

Well, he didn't really know what.

"I will admit I admire Jedi General Plo Koon and his Wolf Pack. The way they survived the Malevolence Incident was very impressive." Daav responded. Wraith made a mental note to put Plo Koon in a body cast if he ever came across the Jedi. Host and guest went back and forth, sharing commonalities in front of the studio audience. Wraith was growing bored. But then, Fode made a move that piqued his interest.

"Let's go to our comms now, I'm sure there's a few people who want to ask you a few questions."

"Or compliment my work." Daav joked, earning a few laughs from the crowd. Wraith immediately stood. If his plan was going to work, now was the time for him to call in. Obviously, he wouldn't be the first to speak, but his delayed message would only serve to heighten the moment.

After so much praise... a very grave threat.

Ignoring the apparent fangirl Daav was conversing with, Wraith made his way over to the base's communication system. He knew he had to cloak his frequency signal to keep the base a secret, something easily accomplished.

"What do you think you're doing?" Scipio asked, announcing his presence, sounding worried as Wraith activated the communications system. Wraith was unfazed by the sudden appearance of his creator.

" _Patience is a virtue, doctor._ " Wraith calmly replied, activating the outgoing call system. Daav was already on to his second caller, another fan and avid reader.

But soon, the critic was about to meet a critic...

"Let's take this next caller..." The Troig continued, triggering the next holo communication. "hm, no visual. Oh well, go ahead Mister-"

" _Daav Philo'nis. A man who sits on a pedestal built upon falsehood. I bet you're feeling quite proud of yourself._ " The synthetic voice resonated throughout the room, sending chills through quite a few spines. Including Daav.

"I'm sorry, who is this?" Fode asked.

" _My identity is known, yet I am unknown. But what's more important is the fact that Mister Philo'nis fails to comprehend the consequences of his actions. You see, it is a universal effect known throughout the galaxy: actions and words have consequences. There is nothing we do that will not have some result. The bill always comes due. Cause and effect. You see, Mister Philo'nis prides himself on promoting the truth. But what he has failed to realize is that his efforts, his actions and words, have levied upon him the heaviest of consequences. He has belittled and tarnished a name of great repute in the name of 'truth', and now he will pay for it. Listen carefully, Mister Philo'nis; I am giving you five hours to run and hide from me. And when those five hours are up, I will find you. I will seek you out and hunt you down like the dog you are. And then... only then will you receive your bill... and we will see just how true your claims really are._ " The room had grown deathly quiet. Both Fodesinbeed and Daav looked quite fearful, Daav looking downright petrified.

"Sir... Sir, did you just threaten Mister Philo'nis?" Fode timidly asked after a moment.

" _Threats are idle. Menacing in tone but weightless in value. No, that is no threat... but a promise!_ " The voice growled. Though he could not see him, Wraith could only imagine the look on Philo'nis' face. " _You'd better hurry, Daav. The clock is ticking..._ " Wraith ended his call and turned back to watch as the communicator in the studio quite suddenly displayed a bold CIS emblem, a surefire indicator as to who had spoken. Scipio was in shock.

"You blatantly disobeyed me!" He cried, angered by Wraith's actions.

" _You don't understand the atrocities this man is committing._ " The soldier retorted as he moved back to the holotable. He saw Daav was getting up to leave.

"I... I must go... There's s-somewhere I need to be..." he stammered, quickly making his way off stage.

" _Perfect._ " Wraith was pleased his plan was working. " _Now for part two._ " As he bent over the table and began to key up some more information, Scipio had a sudden realization: Wraith had planned this. Despite his orders and encouragement, Wraith had actually been planning the downfall of this Daav Philo'nis.

"You... You've got this all planned out..." he gasped.

" _Right down to the most minuscule detail._ " Wraith casually replied.

"But... But..." Scipio stuttered, lost for words.

" _But how does it work?_ " Wraith finished for him, knowing full-well what Scipio was trying to say. " _Given the Fode and Beed Show is produced and aired in locations such as Malastare, it's been proving difficult to track down Daav. Fortunately, I managed to concoct this plan and force him into my cross-hairs. The question then remained: where would he go? And there is only one place where he would feel safest._ " Wraith pulled up a holographic display of a series of buildings. " _The Coruscant Communications Grid. I can monitor all outgoing and incoming calls of high importance. But, given its complexity, I would have to either re-wire a terminal or plant a bug. Both are obvious, but a bug is far subtler._ " Scipio had a much graver concern.

"You mean to tell me you plan on traveling to Coruscant? The heart of enemy territory?!" He exclaimed incredulously. Wraith thought nothing of it.

" _I've had more than my fair share of stealth missions to know how this works. Coruscant may be trickier, but in the end, it'll be no different from all the others. And it's the one planet that could possibly protect Daav... even though it won't be enough._ " Wraith began to walk out of the room, bypassing Scipio. " _Now if you'll excuse me, I have a promise to keep._ " Scipio stood frozen in disbelief. The sound of metal tapping against metal resonated as Wraith walked to the exit and disappeared into the base, probably heading towards the landing pad. Scipio remained alone in the room, reeling from the revelation of Wraith's plan. He didn't even move when the central systems array alerted him that the shuttle was leaving... but he did move when an incoming communication was detected. After entering a few commands, the holographic appearance of Count Dooku materialized before him.

"Doctor, I don't know if you are aware, but there is a man by the name of Daav Philo'nis who has been tarnishing the Separatists and making a mockery of us. I want Wraith to-"

"Go and dispose of him." Scipio finished with a sigh. "I'm afraid he's already moving. He's aware of who Philo'nis is, and apparently has been planning his demise for some time." The Pau'un explained. Dooku raised an eyebrow in apparent surprise.

"Well now. He seems to be a rather ambitious one." The count mused before trailing off into his own thoughts. "We will discuss this later." He stated before ending his communication.

* * *

 _Sometime later, on Coruscant..._

In the office of the Supreme Chancellor, Jedi Master Mace Windu and Grand Master Yoda were discussing an unfolding situation with Chancellor Palpatine. The two Jedi convened with the politician via holocommunication.

"Nearly an hour ago, famed HoloNet blogger Daav Philo'nis was threatened during a live interview. The hostile party told Mister Philo'nis he had just five hours to 'run and hide' anywhere in the galaxy, before he would be hunted down." Palpatine explained.

"We are aware of Daav's work in 'exposing' Separatist plots. His latest focus was on 'the wraith'." Windu replied.

"Perhaps the threat and his recent focus are related?" Palpatine suggested.

"Either the Separatists want to keep their wraith a secret, or perhaps he actually exists."

"Prefer the former, many would." Yoda added. "Daav Philo'nis, his current plans do you know?" He asked the Chancellor.

"Mister Philo'nis contacted me shortly after ending the interview early. He wishes to come to Coruscant and has asked me for asylum." Palpatine explained.

"The Separatists wouldn't dare try and attack him here." Mace was hopeful the plan would be uneventful, given it was Coruscant.

"Forgotten the Senate raid, have you?" Yoda asked him.

"Those were bounty hunters, rather prolific here on Coruscant." The Jedi Master countered.

"Nevertheless, we do have some of the best security in the galaxy, being the heart of the Republic. Daav's flight will take most of the allotted five hours, so we won't have much time to move. He will be in a common unmarked transport, so we won't know exactly when he will be arriving." Palpatine informed them.

"Any ideas for how to counter the threat?"

"I would like to send Master Kenobi in addition to Master Skywalker and his apprentice. Accompanied by a small detachment of Coruscant Police Troopers, this should be a more formidable front that may very well deter Mister Philo'nis' pursuer." Palpatine suggested, informing them of his plan.

"I certainly hope so. This alleged 'wraith' has caused the Republic enough problems as it is. I for one would like to put the rumor to rest once and for all." Windu mused.

"You and the rest of the Republic." Palpatine agreed. "For now, we need to focus on keeping Mister Philo'nis safe."

* * *

Wraith heard it all.

Having wired a bug into the Coruscant Communications Grid, The Wraith was now able to intercept transmissions from anywhere in Republic territories. But all the important communications were outgoing from Coruscant. Specifically, the office of the Supreme Chancellor.

Wraith had to wonder if, one day, he would be called upon to assassinate the Chancellor... and truly bring the downfall of the Republic.

He had arrived in relative silence, piloting his unmarked shuttle down to the lower depths of Coruscant. Forced to hide his trademark attire to avoid being spotted, Wraith had disappeared into the crowds undetected and slowly made his way through the throng anonymously. His first target was the communications grid, as his mission required immediate access to all incoming and outgoing transmissions. It wasn't easy traversing the heavily guarded station, forced to kill a trio of guards and hide their bodies to maintain maximum stealth, but it was well worth the reward. Wraith wired in a bug, the same kind of bug he had used all those years ago on Christophsis, that allowed free access to every communication sent or received on Coruscant. No doubt the Separatist Council would thank him for this.

After they punished him... for going off on his own accord.

That's when he had overheard the Chancellor's conversation with the two Jedi and learned that everything was going according to plan.

His mind quickly calculated his next course of action. Should Skywalker and his allies be the ones to meet Philo'nis first, Wraith would have to intercept them. Somehow, he needed to learn what they knew, listen in when they...

That's it.

Wraith would plant a tracer, either on one of the personnel or on the speeder they used. All he would have to do is follow their movements and deal with them when the time was right. Or maybe he could sabotage the speeder, that way he could maintain the territorial advantage.

Regardless of how he went forward, Wraith knew his next destination would be the Coruscant Spaceport.

Good thing Scipio had tricked out his belt with all kinds of little gizmos.

 _Four hours later..._

It had been a long wait. A very long wait.

Not to mention a bit of a pain to get there.

Wraith had to maneuver through the crowds of Coruscant once more in order to make his way to the spaceport. He found it a real pain to have to hide in plain sight, he felt so exposed when he wasn't wearing his jacket and helmet.

But he had survived and was now lying in wait for his prey. Like a bestial hunter.

For four hours he waited atop a high rise in full battle gear. Wraith was more than eager to take down Daav... and wished he had control over time. It was night now, evening had passed him by and a curtain of stars shone brightly above him. He had checked, double-checked and re-checked his weaponry. Instead of his carbine, he had chosen to equip his sniper rifle instead. No doubt it would come in handy when he was pursuing his quarry.

And he was about to find out, for an armored airspeeder had arrived at the spaceport. Recognizing the trio of Jedi with ease, especially Ahsoka, Wraith quickly counted six Coruscant Police Troopers in addition to the three Jedi. The company of Republic forces moved quickly to one of the landing pads, leaving the speeder unattended.

How foolish of them.

Given the placement of the speeder, Wraith knew he had only one option to sabotage the speeder, and that was to...

Hold on. Maybe he didn't have to use an explosive.

Reaching for one of the stun chips on his belt, Wraith quickly upped the discharge voltage to its highest setting. Given the anti-gravity engine systems all airspeeders worked on, his stunner could overload the power system and force the speeder to crash, as long as it delivered a big enough jolt to completely fry the system.

With pinpoint accuracy, honed over sixteen years of continuous training, Wraith flicked his wrist and flung the chip through the air. The device landed squarely on the front of the vehicle.

Perfect. Step one complete.

Now Wraith just needed to plant a tracker. Fortunately, his rifle had been equipped with hollow shells, granting him the ability to load devices into them and stick them to any surfaces. Having prepped a tracker beforehand, Wraith readied his weapon and quickly determined the best place to hide such a device. Aiming for the rear engine strut, Wraith's aim and accuracy proved flawless as he stuck the tracker cleanly to his intended target.

Everything was in place, now he just had to wait for the right moment. Fortunately, the Republic were returning with Daav in tow.

Soon, very soon, everything would come to a head... and fear would be sown anew.

* * *

Surrounded by a trio of Jedi and half a dozen Police troopers, Daav felt much safer on Coruscant than he had on that transport.

"We'll head straight to the Chancellor's office. Palpatine is expecting you there." Anakin explained as he powered up their ride. "You're in good hands Mister Philo'nis."

"I cannot thank the Republic enough." He timidly replied.

"Don't you worry, sir. Any Seppie who tries us is gonna regret it!" Ahsoka reassured him with a confident grin. Daav couldn't help but smile back at her youthful enthusiasm.

"And I certainly appreciate the help." The airspeeder lifted up and took off into the night.

"Know any shortcuts where we're less exposed?" Obi-Wan asked.

"We'll fly low over the streets, that way no one can get the drop on us." Anakin replied. "I want to avoid high rises and the possibility of an ambush."

"Good thinking." Obi-Wan approved. Silence ensued as seconds turned to minutes, everyone keeping a lookout for anything suspicious or out of place.

Suddenly, electricity erupted across the front of the speeder.

"What the-!" Anakin was surprised as his instruments suddenly short circuited.

"Anakin, what's going on?" Obi-Wan urgently asked.

"Everything's shorted out, the power's been overloaded!" Anakin replied, attempting to reactivate the speeder. Daav felt a chill ripple through him, a foreboding sense of dread and terror hastily filling him.

 _"I will seek you out and hunt you down like the dog you are."_ The chilling voice echoed in his head. Daav dearly hoped he would survive this night.

"I've lost anti-gravity, we're going down!" Anakin called out in warning.

"Any way you can slow us down, Skyguy?" Ahsoka asked.

"We've got no power, Snips. Best I can do is a controlled crash." Anakin replied, fighting to steer the powerless speeder. "Brace yourselves!" With smoke trailing from the engines and under the hood, the speeder began a rapid descent to the streets below. Fortunately, there were very few people about at this late hour. Anyone left quickly ran away from the careening airspeeder. The passengers were fortunate Anakin was a master pilot at pretty much every vehicle, and while the crash was rough, it was far smoother than other possibilities. The vehicle skidded across the road as Anakin drove the hood into the wall of an alley, at a sharp enough angle so the speeder bounced off and firmly wedged itself in the narrow side street, bringing the chaotic ride to an abrupt halt. A few minutes passed as the Republic shook themselves back to sensibility and began to crawl out of their wrecked transport. "Everybody okay?" Anakin wondered.

"We're all here, sir." The Police reported. "Just a few bumps and bruises is all."

"Mister Philo'nis?" Anakin asked.

"He's fine, just a little shaken." Ahsoka replied. Anakin breathed a sigh of relief.

"I need four of you troopers to guard the entrance, keep the onlookers away and look out for any sign of trouble." He ordered the police. They promptly complied, two staying behind to ensure the safety of everyone else. The Jedi climbed out, Ahsoka and the troopers ensuring Daav safely arrived on solid ground. Anakin paused to examine the front of the speeder.

"Don't think I took out a damage deposit." He quipped, eyeing up the smoking, dented hood. "I just wonder what went wrong..." he couldn't quite understand how a perfectly good speeder could suddenly short-circuit and overload. Unless there was a problem with a subsystem or one of the electrical subroutines had-

"Anakin! Look at this!" Obi-Wan called. The Knight as by his side moments later. "It's a tracker." Obi-Wan pointed to the device wedged in a strut, blinking red light an obvious beacon. Anakin suddenly realized that the speeder shorting out was no mere mechanical accident.

"We're being hunted." He breathed. Suddenly, the crack of a rifle resounded near through the street and one of the Police troopers fell dead, blood spraying from the bullet hole in his head.

"Sniper!" One of them cried, moments before he too was shot dead. Panic set in and any onlookers were quickly driven away.

"Fall back!" Anakin cried, moving to the rear of the wreck. The troopers quickly dashed back to the speeder, another one falling dead as he ran, felled by their invisible attacker. The other managed to reach his allies just seconds before a slug took him down as well. The Jedi swiftly drew their lightsabers, only two Police troopers remained. "Quick! Surround Daav, don't let anyone else near him!" Anakin ordered. The five did so, backing up against the speeder. Daav looked around, sweat continuing to bead on his forehead.

But no more shots came. Everyone grew still as anticipation and tension began to build.

"I can't see anything." Obi-Wan squinted as he peered at the darkness surrounding them. "It's... It's like we're being attacked by a phantom."

"Or a wraith." One of the troopers quietly muttered. Daav heard him. Anakin had had enough of the shadow play and decided it was time for much bolder front. He confidently stepped forward, just a few feet away from the group.

"Alright you! I've had enough of your hiding in the shadows!" Anakin challenged whoever was watching them. "We're Jedi, you can't beat us with blasters. So come out here and face us!" Stepping back alongside Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, Anakin readied his blue blade and waited. The police troopers kept glancing from side to side, watching the area around them for any sign of movement. Philo'nis, surrounded by his guardians, looked fearfully around too, expecting someone to leap out and kill him. Time ticked on as the Jedi and police stood ready and waiting. Philo'nis continued to sweat, trembling with fear.

Suddenly, a figure dropped down from a building before them, somersaulting through the air as it landed several feet away from the Jedi. Muscles tense, Jedi readied their weapons, assuming new attack positions. Seeing the arrival, the police immediately moved to alongside the Jedi, kneeling and pointing their weapons at the crouching figure. Ever so slowly, the form stood up and rose to full height. Despite the shadows, the Jedi could see his broad, menacing form outlined by the lights around them.

Then, the figure began walking towards them.

Stepping forward at a slow, even pace, the air grew thick with tension as the being approached the protective ensemble. Drawing close enough, the figure stepped into the light and revealed himself. Philo'nis gasped in horror. The Jedi expressing looks of sudden realization and shock. The dark blue jacket, duster hanging down to his ankles, twin sets of sidearms adorning his waist, rifle strapped across his back, arms bearing heavily armored plating, shining helmet, blood red optics, large Separatist emblem on his chest... for the first time they set eyes on the invisible foe who had plagued them battle after battle. The silent killer who struck swiftly and ruthlessly. The one whom many, many deaths could be attributed to.

It had to be... It just had to be...

The Wraith had been revealed.

"He's real!" Philo'nis gasped. "HE'S REAL!" He cried, consumed by terror. The police took aim, readying to fire. But in a swift move, the Wraith grabbed his pistols and fired four shots, each slamming into the trooper's heads, killing them instantly. His speed was incredible. Spinning his sidearms around his hands, the Wraith holstered them in one fluid motion.

"I... I don't believe it." Obi-Wan said in awe. "After all this time..." Wraith began advancing towards the Jedi and Daav, intent on fulfilling his mission. Having already identified the Jedi's weak points, he knew how to dispose of them. But they had to make the first move. Shaking off his shock, Anakin struck first, rushing in to attack. Blue lightsaber humming through the air, the Jedi Knight slashed at Wraith. But the Separatist held up an arm and blocked the blow with his gauntlet. Anakin was surprised, not expecting such a calm defense. Wraith capitalized on the moment and delivered a hard punch to Skywalker's face. Reaching forward, he grabbed the stumbling Jedi and landed two hard blows to Anakin's torso. The Jedi coughed from the impact, only to have his face smashed once again as Wraith delivered an uppercut that laid Anakin flat on his back. The blow to his face stunned Anakin hard, forcing the Jedi to black out moments after hitting the ground. Shaking off the surprise of Anakin's easy defeat, Obi-Wan took his turn to advance, diving in with a thrust. But Wraith calmly sidestepped the attack and countered with a sharp kick to Obi-Wan's ribs. The hard impact made Kenobi winced. Wraith followed up with twin kicks to the Jedi's chest before lashing out with a hard kick across the face. Obi-Wan spun through the air and landed on the ground, dazed and hurting before falling unconscious. The last Jedi standing, Ahsoka quickly moved in, leaping into the air in an effort to land an aerial assault, hoping to catch Wraith off guard. As she launched herself high, Wraith quickly calculated the angle of her fall and planned around it. Ahsoka dove in, lightsabers ready. But Wraith grabbed her arms, spinning around and propelled her into a wall. Surprised by the sudden, fluid change in direction, she hit the wall but quickly recovered, ready to turn about and fight again. However, Wraith whipped a small item from his belt, aiming for her exposed bare back. The stun chip contacted her skin and delivered a powerful shock. Ahsoka cried out as electricity coursed through her until she fell unconscious, collapsing to the ground in a heap. Wraith turned his attention back to the fear stricken Daav, stepping past the bodies of the downed Jedi as he advanced towards his critic. Philo'nis tried hard to move, but fear kept him cemented in place. What chance did he stand against someone who possessed a record like the Wraith, who had singlehandedly beaten three of the Jedi's finest without even breaking a sweat? Wraith walked right up to the frozen Senator, staring down through crimson eyes at his terrified victim.

" _Am I still a scare tactic?_ " Wraith asked. His mechanized voice shocked the politician, who gaped up at his more than intimidating opponent. Raising one arm, a metallic ring echoed throughout the area as one of Wraith's arm blades deployed. Daav jumped in fright. " _Now then, I gave you five hours to run and hide._ " Wraith told him. Rearing his arm back, he paused to savor expression on the petrified Philo'nis.

" _Found you._ "

* * *

Hours later, Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan recovered. Picking themselves up off the ground, all the Jedi could see where the bodies of the police troopers. No sign of Daav or the Wraith. They returned to the Jedi Temple with a report of failure... and to confirm the Wraith's existence.

All they could do now was wait.

A couple days later, a crate addressed to the Senate was found outside the senate building. After carefully opening the crate, a gruesome sight, and smell, greeted the onlookers. Inside were the butchered remains of Daav Philo'nis, cut to pieces by a blade of unknown origin. Also inside was a simple holoprojector that, when activated, displayed a simple Aurebesh 'W' with a lightning bolt running through it.

The Wraith had made himself known.

The murder of Daav Philo'nis made headlines across the Republic. His brutal murder by the unapologetic Wraith encouraged the Senate to formally acknowledge the presence of the Separatist Elite Commando. But this only served to strike fear into many hearts. A lone man solely responsible for this much carnage and brutality was surely the biggest threat to ever face the Republic. The very balance of the war was at stake.

* * *

 _Later..._

Scipio observed HoloNews broadcasts from the Republic, each one retelling the Chancellor's statements and the recent developments concerning 'the Wraith'. Scipio couldn't help but grin as he rewatched the moment when the Wraith's insignia was revealed, shocking the Senators. Despite knowing how all of this came to be, he still couldn't help but be impressed with the ruthless effectiveness of his creation.

Still, his actions would have consequences.

"Such horror. I never knew you had it in you." Scipio remarked.

" _No matter how much breath is wasted, you cannot silence the unstoppable._ " Wraith responded, standing behind him. " _He spoke out against me, called out the Separatists. And I answered._ "

"Well said Wraith." Scipio agreed. "And I see you have constructed a logo for yourself."

" _It came to me while I was assembling the package._ "

"Not bad. Personally, I would've preferred a skull and crossbones over a lightning bolt." Scipio mused. "But you do realize this has made you public enemy number one." He added, getting back on topic. "The Republic will surely put a price on your head and not even I or the Separatist Council can bail you out of this."

" _I am not concerned._ " Wraith shrugged off the hard reality. " _I will not be stopped. I cannot be stopped. My time has come to join the front lines of the war, to do what I have been designed to do. My potential will no longer be stifled, but fulfilled. I know I acted against orders, doctor, but it was for the greater good. I am the superior soldier and I think it's high time I live up to that moniker._ "

"And I am here to make sure of that." Scipio added. Perhaps Wraith was right. Things could only get better now that his reputation had spread to Coruscant. The very image of the Wraith would be the death knell of the Republic army, a dirge signalling their coming end. Shutting off the broadcasts, the Pau'un stood up and stretched. "Come Wraith, you have a reputation to keep up." The doctor motioned towards his lab. It was time to get to work. Now that the Republic was afraid, it was time to strike hard and make their fear a dark and ever-present reality.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well, crew, I just want to thank you all for reading and reviewing. Your positive comments are very uplifting and motivating. Now, as the school year kicks off once more, I am going to be very busy so don't expect any updates for a couple months. Sorry to leave you on a bit of a cliffhanger, but duty calls. Thanks again for over 6000 views and all the supportive feedback. See you soon (probably in December)!**


	24. Scipio's Log 1283

**Author's Note: Surprise upload! Then again, it's a log and really takes just five minutes to write.  
**

 **Three words: 8000+ views. In the span of a month, this story goes from a little over 6000 to over 8000?! You guys are something else! I can't thank you enough for all these views, let's me know I'm doing something right that makes people come and read! As a token of appreciation, this log contains not one but two entries!  
**

 **The next chapter is the much-anticipated Wraith v Jedi fight, specifically Anakin... that'll probably be a Christmas present, if not an early one.**

* * *

Scipio's Log: Entry 12.83A and Entry 12.83B - Unprecedented brutality

" _I appears that Wraith's standalone efforts have been of some worthwhile when it comes to his standing among the Council. None have called for his removal or resignation or even his demise. Count Dooku also appears to be showing Wraith some level of favoritism, agreeing with his view and desire to be more actively involved. I believe his exact words were 'such a brilliant personality must not be smothered, as it is a rarity among the Separatists to uphold the cause with such fervor'. As much as I campaigned for total secrecy, Wraith's reveal may very well be to our advantage. Please see my previous log for my thoughts as I don't plan on recounting them._

" _But now he has a much more vital role to play. Count Dooku plans to send Wraith to the harshest of battlefields, where the Republic simply refuses to give up. Such ferocity and opposition will mean constant upgrades and enhancements to ensure Wraith's ever-present battle-readiness. It would appear I have my work cut out for me..."_

End of Log

* * *

" _It took some convincing, approximately twenty minutes worth, but I thoroughly believe with utmost certainty that Wraith proved his worth to the Separatists and justified the Republic's feelings of terror._

" _I mean, come now, did you see what he did to Skywalker? The Jedi was nearly unrecognizable!_

" _Of course you can't see, I'm recording my own voice. I do apologize, I was rather giddy when I heard the report. I mean, I had never thought Wraith would be capable of such damage... such harsh and unforgiving destruction. But to see it for myself... my oh my... this is a moment we have both only dreamed of! To see The Wraith realized and Project Sunstorm fulfilled... this is a joyous occasion! Everything I had imagined when I helped design the serum, everything I was looking for the day he started training... the brutality, the relentlessness, the fervor, the blood lust, it all manifested there on Tibrin in a remarkable display of extreme brutality._

" _And I missed it... I missed it all... oh, woe is me!"_

End of Log


	25. A Lesson in Pain

**Author's Note: Alright, look, I know I said the next chapter would come in December. But 10000+ views in a month?! Y'all too much! You guys deserve another chapter just for that. This one ought to be a favorite... buckle up for Anakin vs The Wraith!  
**

* * *

-Chapter 12: A Lesson in Pain-

Location: Tibrin

"The master of his craft always knows what's best."

The sudden and startling revelation of the confirmed existence of The Wraith brought forth a wave of terror and uncertainty within the Republic. Speculation and supposition gave way to cold facts and hard truth. The Chancellor grew concerned, the Senate became afraid and even the Jedi Order was bordering on uncertainty about the war's outcome. But on the Separatist side, something else was stirred...

It was a mixture of consideration and anger.

No longer was their secret weapon a secret. The three Jedi who survived their encounter with The Wraith could confirm his image, not to mention the symbol left behind with the remains of Daav Philo'nis was an obvious clue to his existence.

So what was to become of Project Sunstorm? They thought the entire point of the project was to maintain a level of secrecy and now that the Republic knew, the future of the war was about to change.

In whose favor, none could be sure.

But as the Separatist Council debated the matter with Doctor Scipio, Wraith decided to give voice his opinion and make it known. He explained his primary objective as a soldier: to fight on the battlefields of the Clone Wars, decimate Republic forces and lead the CIS to victory. With the revelation of his existence, the battlefield was his to dominate. No longer would he have to fight from the shadows, now he could march right up to the Republic and tear them apart. In Wraith's opinion, his reveal was no setback but the start of something so much greater.

After some slow consideration, Scipio supported his view as he came to a greater understanding of how his creation operated. His words were simple evidence of successful reconditioning. He believed in the Separatists and supported their cause, striving to do whatever he could in order to advance their goals. Count Dooku soon also came to understand his view and his root desires, and he approved of Wraith's passion. The rest of the Council soon fell in line, although the Trade Federation soon began to question the necessity of their battle droids as long as a 'super soldier' remained at large. Wraith was becoming an essential asset to the cause, they were afraid that one day an army of _him_ would be ordered and would replace their battle droids. As this reality set in, some began to grow fearful of their worth to the Separatists, disappointed that Count Dooku had seemingly turned his back on them and began to grow jealous of Wraith's high standing.

For his first assignment as an official soldier, Count Dooku ordered Wraith to command the front lines on Mygeeto. A fierce battle was raging and Republic forces had dug in deep, forcing the Separatists to apply more pressure until the fighting had reached a stalemate.

A stalemate Wraith was going to break.

Meanwhile, as the soldier left to embark on his mission of leading the CIS to victory, Count Dooku and a party of Separatist delegates moved to the world of Tibrin, hoping to sway the opinion of the local premier. Count Dooku was feeling rather pleased with himself. The Separatists were growing in strength and the fear of The Wraith had pierced the heart of the Republic. A simple diplomatic mission like Tibrin would almost be a vacation. He had full confidence in Wraith being able to handle a battlefield like Mygeeto, meaning he didn't have to worry about it.

Little did he know, he would need Wraith's assistance far sooner than he thought. For reasons none could have foreseen...

* * *

Tibrin was a semi-aquatic world. A world lined with massive reefs and crystal blue oceans. Home of the Ishi Tib, Tibrin had been a member of the Galactic Republic for the longest time.

And for almost as equally long, Premier Suribran Tu had ruled Tibrin with an iron hand.

He was nothing short of a dictator, heartless and merciless. Using whatever means necessary to maintain his power, either through assassinations or simple executions, Suribran managed to remain so for so long simply because the Republic supported his regime. How that worked, no one truly knew. But given the increasing levels of corruption being found within the Senate, one wouldn't have to look far to find the backers of the Premier's ruthless government.

This was something Count Dooku was intent on either using for his own benefit or changing to sway the population.

Given the importance of having bases of operation as far reaching as they could, Tibrin was of great strategic value to the Separatists. Count Dooku believed he could sway Premier Tu to his cause with a few well-worded promises. The Premier was a man who favored power, if the Separatists could bring forth a stronger show of might than the Republic, control of Tibrin would be theirs. But there was one other reason for the Separatists to move on Tibrin: the Ishi Tib wished to join the Confederacy, obviously fed up with those who supported their tyrant of a leader. In fact, the people had recently attempted to revolt against the Premier, only for Suribran Tu to strong-arm the people into submission.

If Tu would not fall willingly, than the Separatists could support the people to take him down.

It was in this state of affairs that Dooku arrived on Tibrin with an entourage consisting of his own Sith Acolytes. Among them included Kadrian Sey, Sora Bulq and Tol Skorr, fallen Jedi whom Dooku himself had swayed to the Dark Side. They served by his side and while they were not true Sith, something that would break the long upheld 'Rule of Two', they may very well be.

The Separatists landed on a public landing pad, simply becuase the Palace of the Premier did not have one. What they did not expect was the incredible welcome the Ishi Tib bestowed upon them. Crowds of locals cheered on the Separatist leaders as they disembarked, treating them as though they were conquering heroes who had come to their aid.

In a way, they had.

The collective made their way through the crowds at a rather slow pace. Fortunately, battle droids were present to flank them and provide some manner of distance from the crushing crowds. The arrival of Count Dooku and his entourage was something of a big deal.

No doubt word would reach the Premier.

The Separatists walked towards the palace, almost as if they were parading before the masses. A symbol of hope for a better tomorrow, one free of a ruthless dictator.

From a balcony on his palace, Suribran Tu watched with a sense of unease as his subjects hailed the arriving Separatists, welcoming them with open arms and joyous spirits. Such sentiments could easily result in his dethronement. Tu was a man who enjoyed power, the kind of man who wouldn't give up his prominence without a fight. The presence of Count Dooku troubled him greatly. He was a man who commanded attention, his very presence radiated with power... a power not even Tu could best. Dooku's supremacy would more than likely lead to Tu's downfall and him being removed from power... or even worse.

But Suribran Tu was a crafty man. He hadn't stayed in power this long by relying on good luck.

Perhaps, if there was a way to get on Dooku's good side, being open and reasonable and accepting of whatever the Count asked, he might just be able to retain his power and keep his regime alive under a Separatist banner instead of a Republic one.

That brought forth another issue: Tu's loyalty to the Republic.

Of course, Tu was not one to remain in any one place for very long. He followed the balance of power wherever it shifted. He didn't care whose feet he stepped on or whose head rolled, just so long as wherever he went continued to serve his ambitions. Until now, the Republic had been the only governmental power in the galaxy.

But with the Separatists on the rise... that fact may be subject to change.

He had to play this carefully. Forge an alliance that would benefit him without making any enemies.

No one wanted to be on the bad side of either faction.

The Premier ordered one of his aides to go and welcome the Separatist entourage. He had better prove himself to be a good host, first impressions were everything. But there was one other issue he had to deal with. He was in the midst of entertaining a Senator, Padme Amidala of Naboo. The sudden, unexplained arrival of a Separatist entourage did not bode well... unless somehow he could play the victim.

Tu sighed. It appeared he had his work cut out for him.

Dooku waited politely in the meeting room the Premier's servant had escorted them to. Flanked by his acolytes, Dooku sat at the head of a table with his three allies behind him. They didn't need to wait long before the Premier himself arrived.

"Greetings Count Dooku. I was unprepared for your surprise visit." The Ishi-Tib dictator greeted them, putting on his best smile.

"It was a late decision, I assure you, Premier. Had I more time I would've informed you of our coming arrival." The old man lied.

"Please, Count, refer to me however you wish. There is no need for formalities." Suribran told him, sitting down to Dooku's left. "But I must ask, what do the Separatists want from Tibrin?"

"The answer is simple, Premier. Your world is in a strategically beneficial location as it is near the front-lines of the Clone Wars. We should like to construct a base from where we can house our forces until they are needed." Dooku explained.

"What you ask is impossible, because Tibrin is a world aligned with the Republic." Suribran shook his head in mock disappointment.

"Ah, but perhaps we can convince you otherwise." Dooku responded with a slight smile on his face. "The Separatists offer superior technology and superior politics. All you'd have to do is renounce your allegiance to them and shake hands with me." This was the moment Tu had been worried about. He had assumed from the beginning that Count Dooku wanted something from him, but the Premier was hesitant to make a hasty decision. Sure, the Separatists were a growing power in the galaxy. But to turn his back on the Republic

"Perhaps this situation requires more... deliberation." Suribran cautiously replied. "Not that I don't trust your judgement Count Dooku, but I have been well off with the Republic all this time. I simply cannot leave them now."

"No you can't Premier." Another voice added. Turning to the doorway, Count Dooku was slightly surprised to see Senator Padme Amidala enter the meeting room.

"Senator Amidala, what a pleasant surprise." He cordially greeted her, but was internally bothered by her presence. She could very well interfere with his plans. "You did not tell me you had a guest, Premier." Suribran quickly searched for an appropriate response to keep him out of hot water.

"As you have said, Count, your arrival was rather sudden." He quickly explained. Dooku nodded in understanding. Padme moved to sit across from the Sith, placing Suribran right between the two representatives. He felt more than a little torn.

"Indeed it was." Padme mused. "We were unaware of your arrival and would've prepared Tibrin more properly for such an occasion."

"By 'properly' I assume you would've brought along a company of Clone Troopers."

"Tibrin is a Republic world, we would do whatever was necessary to ensure it did not fall into Separatist hands." Padme responded, her gaze had turned hard and unflinching. She would show Count Dooku he was attempting to convert the wrong planet, that this world would never fall like countless others already had.

"Has the Republic truly accepted ruthless tyrants into its fold? Perhaps the corruption of the senate runs deeper than first thought." Dooku shot back.

"I am not a tyrant, Count." Tu interjected, acting appalled by the accusation. "My people fare as well as they do because of my leadership."

"If that is the case, why do they so eagerly accept us upon our arrival? Surely citizens loyal to the Republic would rather snub Separatist arrivals." Dooku replied, questioning the Premier. Suribran grew nervous. Dooku appeared to be fully aware of his activities in order to maintain power. What else did the Sith know? The thought troubled him greatly.

"Premier Tu has been a long time support of the galactic senate, Count Dooku." Padme stated. "The Republic will defend Tibrin by any means necessary."

"I would assume those are fighting words Senator," Dooku responded, "words that would initiate another chapter in the Clone Wars, one I am confident the Separatists will emerge from triumphant." He smiled a little, knowing the costly battles the Republic was losing recently. Thanks in part to one soldier in particular.

"Senator, Count, I must insist we avoid all possible hostilities. I do not want my people to have to face the Clone Wars." The Premier pleaded, trying to play moderator. Dooku quickly analyzed the current situation. He knew exactly what kind of man Suribran was and therefore knew how to make him play right into Separatist hands. As long as he was backed by the Republic, he felt safe. The balance of power was on his side. But if the balance were to tip...

"If war is not the answer... then perhaps a contest could benefit us better, Premier." He suggested. Suribran faced Dooku with piqued curiosity, as did Senator Amidala.

"You have my attention, Count Dooku. What did you have in mind?" Tu inquired. Dooku began to explain his suggestion.

"A simple three-round bloodsport event. One-on-one, hand-to-hand combat. The winner will prove their superiority to you and thus the more powerful faction." His plan made Padme raise an eyebrow. Bloodsport? Since when had Dooku ever used such a means to achieve victory? The Sith preferred to use his words and charisma to sway the opinions of potential allies. "You wish to ally with those who could back you even further, correct?" Tu grew fearful, Dooku knew part of his plan. Was he truly that readable?

"You speak the truth. As long as the Republic will commit to this contest, I see every reason to make this event happen." He cautiously replied, turning to Padme. The senator looked straight at Dooku.

"This plan is most unlike you, Dooku. What are you playing at?" She asked.

"My dear, I simply wish to maintain the best interests of the Ishi-Tib. If they do not wish to face war, then we will not give them one." Dooku smoothly replied.

"How noble of you." Padme dryly muttered. "On behalf of the Republic, I accept your suggestion and will contact Coruscant to inform them of these developments."

"Very good." Dooku responded with a pleased smile. "Please ask them to send their most formidable _General_ to represent the Republic. Premier, when should you like to host this contest?"

"We will have it tomorrow, in the throne room." Tu decided. "The sooner we can avoid war, the better."

"Excellent. We shall face each other tomorrow then, Senator." Dooku replied as he stood up. "I bid you farewell until then." Turning about, Dooku motioned for his acolytes to join him as they left the room.

"I will have a servant direct you to your quarters!" Tu called after them. The four Separatists left the room without another word, the door automatically shutting behind them.

"This is rather troublesome." Padme quietly mused. "Dooku has never chosen bloodsport as a means to peace. I fear he has some scheme in mind that we have... unwittingly fallen for."

"He tried to promise me a better life outside the Republic." The Premier informed her. "I was feeling very under fire until your timely arrival."

"Do not fall for his serpent's tongue, Premier. Dooku is crafty with his words, but has only ill-intent on his mind." Padme cautioned him. "Which makes me wonder what exactly is going on that would make him suggest a tournament over diplomatic discussions." Having been involved in every kind of political foray, from scandals to betrayals, Padme knew a plot when she saw one. Problem was, she had no idea what kind of plot this was. And it made her very edgy.

Dooku, on the other hand, was considering the prime candidate to defeat the Republic in such a way that Suribran's greed would get the better of him. He was seeking someone to display such incredible power that the Premier would easily fall for the Separatist cause.

"I have no doubt the Republic will send Anakin Skywalker to represent them," he mused, "which means we will need an equal display of great power... we will need our own champion."

"Use one of us, my lord." Sora requested. "We can combat the Jedi with ease."

"No. I do not want to risk the possibility of Skywalker beating you." Dooku replied, much to the chagrin Sora and the other acolytes. "I have someone in mind... and yet I just sent him away..." The Count spoke thoughtfully. "Although I'm certain he'll not pass up this opportunity."

"Who else could possibly defeat a Jedi?" Skorr asked.

"Such a man does exist... and he serves the Confederacy." Dooku replied. He turned back to Sora. "Contact Pomel Scipio. Tell him The Wraith is to be pulled from active duty on Mygeeto and sent to Tibrin immediately." Dooku instructed.

The hand of Separatist vengeance would be coming to Tibrin

* * *

 _Later that night..._

A Republic shuttle delivered more than one 'champion' to Tibrin. When Padme had explained the situation and Dooku's suggestion of a bloodsport tournament, Chancellor Palpatine was more than a little concerned by the development. In response, he sent a rather impressive entourage of Republic representatives, including: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Captain Rex and Commander Gree. All of which were here to represent a united front against the Separatists. Palpatine had specifically asked Anakin to represent the Republic in this contest, believing the Chosen One could conquer any foe the Separatists sent his way.

And he had... so far.

Padme was waiting for them on the landing pad, along with a pair of the Premier's royal guards. Anakin was the first to disembark, Ahsoka right behind him.

"Senator. Always good to see you." Anakin greeted her with a small smile which Padme returned.

"Likewise, Master Jedi. On behalf of the Republic, I must thank you for being willing to participate in this contest."

"No worries. But I can't help but wonder what Dooku's game is."

"A sentiment we both share." Padme nodded in agreement. "Something is afoot, that much is for sure."

"Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll stop him. We always do." Ahsoka stated with a smirk.

"That we do Snips." Anakin agreed. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about Senator. We're here to protect Tibrin and that's exactly what we plan to do." He confidently told his wife. The rest of the Republic exited the shuttle and were escorted to where they would be staying for the night, not giving Dooku's plan another thought. Everyone was confident they had the manpower and the means to defeat any Separatist plot...

 _Elsewhere..._

On another area of the planet, Count Dooku waited on a small, flat island as a small, unmarked shuttle made landfall. The location was deliberate, part of an effort to avoid any prying Republic eyes and maintain the secrecy of Dooku's master plan.

A plan that took the form of the soldier descending the landing ramp.

Even though the world was cloaked in evening darkness, his broad and formidable form was unmistakable.

"I appreciate your coming here, Wraith." Dooku greeted him. "I didn't think I would need your services so soon, but this matter simply demanded I summon you." Wraith nodded in understanding.

" _Must be important._ " He mused. " _Mygeeto's still stuck at a stalemate, by the way. Gonna have to go back and fix that once we're done here._ "

"Good to know, and yes, this is important." Dooku motioned him to follow. Separatist leader and Separatist soldier walked side by side towards Dooku's personal speeder as the count filled him in on recent developments. "I have convinced Premier Suribran Tu to a bloodsport contest, as a way to convince him of the superior faction."

" _My favorite kind of contest._ " Wraith replied, rolling his shoulders. Nothing like a little bloodletting to settle a dispute.

"Is it now?" Dooku was hardly surprised by the response. "I have no doubt the Republic will have Anakin Skywalker represent them." Dooku added. Wraith was starting to put the pieces together and he very much liked where this conversation was going.

" _And you want me to represent the Separatists._ " He replied, hoping he was right. Dooku confirmed his theory with a nod.

"That is correct. Think you're up to the task?" Wraith chuckled at the question.

" _Am I ever glad you pulled me off Mygeeto for this._ " He responded, clearly excited for the change in assignments. " _Sure, killing Clones is one thing. But battling Jedi is another._ " He growled, pounding his fists together. Dooku smirked, he knew summoning Wraith was the best choice. Not only did the soldier have an appetite for violence, but he also had the strength and ability to fulfill all his cravings.

"We must be careful how we return." Dooku informed him, suddenly growing serious. "I'd rather keep you a secret until tomorrow, that way the Republic has no idea what they're up against until it is too late."

" _Good plan._ " Wraith nodded. In all of his studies, an ill-informed enemy was the best kind. It meant they were unprepared for the challenge ahead... and would more than likely be flattened within the heat of battle. " _Got a way to get us back?_ "

"I have my acolytes ready to distract the guards if need be. The Force is a very useful tool on the simple minded."

" _And I'm engineered to be immune to it._ " Wraith commented. " _Guess we should go, before your absence arouses suspicion._ "

"Quite right." The two mounted Dooku's speeder and took off into the night, skimming low over the still waters of the aquatic world. The journey took some time, Count Dooku had ensured Wraith landed a good distance away in a location free from any and all prying eyes. Wraith got his first look at the Premier's palace as the large building came into view on the horizon. He found it hard to believe the owner of such a place only possessed the title of 'premier'. It seemed rather fitting for a monarch of some kind to inhabit such a dwelling. Perhaps Suribran Tu was truly as bad as he had read.

" _Is the Premier really this bad?_ " He asked Dooku over the whooshing of the waves below them.

"Verily so!" The count affirmed. "He oppresses the Ishi-Tib with an iron fist, offering them no rest from his tyranny. The Republic calls Tibrin a democracy, but it is truly a regime."

" _Tell me we're putting that to an end when this is done._ " Wraith wondered. Dooku smirked.

"You've read my mind." No more words were spoken as the speeder slowed down upon arrival, attempting to reduce as much noise as possible before Dooku gently drove it into an open space on the back of the palace where three individuals were waiting. Dooku powered down his ride and allowed it to softly land before the three. Wraith quickly examined the trio awaiting them.

" _Friends of yours?_ "

"In a way." Dooku replied as he dismounted, Wraith right behind him. "Wraith, these are my acolytes: Kadrian Sey, Sora Bulq and Tol Skorr." Dooku introduced his associates. Wraith quickly took stock of the Zabrak, Weequay and Human standing before him. He was very well aware of who they were, much of the inside information on the Jedi Order he had access to had come from them. That and he had taken time to study who they were and learn who his allies were. The bearded form of Tol Skorr approached him, sizing him up. Wraith himself analyzed the long-haired man before him.

"So this is The Wraith." Skorr mused. "I thought he'd be taller."

" _And I thought you'd be more intimidating._ " Wraith retorted, crossing his arms. " _I know who you are, Skorr. You used to be a Jedi, and it shows._ " Tol frowned and reached for his lightsaber only to be stopped by Dooku.

"Now now, we are all allies here. No need to become divided. Tol, you are looking at the pinnacle of Techno Union bio-engineering. A literal 'super-soldier' as it were." The heavyset human slowly moved his hand away from his lightsaber.

"Just so long as he remembers we're on the same side." He growled.

" _I have been engineered to slaughter armies of Jedi. Something everyone else seems to have trouble with._ " Wraith remarked. " _But as long as we share the same goal, I suppose I can work with you._ "

"I'm thrilled I meet your standards." Skorr rolled his eyes.

"Enough." Dooku promptly ended their conversing. "Wraith, I will show you to your quarters for the night. And I recommend you all go about your business as normal. We cannot allow any wandering eyes or minds to think we are up to something." The Count escorted the soldier inside, leaving his acolytes behind on the platform. Skorr watched them leave with a dark look on his face. To him, something felt off about the way Dooku relied upon this Wraith more than he did his own students.

"He's giving that soldier way too much attention." He mused aloud, a grim tone in his voice.

"Jealous, Tol?" Kadrian asked with a smirk.

"No. Just concerned." Tol responded quickly.

"Relax. Count Dooku knows what he's doing, he didn't become the leader of the Separatists by charisma alone." Sora waved off his worries. "If what he says about Wraith is true, you can look forward to seeing some Jedi blood on the floor tomorrow. Now that's something we can all agree we enjoy." He commented. Kadrian nodded.

"Lightsabers don't usually spill blood. Red floors are always a nice change of pace." The trio made their way inside, acting calmly as their master instructed. Skorr's worries were far from quenched by Sora's comments. This soldier, he deemed, was becoming something of a barrier between Dooku and his students. How could Kadrian and Sora remained oblivious to this? Perhaps they needed to see things as he did...

As members of the Republic and the Separatists settled in for an overnight stay, neither side had any idea how the events of tomorrow would unfold.

But Wraith did. He knew that tomorrow would be a day of infamy for the Republic.

A day when the floor ran red with Jedi blood.

* * *

 _The next day..._

The Count of Serenno sat alone in the common room, sipping tea. The wing of the palace Suribran had set aside for them proved to be quite spacious. Perhaps a reflection of the luxurious life the Premier lived, everything Dooku had seen was ornate and of excellent craftsmanship. The early morning sun was rising on the horizon, painting the waters of Tibrin with a rainbow of colors. The massive set of windows he faced granted a very impressive view of the ocean, revealing a splendid display of the wide, wide ocean that comprised the majority of the world. While he did not enjoy living in such luxury while others around him suffered, Dooku had to admit the Premier did have some fine tastes. The Force called to his attention the presence of someone else with him. Half-expecting The Wraith, Dooku tapped into the Force and discovered it was Tol Skorr joining him that morning. The man sat down across from Dooku and sat in silence, seemingly waiting for Dooku to speak.

"Good morning, Tol." Dooku greeted him. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, master." Tol nodded in reply. Dooku paused and briefly searched through Skorr's feelings. The Force alerted him his acolyte felt uncertain and questioning. Clearly something was on his mind and was causing him a great deal of struggle.

"Something troubles you." Dooku noted. "Tell me about it." Tol sighed, knowing his master would've discovered his state sooner or later.

"I am concerned about the standing of Wraith in comparison to us." He admitted.

"How so? I would not think this was the result of your verbal spar last night."

"It is not so much how you came to his defense as much as it is the way your treat him as an equal." Tol explained. "We are equals... he not so much."

"And yet, under the banner of the Confederacy, we are equals." Dooku replied. Skorr said nothing as Dooku took another sip. "I'm beginning to think jealousy is the root of your thoughts."

"Kadrian said the same thing." Tol sighed. "But I assure you, master, jealousy is not my intention."

"Then is it fear? A fear of being replaced or shoved aside?" Dooku asked. Tol did not respond, but Dooku knew he had found the true cause. "You needn't be afraid of whom I show favouritism. As a Sith Lord, my focus is upon my acolytes. But as leader of the Separatists, my focus is upon my greatest assets." He explained. "You have simply witnessed my change of roles, becoming more Separatist than Sith." Dooku paused. He chuckled as a thought came to him. "If anyone, it should the Separatist Council who grows afraid. If they even stray out of line, all they need do is remember Mina Bonteri."

"I have read that report." Tol mused.

"Indeed. You needn't be afraid, Tol. Wraith does deserve a level of respect, but has not consumed my focus. I should think I keep the best interests of all my allies in mind." Tol felt relieved. Dooku took another sip. "Enjoy the show today, my disciple. We can all revel in the sound defeat of a Jedi." Dooku encouraged him. Skorr nodded, feeling a little better. Dooku returned his attention to the rising sun which had now appeared in full above the water. "The time draws near, I had best ensure our champion is ready." Setting down his finished tea, Dooku stood and departed for Wraith's room, leaving Skorr to mull over his master's words. Dooku walked down the nearby hallway, past the quarters of his acolytes, until he arrived at the final door in the hall. Standing before it for a moment, Dooku triggered the release and the door opened with a whoosh of air. The interior was dark and unlit. It seemed Wraith preferred the darkness to the light. Dooku stepped forward and allowed his eyes to adjust to the lack of light. The sudden contrast from a sunrise to no sun at all was quite striking. Dooku could see the vague outline of a body sitting on the bed. The soldier did not even stir. "Wraith?" Dooku spoke to the dark form. "It is almost time." He informed him. Cloaked in shadow, Dooku could only see the outline of Wraith's body as he nodded in understanding. "You had better get ready." He added before closing the door. Once Dooku was gone, Wraith reached up and pulled out the earpieces he had been focused on. Reaching for his helmet, he powered down the harmonic beats that had been filling his head. He had been listening to a mix of properly sequenced musical notes and sounds, specifically designed to amp him up for battle. Standing up, Wraith turned back to his combat gear lying on the bed and prepared to suit up. Armored combat boots were locked into place around his lower legs. Tech belt was tightened around his waist, pistols loaded and holstered on his thighs. Gauntlets were strapped around his forearms and armored gloves were slipped on over top the mechanisms wrapped around his hand. Jacket was pulled on and clipped up, snugly wrapping around his muscular chest. Last, but not least, his helmet was donned, plates sliding and tightening to fit the contours of his head as it settled into place. His red optics powered up, blazing brightly in the dark of the room.

The Wraith was ready for combat.

* * *

Suribran's throne room was quite packed that morning. Servants and guards lined the edges of the steps before him while the Republic banded together along the far left wall, facing off against the Separatists on the opposite side of the room. Out of all of them, only Commander Gree was not present. Fearing some element of sabotage, the Jedi chose to have him stay behind and guard the shuttle. A level of tension hung in the air as the two opposing factions stared each other down. Admittedly, the Republic did outnumber the Separatists by a few extra members.

But what they lacked in numbers, the Separatists made up for with power. A power that had yet to enter the room.

The premier himself was a little late arriving. Suribran had not slept well, racked with constant worry and dread over what the events of the coming day would result in. Forgoing any fancy dress, Premier Tu arrived wearing similar clothes to what he wore yesterday. Taking a seat on his throne, Suribran nervously cleared his throat and found his voice.

"Members of the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems, I thank you for coming at such an early hour." He greeted them. "But now we shall begin this contest of strength, to see who shall prove the mightier ally of the Ishi-Tib and is worthy of our allegiance. I must also thank you all for agreeing to such terms and making an effort to avoid bringing the Clone Wars here. Know that my people and I are grateful." With the formalities over with, Suribran cleared his throat once more. Senator Amidala had informed him earlier that Anakin Skywalker was to represent the Republic, but Count Dooku had not given him the name of his representative yet. Suribran wondered what he would say... "Fighting on behalf of the Republic: Jedi General Anakin Skywalker!" Each member of the group applauded as Anakin stepped forward, a confident smirk on his face.

"Go get 'em General!" Rex encouraged.

"Don't I always, Rex?" Anakin remarked. Stepping into the middle of the throne room, Anakin sized up the villains before him. "Alright Dooku, who's your best man?" Anakin called to the Separatists, half-expecting the Sith himself to step forward and draw his lightsaber. "Heh, none of you Separatists would be stupid enough to fight me." He quietly mused with a small smile. An aid ran up to Suribran and whispered something in his ear.

"Here? Are you certain?" He quietly replied, turning back to the messenger. The servant nodded. Suribran's eyes widened, either out of surprise or fear, before he resumed his original position. The Premier cleared his throat again. "Fighting on behalf of the Separatists," he announced, fighting to maintain his calm composure, "The Wraith!"

Dooku smiled at the delicious reaction on the faces of the Republic.

The four Separatists parted to let their champion pass through. The broad and menacing form of The Wraith entered the sunlit throne room, fully revealing himself without a care in the world. Padme felt a chill creep up her spine as she laid eyes on the man who had tried to assassinate her on Alderaan. Rex grew uneasy as he gazed upon the one responsible for numerous brutal deaths of whole Clone detachments. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka steeled themselves, remembering the attack on Coruscant and the murder of Daav Philo'nis. Anakin paused, his body language denoting surprise. Wraith rolled his shoulders and flexed his chest before stepping further into the room, stopping just meters away from Anakin.

The Republic could finally see their hidden enemy in perfect detail.

Anakin sized up his foe, remembering the very brief encounter they had on Coruscant. While Wraith may very well have an imposing demeanor and a very fluid fighting style, no one had yet to truly determine the extent of his abilities. This battle was truly going to be a first.

"The rules of engagement are simple: no-holds barred, last man standing wins. Anything goes." Suribran announced, slightly uncertain as to how to start this contest. "Round one, begin!"

 _Won't even need a round two._ Wraith thought to himself.

"I can't exactly say we had a fair fight last time we met." Anakin mused as he readied his lightsaber. "Although this time, I'm looking forward to taking you down." The two combatants began to circle around each other, Anakin planning out just how many lightsaber blows it would take to down his foe while Wraith planned something completely different. "You're not so tough!" Anakin smirked as he lunged forward and swung his blade around, "I'm putting you-" but his sentence was cut short as Wraith ducked his blade and attacked with two hard blows to the abdomen. Anakin gasped under the force of the punches only to have Wraith deliver a hard right cross to his face. This was quickly followed by a hard left. Then another right, then another left before plowing a hard uppercut straight into Anakin's chin. Anakin stumbled backwards from the blow as his friends winced while the Separatists cheered.

"That... looked like it hurt." Obi-Wan commented.

"You don't say." Anakin replied as he shrugged off his daze and readied for another attack. That one uppercut alone made his jaw sore. Anakin fleetingly wondered how many more of those blows he could withstand. Beneath his mask, Wraith smirked as he evaluated the stumbling Anakin.

He had many more blows to deliver.

Anakin readied his blade once more, assuming a defensive position. "You got lucky that time."

" _Luck had nothing to do with it._ " Wraith replied, assuming his own fighting stance. Anakin recognized it to be a Teras Kasi position, he had seen it once in the archives long ago. Slightly unnerved by Wraith's ability to speak, and the sinister sound of his synthesized voice, Anakin rushed ahead and prepared to execute a low sweep to catch Wraith off-guard. But Wraith tensed up, seeing Anakin's plan of attack in his posture.

He could read the Jedi like a holotext.

As soon as Skywalker was near enough, Wraith leapt off the ground and executed a lunge kick, cleanly missing Anakin's blade by many feet. His metal boot collided with Anakin's face and flung the Jedi back to the floor. Wraith landed on both feet and rolled his shoulders. So far, he only needed one or two moves to lay Anakin out flat.

This may be his easiest fight to date.

"Not bad. Not enough to keep me down, though." Anakin groaned as he rose, feeling his face for a bruise.

" _Tell me, Skywalker... do you bleed?_ " Wraith asked. Anakin pondered the strange nature of Wraith's question. Of course, he could bleed. Although he had trouble remembering the last time he had. " _When I'm done with you... you will._ " Wraith threatened, cracking his knuckles.

"We'll see about that." Anakin growled. Now he really needed to bring his A-game. Wraith had challenged him and he would answer. Forgoing anything fancy, Anakin simply rushed Wraith like he would any other opponent. Wraith raised his gauntlets in time with Anakin's slashes, successfully blocking the Jedi's strikes.

He would play his game... for now.

"Don't let up Anakin! Don't let your guard down!" Obi-Wan called. Anakin didn't reply as he executed a signature Form Five combo attack, striking repeatedly at different angles at an attempt to throw Wraith off-guard. The Separatist parried each strike with his invincible gauntlets, his mind running a mile-a-minute as he calculated angles and predicted Anakin's next move.

Now _this_ was a fight.

Anakin brought his lightsaber down between Wraith's raised gauntlets. The two powerhouses fought to break each other's hold as sparks exploded from their connection.

"Jedi call this a beatdown." Anakin smirked, reflecting on how he came to this position.

" _I call it pathetic._ " Wraith growled. Pushing up with tremendous force, Wraith practically threw Anakin off of him before he lashed out with his next attack. Wraith delivered a swift high-kick with his right leg, boot colliding with Anakin's head. Knocked senseless, Anakin barely had time to move as Wraith spun, raised his left leg and bashed him again with another kick. Landing on his feet and summoning his momentum from spinning, Wraith lunged forward and clubbed Anakin across the face with a hard punch. The Jedi was flung into the ground by the hit, cracking his skull against the hard floor.

Ahsoka winced, that would surely leave a mark.

Anakin groaned in pain as he tried to push himself up, Wraith accepting the applause coming from the Separatists.

"Behold, Master Kenobi, a triumph of Separatist engineering." Dooku called from across the room. "Able to butcher an army of Clone troopers and level even the most powerful Jedi." He described, proud of The Wraith. Obi-Wan looked on with uneasiness, not responding to Count Dooku. He watched as Anakin shook his head and shakily stood up, brushing off the stunning force of Wraith's punch. Obi-Wan could tell his friend was thoroughly bewildered, and this contest had only just started!

"Pride will get you nowhere." Anakin stated as he found his composure, summoning the Force to sustain him. "If anything, it will be your downfall."

" _A lesson you could stand to learn, Skywalker._ " Wraith retorted as he turned back to face his foe. Striking a defensive stance, Wraith beckoned Anakin forward with a wave of his hand. Twirling his lightsaber in his hand, Anakin rushed forward only to have his blade collide with Wraith's gauntlet again. This time, Wraith broke the block and snapped out an arm, grabbing Anakin by the throat and hoisting him off his feet. " _You think you're such a big deal, all because you slaughter an army of battle droids. Well, let's see how you handle a REAL fight!_ " Wraith growled. Dropping Anakin back on his feet, Wraith lashed out with a sudden kick. But Anakin was not his target. His boot collided with Anakin's prosthetic right hand and knocked his lightsaber out of his hand, sending it skittering across the ground. Drawing his pistol, Wraith fired two shots, each connecting with the hilt and propelling it even further away. Holstering his weapon, Wraith turned and back-kicked the stunned Jedi, sending Anakin back to the floor. The effortless ease in which Wraith had executed his disarming move was enough to rattle even Obi-Wan.

This Separatist was no pushover.

"Anakin! Trust your instincts!" He quickly called to him. "There's more to you than he knows!" Hearing Obi-Wan's words, Anakin pushed himself back to his feet, still reeling a little. He knew if he wanted to gain any advantage, he had to strike now, with or without his lightsaber.

"I don't need a lightsaber to a win." Anakin grunted, analyzing the situation. Regaining his composure, Anakin quickly planned his next attack. "Watch and learn, Dooku! This is how the Chosen One takes down a Separatist!" Anakin grinned, charging ahead, having found his second wind. Wraith didn't move, waiting patiently for just the right moment. Anakin drew near and prepared to throw a powerful punch. Suddenly striking with ferocious strength, Wraith delivered a hard punch to Anakin's gut, knocking every ounce of wind from the Jedi. Doubled over and wheezing for air, Anakin was incapable of stopping Wraith from landing a sharp elbow squarely on his spine, driving him to his knees. Lashing out with a hard kick, Wraith sent Anakin to the ground, the Jedi sprawling across the floor as he tried to recover his breath.

" _And that's how a Separatist takes down the Chosen One._ " Wraith remarked, rolling his shoulders. The Separatists collectively chuckled and applauded the seamless move. Anakin forced himself onto his knees.

"Get up Skyguy, you got this!" Ahsoka tried to encourage him from the sidelines. Hearing her words Wraith suddenly burst out laughing. But the synthetic attributes to his voice made him sound menacing and downright terrifying, sending shivers through a few spines.

" _Skyguy?_ " He repeated, questioningly. " _The great General Skywalker is known as 'Skyguy'?_ " Now the other Separatists joined his laughter. Ahsoka shrank back, feeling more than a little embarassed.

"It's just a nickname, there's nothing wrong with it!" Anakin growled as he pushed himself to his feet.

" _Of course not. It's as laughable as you are._ " Wraith rumbled. Suddenly striking low, Wraith lashed out with a kick to the inside of Anakin's knee before bringing his heel back and bashing his other knee. Anakin doubled over as his joints gave way, incapable from stopping Wraith as the Separatist grabbed Anakin by the throat and delivered a massive punch that sent Anakin flying. Literally. The Jedi slammed into a nearby support pillar and fell to the ground, stunned and gasping for breath.

"Don't give up, Anakin!" Padme called to him. "I know he's tough, but you've got this!" Her words were soothing to his mind, much more enjoyable than the sound of punches impacting with his body. Hoping Wraith understood some level of decency, Anakin pushed himself into a seated position, trying to find a breather. He quickly stood back up, taking a deep breath to recover his focus. But as he regained his strength, Anakin saw Wraith stalking towards him.

He wasn't about to go easy on him.

The Jedi had no time to react as Wraith bashed Anakin with a repetitive series of crosses before he locked both hands together and brought them crashing down on the back of the Jedi's head. Anakin's upper body was flung down only to be pitched back up by a hard knee to his chin from The Wraith. Grabbing the dazed Jedi, Wraith flung Anakin into the same pillar. The Jedi practically bounced off the decorative column and stumbled across the floor, still on his feet. Seizing the opportunity, Wraith lunged forward, snapping his left arm out and clotheslining Anakin, knocking the Jedi to the floor. Hard. Wincing in pain, Anakin tried in vain to push himself up. But the blows were too much. He needed to stay down for a moment, to breath and return to his senses.

But Wraith wasn't going to give him a breather.

" _Stand and fight!_ " The Separatist growled as he hoisted Anakin up and forced him to his feet. Wraith could feel the surge of adrenaline rushing through him, feeling more alive than ever before.

His thoughts breifly flashed back to Ryloth, where he had killed his first Jedi all those years ago.

The Republic stood shocked as Wraith suddenly became a blurr of movement, striking fast and hard, blows colliding with Anakin over and over again without mercy, battering the Jedi and beating him black and blue. Finally, Wraith spun and executed another lunge kick, knocking Anakin flat on his back. The Separatists applauded again as Anakin fought for a breather.

Wraith hadn't even broken a sweat.

" _Do you realize how easy it would be to blow your head off right here and now?_ " Wraith asked, holding open the side of his duster to reveal his twin pistols. " _So many ways to kill you... and only one chance to do so._ " He shook his head, sounding disappointed. " _But I won't do that yet. No, I want to make you suffer first._ "

"How nice of you." Anakin grumbled, wincing as he felt a bruise while trying to sit up. Wraith stopped, watching as Anakin fought off the pain of numerous sore spots as the Jedi picked himself up. "You may think I'm easy to beat, but I'm just getting warmed up." Anakin stated as he leapt forward to deliver a punch. The Separatist caught his fist with one hand, but Anakin quickly swung his other arm around to try and deliver another punch. However, Wraith grabbed a hold of that hand too, holding Anakin at bay with minimal effort. "You don't know what I'm capable of!" The Jedi growled as he fought to break Wraith's hold.

" _Oh I know all there is to know about you, Skywalker. All your fighting styles, all your past battles. I've memorized them all._ " Wraith rumble as he raised his boot and kicked Anakin back. Anakin went unfazed by the comment, recovered and dove ahead with a right hook. Wraith sidestepped the blow and drove his knee into Anakin's gut. Grabbing the wheezing Jedi by his robes, Wraith flung Anakin to the floor in a show of minimal effort. " _Pathetic. You're supposed to be the so-called 'Chosen one'? I can't believe the Jedi would place all their hopes in an over-glorified desert rat!_ " He scoffed. Summoning the Force to heighten his stamina, Anakin pushed himself to his feet and turned back to the Wraith. He attacked with a series of jabs, ones dodged by Wraith before the Separatist drove his knee into Anakin's chest and flip-kicked the Jedi in his unguarded face. Anakin was flung back to the floor, landing on his back. " _You know, for a Jedi, you leave a lot to be desired._ " Wraith sneered, mocking Anakin's seemingly lackluster fighting skills. Anakin pulled himself together and crawled back to his feet.

"I happen to be one of the greatest Jedi who ever lived!" He retorted, charging ahead and readying to deliver another punch.

" _Yes, I bet you say that to everyone._ " Reaching for his knife, Wraith caught Anakin off-guard as he slashed at the incoming Jedi, cutting a deep gash across his forehead. Wraith had just given himself another advantage. With blood seeping into his gaze, Anakin would be left distracted, incapable of fully focusing on the fight. " _You're not an all-powerful Jedi savior._ " Wraith growled, sheathing his knife and stalking over to the reeling Anakin. Grabbing his neck with a firm grip, Wraith pulled the Jedi in close, " _You're no different from the rest. Prideful, arrogant and a fool._ " Driving a knee into his midsection, Wraith followed with another massive uppercut, sending Anakin sprawling across the ground. The Republic collectively winced.

"Impressive work, Wraith!" Dooku applauded.

"Yeah, take him down a few more notches!" Kadrian added, also applauding. Wraith looked up at his allies and nodded.

He intended to do just that.

Anakin clutched his bruised torso with one arm and wiped away more blood as he fought to find the strength to get back up. He couldn't afford to lose this fight, too much was at stake. But no conventional means was going to take down The Wraith. Anakin managed to force himself onto his knees, summoning was reserve stamina he had left. But as he picked himself up, Anakin spied his lightsaber not far away. Maybe, if he could divert Wraith's attention long enough, he might be able to grab it and give himself another fighting chance. Unbeknownst to Anakin, Wraith saw his quick glance in the direction of his abandoned lightsaber hilt. Wraith was quite certain he knew what the Jedi was planning and quickly formulated a countermeasure. But when Anakin attacked instead of running for his lightsaber, Wraith decided to let the Jedi have his fun. Anakin grinned as he finally landed a hit, fist connecting with Wraith's midsection. Rounding another blow, Anakin's left hook smashed Wraith across the face.

"That's it General, you've got him!" Rex cheered.

"Yeah! Way to go _Skyguy_!" Ahsoka applauded, adding some emphasis to the nickname. But Wraith recovered in seconds, the blows hurting no more than a simple puff of air. Anakin could see the unfazed posture and blanked, surprised he had accomplished nothing. Suddenly grabbing the Jedi's shoulder, Wraith delivered a massive headbutt, metal helmet colliding with Anakin's skull. The blow dropped Anakin instantly, knocking him back to the floor.

" _You call that fighting? I've battled Clones who've hit me harder than you have! And they died... slowly... painfully..._ " Wraith growled, knowing his words would incite the Jedi, " _so just imagine what I'm going to make you suffer._ "

"Not today, seppie." Anakin grunted before he picked himself up, turned and sprinted towards his lightsaber. Wraith had anticipated his move.

" _Where do you think you're going Skywalker?_ " Snapping up his arm, Wraith fired one of his grapples. The tether shot through the air and dug into Skywalker's robes. " _Get over here!_ " Wraith thundered as he grabbed the cable and pulled hard. Anakin was thrown from his feet and dragged across the floor to Wraith's feet. He soon found himself on his back, looking up at Wraith's towering form. Retracting his grapple, Wraith seized the opportunity before him and brought his heavy boot down on Anakin's chest. The sound of ribs cracking under his stomp made the Republic cringe. Anakin grimaced as pain instantly registered with him, shooting through his chest. Summoning the Force to dull his pain receptors, Anakin had no time to move as Wraith reached down and picked him up, grabbing him by the throat. The soldier turned and threw the Jedi across the room, tossing him as though he weighed nothing. But as Anakin flew through the air, something within him was engaged.

He'd had enough of being Wraith's plaything.

Summoning the Force to right himself, Anakin landed on his feet and slid to a halt. Looking up with a newfound fire in his eyes, he stretched out his hand and called his lightsaber to him. The hilt instantly whipped across the room and into his hand. Igniting his blue blade, Anakin stood up. He had found his second wind.

"I've had enough of this!" He growled, charging forward. Though bruised and battered, Anakin had finally found his resolve. Now The Wraith was going to fall. Through his optics, the Separatist watched with some amusement as Anakin drew closer and closer.

" _Now this oughtta be fun._ " He mused. Triggering his arm blades, Wraith readied himself to meet the Jedi head-on. As Anakin neared, Wraith tensed up and prepared to execute an unrelenting assault, one that would surely throw off Anakin's focus. The Jedi swung his blade down, strength and power flowing through him. Wraith raised his blade and parried the strike before he drove his other blade into Anakin's saber, applying enough pressure to force Anakin to go on the defensive. It was then that Wraith pressed his attack. One, two, three, four, five slashes slammed into Anakin's defense as Wraith spun rapidly, hacking and slashing with his arm blades. His sheer force of will and power overwhelmed Anakin to the point where he was having trouble holding his own. Striking Anakin's saber with his left blade, Wraith retracted his right arm blade in favour for a wrist blade and plunged it clean through Anakin's prosthetic hand. Anakin cried out in pain as sparks erupted from the stab wound. Retracting his extended arm blade, Wraith reached down and grabbed Anakin's wrist, applying pressure and twisting in an effort to force the Jedi to drop his lightsaber. Using his wrist blade as leverage, Wraith switched tactics and slowly wrenched the weapon from Anakin's grasp. The Republic was stunned. Wraith just overpowered Anakin! Through sheer strength alone he had managed to fend off Anakin and take his lightsaber from him.

No one could do that!

Pulling free his wrist blade, Wraith retracted his weapon, released his victim and promptly backhanded Anakin across the face. The force of the blow was enough to send him spinning. " _Hold this._ " Wraith called to Dooku as he tossed the deactivated lightsaber to his superior. The Sith Lord caught it with the Force and tucked his hand away behind his cape. Anakin was still reeling from Wraith's most recent blow as the Separatist caught him by the neck and hoisted him into the air. " _Nice scar._ " Wraith commented on the red line tracing Anakin's right eye. " _How about I give you a few more?_ " Suddenly dropping Anakin on his feet, Wraith reached behind him and slashed with his knife again. This time, the blade cut across the Jedi's face, slicing a fresh wound across his nose. Anakin barely had time to recover before Wraith struck again, cutting another scar across the Jedi's face and barely missing Anakin's left eye. Anakin roared in pain as he clutched his face, more blood streaming around his hand. The wound on his forehead was annoying and these two stung something fierce.

He couldn't focus properly.

Lashing out in anger, Anakin attacked with a punch, only to be blocked by Wraith's waiting left hand. The Separatist retaliated with a right and left hook, cracking Anakin across the face with each punch. But as the Knight steeled himself for another right hook, Wraith surprised him by snapping out his elbow and bashing Anakin's cheek with his sharp, armored joint. The hard impact split open the skin and bruised the bone underneath, leaving Anakin bleeding with a very sore face. But as the Jedi stumbled back, Wraith threw his fist forward and crushed Anakin's nose with a heavy blow. Blood spurted down the Jedi's face and across Wraith's knuckles as Anakin stumbled backwards with a cry, immediately clutching his broken nose. Padme gasped, seeing her husband's blood fly from his face, red fluids streaming around his hand. Not wanting to give the Jedi any reprieve, Wraith delivered a massive uppercut, fist slamming into Anakin's chin with enough force to rattle his jaw. The Jedi stumbled back, but Wraith showed no mercy as he delivered another mighty right cross. His fist clubbed Anakin across the face, blood flying from his mouth and nose and knocking the Jedi to the ground. The Republic cringed as blood was sprinkled across the floor.

They could only imagine the pain he was enduring.

Anakin pushed himself onto his hands and knees, spitting blood out of his mouth and onto the floor. But Wraith quickly lined up a shot and sent his boot crashing into Anakin's face. Anakin cried out as he was knocked onto his back, blood spraying from his facial wounds. Wraith paused to roll his shoulders and crack his neck, reveling in the rush of adrenaline pumping through his body. Down on the ground, Anakin desperately reached out to his friends, weakly raising his arm as he tried to find some level of support and reinforcement. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka wished in vain they could do something, reaching out to him, hoping they could maybe bestow him some level of strength through the Force. But Anakin was pulled away from them, hoisted to his feet by The Wraith and subjected to another onslaught of unbearable pain. Wraith slugged Anakin over and over again, his fists crashing into his face with a merciless torrent of hard-hitting blows. Anakin's blood was soon splattered across the floor of the room. With each heavy punch a fresh spurt of red fluid painted the knuckles on Wraith's gloves, drawn from either his mouth, nose or one of the many cuts on his face. Anakin's blood was painted across the ground, either from the numerous times his face crashed into the floor or from a particularly heavy punch that ended in a spray of red. Obi-Wan, Padme, Rex and Ahsoka could only look on, helpless to stop the carnage unfolding before them. Wraith too was splattered by Anakin's blood, his knuckles, jacket and boots sporting multiple stains from each unrelenting attack.

The soldier was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Following up a pair of jabs, each connecting with Anakin's cracked ribs, Wraith delivered a heavy overhead kick that knocked Anakin back to the floor. The powerful blows were becoming too much. Anakin could barely find the strength to stand, but the willpower to fight back had left him some time ago. All he was trying to do now was survive.

And even that seemed impossible to do.

" _I'd like nothing more than to rip you apart and bathe in your blood._ " Wraith growled.

"Ew." Ahsoka grimaced from the sidelines. Wraith tossed her a sideways glance.

" _You want to see what your master's made of, little one?_ " Wraith asked her. Ahsoka didn't reply, gulping nervously. " _Allow me to show you..._ " Triggering his wrist blade, Wraith waited until Anakin had pushed himself to his knees. Having studied biology quite thoroughly, Wraith knew a particular area he could stab which would result in profuse bleeding. As soon as Anakin was upright, Wraith drove his blade deep into Anakin's shoulder. The Jedi cried out in pain only to scream as Wraith viciously tore his weapon free, blood flying so far as to splatter the boots of the Republic. Anakin fell back to the ground, clutching the large and profusely bleeding wound on his shoulder. " _As you can see, he's no different from the rest of you._ " Wraith mused as he retracted his blade. " _Nothing special about him._ "

"Ha!" Tol let out a chuckle on hearing Wraith's words. "Ain't that the truth!" The Separatists collectively chuckled, glad to see the Jedi poster-boy down on the ground, a bloody and bruised wreck.

"You tell 'em Wraith! We're the superior ones!" Sora called, earning a cheer from Tol. Wraith promptly knocked Anakin onto his back and raised his boot. Bringing down his heavy boot, the Separatist cracked Anakin's hip with a vicious stomp. The Republic cringed as the sound of broken bone echoed throughout the throne room. Anakin gasped in pain but found no relief as Wraith suddenly jumped up and dropped an armoured elbow right on his gut. The sudden force of a heavy impact knocked every ounce of wind from the Jedi's lungs. Coupled with the numerous bruises and cracked ribs, Anakin was enduring hell as he fought to maintain consciousness. The pain was growing unbearable, every torturous second he stayed awake only resulted in more pain. Every move he made was agonizing. He internally cursed his longevity, for being able to take this punishment. He would give anything to succumb right now. Was this what dying felt like?

No. He wasn't dying. He was suffering. Just as Wraith intended.

He knew why he was here. He had to fight for Tibrin, for the sake of the Republic. He couldn't let the Separatists win, and yet here he was on the losing side of the fight.

Dooku had planned this. Curse that old man.

Anakin fought to rise. He fought with whatever stamina was left in him, whatever amount of Force endurance he could summon to carry on. Pain wracked his every move, just being awake was unbearable. But he had to press on. He was the Chosen One, no Separatist could stop him. None had before and this 'Wraith' certainly wouldn't now!

He would make the comeback of a lifetime. Imagine the stories...

Finding renewed hope and a desire to fight back, Anakin summoned the Force to numb his pain and enhance his strength. As long as he kept his head in the game and remembered the power at his command, he could survive this fight. Rising to his feet, limping as he fought down the pain of his cracked hip, Anakin raised himself to full height.

Wraith was marginally impressed.

" _After all that, you're still standing._ " He noted. " _Glad you've still got some fight left in you... means I get to pound it out of you._ " Anakin said nothing as he cloaked his fists with the Force, ready to fight on. Summoning all the strength he could muster, Anakin reared back and readied to deliver a punch that would, hopefully, knock out The Wraith. Time seemed to slow as Anakin pitched his right arm forward with a cry, feeling empowered and ready to take down this menace once and for all. This was his moment, this was his time!

And then... Wraith dodged.

Grabbing Anakin's arm and twisting it violently, Wraith flicked a stun chip into his hand and grabbed Anakin by the throat. A powerful shock ripped through Anakin's body as he was harshly electrocuted. Crying out in pain as electricity flowed through him, Wraith promptly cut the power and released his arm before driving a hard knee into his side, cracking a few more of his ribs. Anakin stumbled back, his body feeling battered and his mind left sluggish. Every step was painful, the number of his wounds growing every second he was in this fight.

But he still managed to find some level of resolve.

"I'm the Chosen One... you can't stop me!" Anakin rasped, still determined to beat Wraith. "No matter what arena you drag me into, I will come out on top!" Pitching a left cross, Wraith seemed unfazed as he blocked Anakin's punch and countered with two blows to his midsection. Barely recovering, Anakin pitched a wild right cross which Wraith caught.

" _You don't get it, do you Skywalker?_ " Wraith wondered as he held Anakin's arm at bay and punched him square in the face. " _This isn't an arena, it's a classroom..._ " Anakin stood puzzled by Wraith's strange comment, too stunned and too weak to fight back. " _And I'm the teacher!_ " Wraith growled as he drove an armored boot into the side of Anakin's knee. The joint shattered, bending inwards at a most unnatural angle. Anakin cried out as pain shot through him, bones clearly broken. The Republic gasped in horror. Such brutality and wanton violence, the likes of which not even the Clone Wars had produced. " _Lesson number one: your life is in my hands!_ " Wraith growled, reveling in making Anakin suffer such pain. The broken joint, coupled with the already intense pain of his previous injuries, forced the Knight to the ground. Driving his knee into the back of Anakin's shoulder, Wraith dislocated the joint with a sickening crack. Anakin cried again out as another sharp pain shot through his body. Wraith held him in place, applying pressure to the broken joint and forcing his victim to stay down. " _Give up, Jedi. Your fight is over,_ " Anakin felt Wraith's grip tighten around his arm, " _FINISHED!_ " With a sudden roar the Separatist ripped away Anakin's prosthetic arm in a show of great strength. Skywalker screamed with intense pain as sparks showered from the stub of his missing limb. The reaction from the Republic was identical: Padme gasped and covered her mouth as did Ahsoka. Obi-Wan looked shocked, even a little scared, as his mouth opened wordlessly. Rex was lost for words. His own general, so unshakable in the field of battle was now a bleeding wreck. Nobody hurt him. Nobody could!

But Wraith could. And he did.

Even the Separatists cringed a little, only imaging the pain of having a limb ripped off.

Releasing his grip, Wraith dropped Anakin to the floor and tossed away the remains of his mechanical arm. Groaning in pain, Anakin rolled over onto his side, his good arm reaching out to hold his severed one. But Wraith delivered a swift kick to his chest. His heavy metal boot collided with and broke several more ribs with a crunch. Swiftly followed by another kick to the guts, Anakin gasped as the air rushed from his lungs. With a nudge from Wraith's boot Anakin lay flat on his back, wheezing for breath as pain wracked his body with every movement. Reaching down, Wraith's fingers clasped tightly around Anakin's neck and hoisted him up with a grip like steel. He paused to take in his handiwork. Blood oozed from the large cut above Anakin's eyes and from the numerous wounds around his face. It dripped from both his mouth and his broken nose. His entire face was stained by his own life fluids. Bruises dotted his face and an obvious black eye was beginning to show on his right. " _The 'Chosen One'._ " Wraith rumbled, sizing up the bloody Anakin. " _Those words mean nothing to me._ " He growled in a show of dominance. Summoning his vast arm strength, Wraith pitched Anakin into another nearby pillar. The defeated Knight crumpled on contact and fell to the ground in a heap, knocked unconscious by the blow.

But it wasn't over yet.

Wraith walked over to Anakin and grabbed him by his robes, proceeding to drag him over to the marble steps at the base of the throne. Royal guards quickly parted before him and Suribran made to move if need be, having grown rather fearful of Wraith over the past few minutes. Unceremoniously tossing Anakin onto them, Wraith rolled the Jedi over and knelt beside him, grabbing Anakin by the back of the head. Pulling him back and away from the steps, Wraith sudden pitched him forward, smashing Anakin's face into the hard edge of the stairs. Blood spurted from his wounds, both old and new, as Wraith reared back once more, only to smash his face into the steps again. This time an audible crack could be heard as something previously unbroken violently was. Wraith proceeded to bash Anakin's face into the steps multiple times, blood covering the solid surface beneath them, marble chipping under the repetitive blows.

"This has gone far enough!" Obi-Wan cried. "Dooku, stop this brutality!" He commanded the Separatist leader. The old man shot Kenobi a bemused look.

"Me?" He sarcastically asked. The Separatists around him chuckled.

"Stop him! Please!" Ahsoka pleaded. But they collectively ignored her as Wraith continued to beat Anakin bloody.

He wanted his face to be unrecognizable.

After several more torturous seconds of pounding the Jedi's face into the marble steps, Wraith pitched Anakin back across the room, his unconscious body flailing wildly as it tumbled to a halt, a trail of blood smeared across the polished floor. Wraith stood and dusted off his hands, feeling somewhat satisfied with himself.

But he had to wonder, was there any more pain he could inflict?

"Are you quite finished soldier?" Dooku asked him. Wraith responded with a shrug. "Perhaps it is time to call a winner?" Wraith paused. Perhaps it was time to end this. He had certainly beat the so-called 'Chosen One', probably half-to death, and was quite certain he'd run out of things to-

No. Not yet. He had one last idea. A very demoralizing one...

Walking over to Anakin's body, he picked up his unconscious form with one hand.

"Oh what now?" Obi-Wan bemoaned seeing Wraith's actions. Hadn't his friend endured enough already? But Wraith simply walked over to the Republic and dropped Anakin's body down before them. Then he raised his boot and set it down on top of Anakin. The same way a conqueror would to a defeated opponent. He stared down the group of Republic representatives with a threatening gaze.

He had beaten their hero... and they would be next.

Pausing to fix his gaze on Obi-Wan, Wraith hoped his look had sent the message 'You're next' to the Jedi. Stepping off of Skywalker and giving his body a final half-hearted kick, Wraith turned around and began to walk back to the Separatists, finally satisfied.

"Premier, I believe it is time to announce the victor of this contest." Count Dooku told Tu, more than pleased with the results. The Republic were already kneeling by Anakin's bludgeoned form, taking in just how much damage Wraith had dealt.

"I-Indeed." Suribran stammered, overly stunned by the spectacular display of violence.

He would definitely need to have a servant clean the floor as soon as possible.

"The winner, by flawless victory, The Wraith! Representing the Confederacy of Independent Systems." The Premier announced. The Separatists applauded their hero, cheering on The Wraith as he crossed his arms, feeling quite triumphant. The Republic made no response as all of them were tending to Anakin however they could.

He was a serious mess.

"Count Dooku, you have swayed me with this most impressive display." Suribran commented.

"I'm glad you see things from our point of view." Dooku politely responded. "Why have a Chosen One when you have a Wraith?" He mused with a smirk, throwing a glance at the Republic side. Obi-Wan looked up from Anakin's bloody form.

"This brutality will not stand! Mark my words Dooku, there will be retribution! You won't get away with any of this!" He exclaimed. The count was amused, Obi-Wan seldom lost his cool demeanour and it was always amusing to see him do so.

" _Oh, he will. I'm here to make sure of that._ " Wraith growled. Obi-Wan stood and reached for his lightsaber. " _Care to add your blood to the collection?_ " Wraith wondered. " _I'm game for another round._ "

"I simply ask that you return Anakin's lightsaber. Immediately. I will take it by force if I must." Obi-Wan replied with a frown.

"I'm almost tempted to make you come and take it. One Jedi Master against four Sith and one Separatist who just beat the Chosen One to a bloody pulp. I am quite curious to see the end result of that fight." Dooku mused aloud. "But, I have what I want." Removing his hand from his cloak, Dooku extended his arm. "Wraith, if you would." The soldier walked over and took the hilt from Dooku before walking back towards Obi-Wan and outstretching his hand. But he did not toss the hilt to Obi-Wan.

He wanted him to come and take it.

Stepping forward, Obi-Wan reached out and took hold of the hilt, glaring daggers at Wraith. The Separatist remained unfazed as he allowed the hilt to slip from his grasp and into Obi-Wan's. A tense moment passed as Obi-Wan continued to glare at Wraith for a few more seconds.

That's when Wraith struck and sucker-punched the Jedi.

Obi-Wan reeled back, clutching his jaw as Wraith calmly crossed his arms. The Separatists collectively chuckled at the sudden strike, impressed by Wraith's gutsy move.

"Why you little...!" The Jedi growled. But he did not retaliate and instead turned back to Anakin. Wraith chuckled darkly.

" _Next time Kenobi. Next time..._ " He rumbled.

"Now I believe it's time to establish a Separatist presence here." The count mused. Suribran nodded, ready to accept Dooku's terms and also ready to sign control of Tibrin over to the Separatists.

But Dooku had a much different plan in mind.

"Wraith, if you will?" Dooku asked him. The soldier nodded, drew his pistol and took aim at Suribran. The Premier froze, taken aback by the startling move.

" _From now on, Tibrin's under new management,_ " Wraith declared, " _one that respects the Ishi-Tib._ " Pulling the trigger, Suribran fell dead with a blaster wound in his forehead. The royal guards had no time to act and could only stare helplessly at the body of their leader. The Republic turned with a start and saw both the Premier's dead body and Wraith holstering his pistol.

"What have you done Dooku?!" Padme exclaimed.

"I have removed a blight from this world, lifted a burden from the shoulders of the Ishi-Tib." The count calmly explained. "Suribran Tu was a dictator who mercilessly oppressed his people, something the Republic has turned a blind eye to for too long." Wraith couldn't help but nod as Dooku revealed the truth. "We are here to liberate the Ishi-Tib, and I should say we have done just that." At that moment, a pair of servants ran over to Dooku and the Wraith, bowing before them and repeatedly thanking them for liberating them. Dooku instructed them both to gather all the people, he had a proclamation to make. "Go on home Senator. The Republic is no longer welcome here." Dooku dismissed Padme with a dark edge to his voice, as if prepared to act upon his threatening words. They slowly made to leave, Rex and Obi-Wan gingerly hoisting Anakin's body off the ground and carefully carrying him out. But as they turned to leave, Ahsoka looked back at Wraith with a determined fire in her eyes.

"I will avenge my master! Just you wait!" She declared, her voice hoarse with emotion. Wraith chuckled in reply.

" _And I will welcome the confrontation... little one._ " He growled. With that Ahsoka turned and left, following Padme and the others. Wraith took a deep breath as the copious amounts of adrenaline coursing through him began to wear off.

It was over. It was all over.

He had beaten Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, to a bloody pulp.

If that didn't send a threatening message... he wasn't sure what else could.

* * *

A great crowd of Ishi-Tib gathered before one of the open balconies of the palace. Mere minutes after the sound defeat of Anakin Skywalker and the death of Suribran Tu, Count Dooku had sent servants to rally the people and gather them together. He had an announcement to make. The expectant throng looked up, waiting for something... anything. Many were hoping for a sign of deliverance, surely the Separatists had come to Tibrin with that cause in mind. Why else would they be here?

Above the crowd, towards the back of the platform, Count Dooku and The Wraith had exited the palace and were slowly advancing to the edge of the balcony, conversing back and forth. Wraith was still covered in splatters of Anakin's blood, something that simply added to his already menacing form.

"Tell me Wraith, during the fight with Skywalker, what was your strategy?" Dooku inquired of the super-soldier.

" _Skywalker has a 'whatever you do, I can do better' mentality. I employed this against him, using only average tactics and basic skills to prove his abilities next to worthless against me. I worked my way into his head, showed him how weak his lightsaber combat was by easily disarming him and deflecting everything he threw my way. This forced him to try fighting the way I do, and it became his downfall._ " Wraith explained. Having studied the person of Anakin Skywalker beforehand, Wraith had a pretty clear image of what to expect before he even arrived on Tibrin. Dooku was impressed by just how cunning and prepared Wraith was. The amount of brainpower required to outsmart a Jedi was something few possessed.

And Wraith happened to be one of those few.

"Those were only 'average' tactics and 'basic' abilities?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow. Wraith paused and reconsidered his earlier statement.

" _Perhaps I slightly understated that._ " He mused.

"I should say so!" Count Dooku laughed. If what he had witnessed was average and basic, he had to wonder what 'advanced' and 'difficult' looked like. "If I'm not mistaken, that was Teras Kasi you were demonstrating?" Wraith nodded in reply.

" _Correct. It's my preferred fighting style, quick and deadly._ " The ancient fighting form had been Wraith's primary source for training. It was from this position and stance he could execute almost any given move at any time. It proved to be both versatile and reliable. The two Separatists arrived at the edge of the balcony, their presence arousing a great clamour from the throng below. Ever so slowly, Count Dooku raised his hand to reveal the severed head of Suribran Tu in his hand.

The crowd was ecstatic.

Neither Separatists had ever heard such clamourous cheering before. Truly the Ishi-Tib were overjoyed to see their oppressor finally vanquished. Count Dooku tossed the head over the side of the balcony and spread out his arms.

"Citizens of Tibrin!" He called in a loud voice. "You are free!" His words were met with even more applause, cheers and shouts of joy. Wraith crossed his arms as he took in the sight before them, the impressive sight of the masses finally freed from Republic tyranny.

He had to admit, it felt good to bring about Separatist rule.

The crowd began chanting, celebrating their victorious saviour.

"DOOKU! DOOKU! DOOKU!" The roar was growing louder with each passing second, soon the whole planet would know the name of its new leaders. Dooku raised his hands to quiet the crowd.

"No longer shall you be held under the oppressive boot of a Republic regime!" He declared. "From now on, you shall enjoy the freedom of the Separatist Alliance!" The crowd roared loudly once more, very much approving of the count's speech. Then, from behind them, a commotion arose that drew Wraith and Dooku's attention away from the crowds. Sora emerged from the palace with someone else struggling in his grip. Wraith instantly recognized the white armour.

"My lord, we have found a spy!" Sora announced, throwing the Clone down on the ground before Dooku. "Kadrian and Tol caught this Clone sneaking around the palace." Dooku arched an eyebrow and folded his hand behind his back.

"A spy? So soon? Has the Republic left yet?" He asked Sora.

"Last we checked, they were still awaiting departure. This one must have a reason for being here." Wraith glanced over the prisoner before them and he immediately recognized the green marking on his armor.

" _Clone Commander CT-1004, better known as 'Gree'._ " He growled. " _What would a Clone Commander be doing all by himself?_ "

"A very good question Wraith." Dooku mused. "On your feet." He ordered Gree. The Clone slowly stood, keeping his gaze on the two Separatists before him. "Now answer the soldier, what are you doing here?"

"I don't have to answer you." Gree replied in a defiant tone. Dooku sized up the Clone before them. Wraith threw Dooku a casual glance, silently wondering what his superior had in mind. With one hand, Dooku pushed the Clone to the edge in full view of the crowd below. Wraith was impressed by the deafening jeers and boos that came from the crowd. Standing beside the Clone, Dooku raised and arm and gestured with a thumbs up. The crowd continued to respond negatively. But when Dooku gave a thumbs down, the reaction was the exact opposite.

And it didn't take long for Gree to clue in.

"Wait! I surrender. Take me prisoner." He quickly told Dooku.

"Not today, trooper." The count calmly replied, turning to Wraith and giving him a nod. But Gree was persistent.

"You don't understand, you have to! According to war regulations, you have to show me mercy because I have willingly surrendered!" Understanding what his superior wanted, Wraith walked up behind Gree to silence his pathetic begging.

" _Silence, Clone!_ " He thundered, kicking him in the back of the knee and driving him to the ground. " _Towards the Republic, we show no mercy._ " Wraith hissed. Dooku paused to take in the crowd as they looked up in expectation. It appeared he had gained enough of their favour that they were eager to demand the public execution of one of their enemies. Perfect.

"Wraith, the people demand death for this Clone. Would you do the honours?" He asked the soldier. Wraith nodded in reply and quickly thought of a gruesome and unforgettable way to dispatch this duplicate.

A thought came to him... and he acted upon it.

Dooku stepped back next to Sora as Wraith came around to Gree's front, ensuring the crowd could see him. He drew his fist back, readying his hand and summoning his strength as he carried out his plan of execution. The result would prove to be very bloody if all went well. If not... it would be rather embarassing. Thrusting his fist forward with incredible force and power, Wraith punched Gree in the face so hard his fist and arm exploded through the Clone's head. Blood showered the floor behind the Clone as Wraith's bloody fist protruded from the back of Gree's head. The crowd roared in approval, cheering on the execution as a symbolic representation of the Republic's defeat.

"Well, that was... fatal." Sora mused with a slight wince.

"I'm sure it's not the first time Wraith has executed a Clone in such a manner. He boasts an impressive history of battlefield fatalities." Dooku calmly replied, checking to make sure there was no blood on his boots.

" _And I'm nowhere near done._ " Wraith added, withdrawing his fist from the interior of Gree's head. Another splatter of blood, skull fragments and brain matter hit the ground as Wraith shook his bloody arm free of debris, the Clone's dead body hitting the ground with a meaty thunk. " _Now that the Republic knows not even their high and mighty Jedi can beat me, this is only the beginning of my work._ " Wraith growled, feeling quite proud of himself.

"A mission that will continue on Mygeeto." Dooku mused, stepping a little closer. "You have done your duty Wraith. I thank you for your service and your efforts in favour of the Separatists. We'll wrap things up here, you're needed elsewhere."

" _If you ever need another Jedi beaten down... don't hesitate to call. Bloodsport happens to be a favourite of mine._ " Wraith replied as he stepped past the two Sith, blood still dripping down his arm. As Dooku roused the crowd with words of encouragement, Wraith was feeling quite pleased with recent events. Not only did he get to bludgeon a Jedi poster-boy, but he also got to execute a Clone commander... all in the same day.

It had truly been a good day.

Battle always gave him a real rush, but battling a Jedi and beating him so soundly gave him a whole different kind of rush. Feeling the power course through his body as he reduced such a fearful opponent to a bloody mess was truly a wonderful feeling. A feeling he was getting used to and thoroughly enjoying.

Wraith returned to Mygeeto as promptly as he had left and lead the Separatists to victory over the entrenched Clone forces. The Republic was pushed back and suffered major setbacks as the Separatists emerged triumphant.

Back on Coruscant, a comatose Anakin lay in the Jedi Temple's Halls of Healing, a mess of cuts, bruises and an overall swollen mess. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan stood alone with their thoughts, remembering each passing second of the fight on Tibrin. Though they'd rather forget, neither of them could deny the sheer power of Wraith as he eagerly beat Anakin to a pulp.

If the Chosen One himself could be laid so low, could anyone truly stop The Wraith?

Both Jedi were convinced that something needed to be done. This could not go unanswered.

The Wraith had to be dealt with.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Six and a half pages of Anakin getting the snot beat out of him... how's that for a beatdown? Don't worry, there's more on the way. Bonus points to whoever knows where 'Teras Kasi' comes from...**

 **You all up for a challenge? I hope so. I'm looking for some ideas for future chapters/plots involving The Wraith. If you've got some, send me a PM. I'd love to hear from you and hear your ideas!**


	26. Scipio's Log 2817B

**Author's Note: Really appreciate all the reviews you guys keep sending me. I can't believe this story has 37 followers already, you guys rock! Here's another log, with a few teasers for the next chapter sprinkled throughout...**

* * *

Scipio's Log: Entry 281.7B - Perfect in every way

" _It has been long said, from podracing circuits to times of war, in order to beat those better than you, you must be better than they are. Of course, I'm paraphrasing in a sophisticated manner. But the principle still rings true. I believe this was the moniker the Separatist Council first operated under when they moved to establish Project Sunstorm. But they were preemptive in their actions. They knew the Republic would surely put their best foot forward and decided to prep their own for when the occasion arose._

" _Perfection is something that may sound lofty and a little vain, something unattainable and extraordinary. But it is not pride when it is a fact._

" _And that fact is: The Wraith is perfect._

" _Engineered and conditioned to be flawless, designed with superiority in mind, my soldier is everything anyone could ever ask for. I can assure you he is capable of doing the work of ten specialized soldiers._

" _What some need an army to accomplish... we need only one commando to achieve._

" _Even under duress and surprise circumstances, The Wraith is capable of performing at peak capacity. Even when the 'deck' is stacked against him and the Republic ambushes them with their so-called 'finest'... He. Will. Triumph."_

End of Log


	27. The Elite

**Author's Note: I last updated this story on November 15 with approximately 11000+ views recorded. In the span of a little over a month later, this story jumps to 14000+ views and a plethora of new favourites/followers. I honestly cannot thank you all enough for showing me such support. The best Christmas present I could ever get is all the positive feedback you guys give me and the continual support. Just wanted to express my gratitude to you all and to thank you for sticking with me while I was busy with school. Semester's over now and I hope to crank out some more chapters for you all. Doesn't mean real life might get in the way sometimes, but I promise you all that I will never abandon this endeavour.**

 **Alright, enough from me, here's a Christmas present from me to you all!**

* * *

-Chapter 13: The Elite-

Location: Gwori

"To beat the best, you have to be the best."

Obi-Wan Kenobi made his way down the spacious walkway of the Jedi Temple. It had been a day since the fall of Tibrin and the Jedi Master had been busy with copious meetings between both the Jedi Council and Chancellor Palpatine. The Chancellor was most troubled by the loss of a Middle Rim world and needed whatever intel Obi-Wan could provide, perhaps it was possible that a well-planned attack could recapture the planet.

The Jedi Council, on the other hand, was more concerned with the Chosen One's current medical condition. Which was why Obi-Wan was walking the halls today.

He was going to check up on Anakin.

The Jedi Knight had been beaten to a bloody pulp, his face barely recognizable when first admitted to the Halls of Healing. Being one of the few able to report back on Tibrin's situation, Obi-Wan had been preoccupied with many meetings and was unable to check on the condition of his friend.

During the whole time, Obi-Wan couldn't help but think about The Wraith.

The Jedi Master didn't have time to think about the fluid and hard-hitting fighting style or the calculated and precise tactics. No, Obi-Wan couldn't help but remember how eagerly Wraith tore into Anakin, how ready he was to spill his friend's blood and just how vicious and unrelenting he proved to be.

And if Anakin Skywalker, one of the most talented and powerful Jedi to ever exist, could be beaten so brutally by The Wraith... who else could possibly stand against him?

The Halls of Healing was a wing of the Temple Obi-Wan seldom visited, used only by Jedi extensively trained in the healing arts to heal those who had suffered injuries of varying degrees. The last time he had been here had to have been just after the Battle of Geonosis, he couldn't quite remember the last time he had received an injury so extensive it required his admittance. Obi-Wan couldn't help but remember the crowd that had gathered when they had returned. He had broadcasted an emergency signal, asking the Halls to be ready for Anakin. The shocked gasps as eyes first saw his bloody and comatose form being ushered in vividly filled his memories. Suffice to say, word spread fast that the Chosen One had been beaten beyond recognition.

Words Obi-Wan never thought he would ever hear.

The Jedi Master found Ahsoka sitting by Anakin's bandaged form. After the copious amount of blood had been wiped away, a rather lengthy bacta bath and a multitude of casts had been applied to his broken limbs, the sight of Anakin wrapped in white was a striking contrast from his usually dark robes. Ahsoka hadn't left his side during the entire process and it wasn't until after he had been placed in a proper bed that Mace Windu, Yoda and Master Che finally convinced her to leave and attend to other things. Of course, that didn't stop her from making regular visits.

Obi-Wan couldn't help but note that Ahsoka was just as stubborn as Anakin could be.

The elder Jedi quietly entered the room and moved to stand at the foot of Anakin's bed. Never before had he been so relieved to hear the beep of a heart rate monitor.

"How is he?" Obi-Wan asked the young Togruta. She slowly turned to regard him.

"Still knocked out. But Master Nema tells me his body is doing alright." She replied.

"Well, I suppose that's good news. And how are you doing?" He wondered, walking over and gently laying a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. The Padawan sighed, turning back to Anakin's body.

"I've never seen this happen to him, Master. He's always been so... invincible. Like nobody could ever touch him. He was the best of the best and... now... well..." Ahsoka sighed again. "I've never seen him bleed so much. Never heard him scream in pain like he did on Tibrin. I never thought we'd have to carry him out..." Ahsoka trailed off, losing herself in the horrific memories of the other day.

"We will all get through this." Obi-Wan comforted her. "Anakin will survive, Ahsoka. This may be his hardest challenge yet, but I know he'll pull through." Ahsoka said nothing, shaking her head sadly.

"That's what everyone keeps saying." Obi-Wan had a feeling Ahsoka didn't believe him. But with such visceral evidence before her, how could she? "What about you?" She suddenly asked him. "What's going on?"

"The Chancellor is concerned with trying to retake Tibrin. The Council is worried about the threat The Wraith poses to all Jedi. Both agree that something needs to be done... we have to respond somehow." Obi-Wan replied. The Jedi Master paused, considering what he was about to say next. "And we need your help."

"My help?" Ahsoka sounded incredulous.

"We... I need your help to take down The Wraith." Obi-Wan rephrased his earlier statement. "Both Chancellor Palpatine and The Council want to see Wraith imprisoned. I've been asked to lead an operation to hunt down The Wraith and put an end to him. And I want you to help me, on behalf Anakin." Ahsoka didn't reply, digesting what Obi-Wan had asked of her. After a moment of consideration, she stood and faced him.

"Alright, I'm in. What do we do?"

* * *

 _Elsewhere..._

The governor stumbled back, falling to the ground as the dead body of his Clone guard hit the ground seconds later, blood soaking his armor from the gash in his throat. The terrified politician slowly backed himself into a corner, trying desperately to get away from the monster before him.

But the blood-red gaze followed his every move.

"P-Please... don't hurt me!" The governor cried. "I-I'll give you whatever you want!"

" _I've already got what I want,_ " Wraith replied, " _and it's you._ " Stalking forward, Wraith picked up the already-terrified governor by the throat and triggered an arm blade. The soldier stabbed his victim clean through the gut once, twice, three times before throwing his bleeding victim to the side. The blood loss kicked in and the governor died from his wounds moments later.

After successfully defeating Republic forces on Mygeeto, Wraith had been tasked with eliminating opposing politicians on the world of Nyriaan, those who preferred the Republic to the Separatists. Somehow this particular governor had managed to secure himself a group of Clone troopers as his personal security, indicating his relationship with the Republic was tight.

A relationship that no longer existed, now that he was dead.

Wraith had spent a whole day tracking his opponent's movement, observing from the shadows his usual routines and daily habits, planning the right moment to swoop down and deliver Separatist justice. No longer would his views delay Separatist plans, no longer would his opposition pose a problem.

The Wraith had done his duty... and left his mark.

Triggering his comms, Wraith contacted Scipio. " _The governor is dead, as is his Clone escort._ "

"Very good, soldier. I'll send word to Count Dooku immediately." Came the reply. Wraith set about hauling the governor's body out into the open as he waited for new orders. Might as well ensure everyone knew about it, as a way to maintain a level of fear to keep the populace in check. Anyone who could be a potential of ally of this governor would surely think twice. Wraith was in the midst of checking the politician's body for any datapads or useful information when his holocomm started beeping. Taking the device from his belt, Wraith activated it to reveal an image of Count Dooku.

"Excellent work, Wraith. This governor was proving to be a hindrance to our plans for Nyriaan." The count applauded his efforts.

" _I live to serve._ " Wraith replied. " _What's next?_ "

"I need you to travel to our shipyard on Gwori. Word has reached me of the possibility of a mole within the overseers. Your presence should be enough to smoke them out."

" _And if I catch this mole... your orders?_ " Wraith asked, having a feeling he already knew the answer.

"Whatever you wish. Ensure that no one else decides to take his place." Dooku replied, affirming Wraith's hopes.

" _As you command._ " Wraith nodded as Dooku ended the communication. The soldier began to move out, heading back to his shuttle. He called Scipio again. " _I'm heading to the Gwori Shipyards to uncover a mole. Give me some stats about the place._ "

"Let's see here..." Scipio paused as he pulled up the available data on Gwori. "Okay, here we are... it's an Outer Rim world and home of Gwori Revolutionary Industries, one of the Separatist's biggest starship manufacturers."

" _I can see why the Republic would want to take them down. They'd cripple our fleets if they did._ " Wraith mused, now seeing the great value behind his mission.

"Well, we can't let that happen, now can we?" Scipio replied.

" _The day the Republic gets past me will be the same day Skywalker learns humility._ " Wraith growled. " _Tell me more about this 'Revolutionary Industries'._ "

"They're good friends with the Banking Clan, which leads me to assume it's a Muunilinst-based company. The make all of our Munificent-class frigates." Scipio explained after pulling up more information.

" _Understood. I'm on my way. Inform those in charge of my impending arrival._ " Wraith ordered before shutting down his comms. Rolling his shoulders, Wraith was looking forward to an opportunity to witness the vast air-power the Separatists had under their control. It was truly a good day to be a Separatist.

Then again... wasn't every day?

* * *

 _Back on Coruscant..._

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan met with Chancellor Palpatine and Mace Windu outside the Coruscant barracks. This military base housed detachments of the Republic Grand Army, serving as a home base for Clones away from Kamino. It also happened to be one of the biggest depots in Republic space. The Chancellor had summoned them here with the intent of revealing to them a military project that very few knew about.

"Glad you could make it, Master Kenobi." The Jedi Councillor greeted them. "How's Anakin?"

"Ahsoka's been told he'll make it and I'm confident he will." Obi-Wan reported. "If anything, it'll be his pride that takes a hit." He mused.

"Perhaps we can restore it once we've taken down The Wraith." Palpatine suggested.

"With all due respect, Chancellor," Ahsoka interjected, "I don't think anyone can take down The Wraith. I mean, Anakin was the Chosen One... and look what happened to him."

"Nothing lasts forever Padawan Tano." Mace informed her. "Be it a Sith Empire, a separatist confederacy or a super-soldier's reign of terror, everything grinds to a halt eventually."

"But how do we end his 'reign of terror'?" Obi-Wan asked, still a little skeptical on how such a thing could be accomplished. "Yes, he needs to be dealt with, but how?"

"You're right, Master Kenobi, we can all agree that The Wraith needs to be dealt with. It's just a matter of securing the right manpower for the job." Mace explained. Palpatine was quick to pick up on the Jedi's statement.

"The Republic has been working on a secret military project, one meant to counter threats like The Wraith. We've code-named it: Tango Foxtrot." He explained, motioning for the Jedi to follow him inside the base. The Clone guards opened the doorway and allowed the group inside. Palpatine lead the Jedi through the camp, past the barracks until they arrived at the central training compound. "It's a new elite unit, comprised of nine Clone specialists, accompanied by a Jedi strike team. They're supposed to be better than even the Muunilinst Ten... and Torrent Company. But don't tell Anakin I said that." Ahsoka was impressed.

"Wow. Really?" She had a hard time believing such a group existed.

"Indeed. We've selected four Jedi to oversee their training. Given the members of Torrent Company proved well under Master Shaak Ti's tutelage, we're hoping we can achieve equal, if not better, results under four Jedi masters." Mace added. Palpatine nodded.

"Master Windu speaks the truth. And impressive results we have received. The final product is a Clone unit trained to take down and eliminate the most dangerous of Separatist generals, commanders, assassins... and super-soldiers." Another Clone guard opened the door to the training compound and allowed the Jedi inside. They followed the Chancellor through a corridor until it opened up into a gymnasium-like facility. "This is Apex Company." Palpatine announced. Inside, a group of nine different Clones were busy training, occupied with either the shooting range or the physical training equipment.

Obi-Wan wasn't quite convinced.

"Chancellor, with all due respect, how do you expect a group of only nine Clones to take down The Wraith? You've seen what he did to Anakin and read the reports from all of his appearances, no one survives an encounter with him."

"Your concern is valid, Master Kenobi." Chancellor Palpatine nodded, understanding the Jedi's concerns. "However, this is no ordinary Clone unit. They have been trained by the best of instructors from across the galaxy, purposefully engineered for dangerous missions and to handle top level threats."

"I hope the confidence in your voice is well-founded." Obi-Wan mused, crossing his arms, still uncertain.

"These Clones won't be hunting down The Wraith alone, Obi-Wan." Mace interjected, laying a hand on Kenobi's shoulder. "Master Yoda and I hand-picked a team of Jedi to train and lead these Clones. Allow me to introduce you to them." As they Jedi began to follow Windu, Ahsoka caught up with Obi-Wan. She had a question that had been brewing in her mind since their arrival here.

"So, where do I fit in with this, Master?" She asked him. Obi-Wan paused, considering the possible roles Ahsoka could fill. He had told her he needed her help with this initiative and now that he had some materials to work with, he needed to figure out what her role would be.

"Well, given our new allies, I want you to go with this Apex Company as my representative." He stated at last. "You'll work from behind the scenes, command and control. As long as this operation to hunt down and imprison The Wraith remains active, you'll report directly to me. Something like my 'second in command', if you will."

"'Command and control', huh? I can do that." Ahsoka nodded with a small grin. "Rex and Anakin have taught me a few things over the years about that stuff."

"Then it should come in handy." Obi-Wan remarked. The Jedi continued to follow Mace and Palpatine over to a tall Wookie, who was watching the Clones practice their ranged skills.

"Master Fulcana, everything running smoothly?" He asked. The Wookiee turned to Mace and growled in affirmation. "This is Fulcana, one of the four Jedi who oversee Apex Company. To his left is Master Sek Bast and her apprentice Ashan Hoc," he introduced, gesturing to the Tholothian and her Rodian Padawan, "followed by Master Phomen Tark." The Ithorian Jedi turned and nodded in greeting. "They are directly responsible for overseeing all Apex Company-related training and operations." Mace explained. He turned back to his fellow Jedi. "Master Kenobi is taking charge of a special operation to hunt down a Separatist agent known as 'The Wraith'. He'll be needing Apex Company's specialized training in order to apprehend this individual. Give him whatever help he asks for." He instructed. The Tholothian master stepped forward to greet the Jedi Councillors.

"I believe I already know a way to assist you, Master Kenobi." She greeted with a soft smile. "Here is a complete list of the members of Apex Company." She told him, handing over a datapad. Obi-Wan took it and read the names and numerical designations aloud.

"Clone Captain CC-44-7102 or 'Redd', Clone Commander CT-5544 or 'Blutarch', CT-3003 or 'Greydon', CC-67-9100 'Fix', CT-4947 'Ranger', CC-93-2778 'Boiler', CT-1223 'Patch', CT-6345 'Creeper' and CC-80-2506 or 'Crater'. A vast and varied roster, I must say." The master Jedi stated as he reviewed the names in his head.

"Each of their names reflects an aspect of their class." Sek informed him. "Ranger is our local reconnaissance specialist while Boiler is a flametrooper, equipped with a chemical flamethrower and pack-mounted fuel tank."

"I remember seeing them on Geonosis." Obi-Wan mused with a nod. Ahsoka remembered them as well. She thought the practice of using fire as a weapon a little barbaric, but had to admit they came in very handy when it came to cleaning out the Geonosian hives.

"The intention is to combine together Clones of each specialty in order to form a unit capable of performing any kind of mission."

"They wouldn't happen to be Black Ops, now would they?" Obi-Wan wondered.

"Far from it. They are more akin to ARC Troopers than anything." Sek replied.

"Have they been tested in the field before?"

"For missions of minor value, yes. They have brought down several would-be sabotage gangs and have apprehended a series of Separatist agents on Republic soil." Sek explained.

"But never the likes of a super-soldier, one capable of destroying even a Jedi with just his bare hands." Obi-Wan noted, skepticism growing in his voice. A moment of awkward silence hung in the air until Palpatine spoke up.

"You seem to be in doubt over our solution, General Kenobi." He noted.

"Forgive me for saying so, Chancellor, but you weren't there. You didn't see the ferocity, the brutal, bloodthirsty nature in Wraith that drove him to beat Anakin bloody. And if he is, for a fact, responsible for all the mystery reports we've gathered, than I'm afraid that no one can stop him." Obi-Wan explained. "All we would be doing is sending a few good Clones to their deaths."

"But these, aren't average Clones, Master." Ahsoka interjected, hoping to brighten the situation. "They're supposed to take down guys like Wraith. Just give them a chance to prove themselves."

"Your confidence shines brighter than mine does, Ahsoka." Obi-Wan sighed. "Untrained, inexperienced... and they're supposed to be the ones to bring down a Separatist super-soldier." He muttered.

Suffice to say, the Jedi master was feeling none too optimistic about this situation. One might say, he had a bad feeling about it...

* * *

 _Meanwhile, on Gwori..._

Upon arriving on Gwori, Wraith was immediately met by the factory's overseer: a Muun known as Juhm. Having been informed of Wraith's coming beforehand by Scipio, the overseer was slightly flustered by the sudden visit. With only a mere hour before the super-soldier's arrival, Juhm had no idea how to prepare or even what to prepare for his visit. The Muun stood alone on a landing pad as Wraith disembarked from his shuttle.

"Welcome to Gwori, Wraith!" The overseer eagerly greeted him, hoping to make a good impression on the fearsome soldier. "Your arrival was most unexpected, however, I will do whatever I can to ensure you are comfortable here. Um, do tell me, why exactly are you here?"

" _It is not so much you attending to me as it is I doing you a favour._ " Wraith cryptically stated.

"A... A favor?" Juhm repeated, the soldier's words piquing his curiosity. "What kind of favor?" He wondered.

" _I am here on a mission directly from Count Dooku._ " Wraith informed him. " _It has come to our attention that a mole has infiltrated your shipyards and is leaking information to the Republic. I am here to put a stop to him._ " He explained. Juhm was incredulous.

"A mole? Here?! Impossible!"

" _So it may seem._ " Wraith mused, crossing his arms. " _It's just like the Republic to slither under our noses without us realizing it. Good thing we managed to uncover such a leak._ "

"But how? Not even I know about this!" Juhm exclaimed.

" _I will explain in good time. However, we must move quickly lest our mole escape and leave us in a dire situation._ " Wraith stated, suggesting the move inside.

"W-What shall I do?" The Muun wondered.

" _Go and gather all your chief overseers, top scientists, everyone of great value and introduce myself. Say I am here to increase security on behalf of Count Dooku._ " Wraith instructed him, having developed his plan of action on the way over from Mygeeto. The best way to force out a mole was to make a very obvious security presence known. That way, they would be forced to act, assuming they had been found out. In that moment of weakness they would reveal themselves and The Wrath would strike.

"It shall be done immediately!" Juhm quickly replied, making to sprint off and ensure everything was done according to Wraith's plan.

" _Overseer!_ " Wraith called him back. The Muun weakly did so, anticipating he had done something wrong. " _After I've dealt with this mole I would very much appreciate a tour._ " Wraith told him. " _I've been wanting to see the new cruisers under construction for some time._ "

What an answer. The Wraith was enamored by starships much like a young child would be. Juhm breathed a sigh of relief, feeling Wraith to be a little more human than he let on.

"I will personally arrange one for you." The Muun replied with a smile.

* * *

 _Back on Coruscant..._

Obi-Wan assumed his best approach to taking control of Apex Company, and possibly helping them avoid instant death at the hands of The Wraith, was to educate them on their quarry. Following advice from Palpatine, Mace and even Ahsoka, Obi-Wan called the four Jedi trainers to round up the members of Apex Company for a meeting. Palpatine had compiled all known data on their opponent and created something of a slideshow for the Jedi Master. Obi-Wan hoped this 'class' was going to hopefully give Apex Company something to work with when it came to handling The Wraith. The group filed in and took their seats as Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and the other Jedi moved to the front of the classroom.

"Afternoon men," Obi-Wan began, "I am General Kenobi. As you might have heard, you are now under my direct command as part of a special operation to hunt down a deadly Separatist agent." He told them.

"Just show us who and where, sir. We'll put him down for good." Captain Redd replied with a smirk. Obi-Wan couldn't help but admire his enthusiasm, something he himself was lacking.

"Your target is The Wraith, a bio-genetically engineered creation of the Separatists." Obi-Wan continued. "We don't know a whole lot about him, but what we do know is that he is tactical, impressively strong, well-trained, highly skilled, very agile and practically untouchable." The Jedi triggered the room's holodisplay and produced a series of four slightly out-of-focus and staticky shots of Wraith. "These images were retrieved from the helmet recorders of Clones moments before they were killed. As you can see, Wraith his both heavily armored and heavily armed. During our encounter on Tibrin, we witnessed Wraith use numerous melee and ranged weapons in order to take down General Anakin Skywalker." The image changed to an image of Anakin, bloody and battered, laying on a pile of blood-soaked bandages in the Halls of Healing. Obi-Wan paused to force his thoughts forward, past his recollections of that terrible day. "His known arsenal includes a pair of blaster pistols of unknown make, a second pair of pistols assumed to be slugthrowers, two combat knives and a pair of arm-mounted retractable blades."

"Any indication of his training?" Commander Blutarch inquired.

"He appears to practice a form of Teras Kasi, but this has been unconfirmed." Obi-Wan replied. "All we know is that he is as deadly up close as he is from a distance." The holodisplay powered down and the Clone's attention shifted to Obi-Wan. "It is up to us to stop The Wraith. He is responsible for many losses, Clone and Jedi deaths. His continued presence is already shifting the war in favour of the Separatists, so immediate detainment and capture is an absolute must. The Supreme Chancellor tells me you all are specially trained for this kind of mission. Well, now's your chance to make a big impact on the outcome of the war." The Clones nodded, seemingly eager and more than ready to do their part. Obi-Wan was about to dismiss them when Chancellor Palpatine suddenly arrived. The troopers immediately stood at attention.

"At ease." Palpatine quickly stated before moving to Obi-Wan. "Master Kenobi, we received a transmission from one of our undercover operatives on Gwori just a few moments ago. His message was very brief, but also very telling. Have a look." The Chancellor informed him, passing off a data pad to the Jedi. Obi-Wan read the message aloud.

"Have been discovered. Wraith is here." He looked up with an expression of surprise as the other Jedi crowded around at hearing his words. "The Wraith is on Gwori?"

"It appears so. Looks like we just found our window of opportunity." Palpatine stated.

"Then we need to have Apex Company on Gwori now. Who knows how long Wraith will stay there." Obi-Wan replied, understanding the urgent need to pin down Wraith as soon as possible. The four Jedi trainers nodded.

The sooner this menace was dealt with, the better.

The Tholothian Master Sek Bast took the initiative and stood before the assembled troops.

"Alright men, listen up!" She called them to attention. "We've just received word that The Wraith has been spotted on Gwori. It's a Separatist-controlled world that manufactures battlecruisers for the Separatist Navy, we've had our eye on it for a while now. Redd, Blutarch, have your men prepped and ready for immediate deployment. We'll work out the transportation variables." She ordered.

"Understood sir!" The two Clones saluted before turning back to their men. "Time to shine, boys! Get ready to move out, we leave immediately!" They ordered. The troopers quickly bustled about as the Jedi began to plan, Obi-Wan thanking Palpatine for delivering such vital information. In reality, the Chancellor was more than pleased to learn such data. The Wraith had been a thorn in the side of the Republic for too long and was quickly blossoming into a galaxy-wide threat that was putting the Republic at risk of losing the Clone Wars.

Hopefully, The Wraith would meet his match and his terror would be put to an end.

* * *

 _Back on Gwori..._

The sickening sound of bone being cracked echoed in the room before a man's dead body hit the floor, dropped from Wraith's grip. Juhm's introductory message had almost instantly revealed the mole, thanks to some bio-scanners Scipio had added to Wraith's HUD. Detecting a sudden spike in heart rate after Juhm mentioned 'security', Wraith pinpointed the one responsible and followed him to an empty communications room where Wraith's scanners detected a coded message being sent on a Republic frequency. Further questioning confirmed the identity of the mole and Wraith dispatched him shortly thereafter, ending the security breach and once again securing the safety of the shipyards. Juhm watched over his shoulder with a level of fear and surprise as he took note of the identity of the body.

"Overseer Kal? I... I had no idea..." He whispered in awe, surprised to discover a fellow overseer was really a spy for the Republic.

" _You weren't supposed to._ " Wraith mused. " _More importantly, the shipyards are safe now._ "

"Yes. Thanks to you." Juhm absentmindedly replied, his thoughts still dwelling on the scene he had just witnessed.

" _However, we should not rule out the possibility that he may have called for aid before his demise._ " Wraith added, quelling Juhm's momentary relief. " _We should go to the security hub and watch for any unwanted visitors._ "

"I-I understand... I will take you there." Juhm hurriedly replied as he turned to the door. Wraith followed, leaving the body of the Republic mole behind. "How soon do you think the Republic will arrive?" He nervously asked.

" _There's no telling. They could already be their way. However, there is a possibility that the mole did not contact them and there will be no immediate threat from them. Regardless of either outcome, you had best be ready for anything._ " Wraith told him, making a mental note of the narrowness of these hallways. If the Republic arrive, his best chance would be to attack them head-on and without mercy. These halls would not allow for a prolonged ranged encounter.

"And what about you? What will you do?" Juhm wondered.

" _I am your first line of defense. I am always ready._ " Wraith replied. " _But in the unlikely event they get past me, the responsibility of repulsing them will fall to you._ " Juhm gulped nervously, feeling very unprepared for such circumstances.

* * *

 _In hyperspace..._

It didn't take long to get a shuttle off the ground and send the Republic strike team hurtling through hyperspace towards the planet of Gwori. In addition to Apex Company and their four Jedi superiors, Ahsoka Tano had been sent on behalf of Obi-Wan to oversee the operation. She sat off to the back of the transport, alone with her thoughts. She'd been on solo missions before, where Anakin wasn't able to accompany her, but this time the circumstances were so... different. She always felt like Anakin had her back, even if he wasn't there he was always a communication away.

But now... he wasn't there to back her up. She had to lead this group all on her own.

Ahsoka was stirred from her musings when the Rodian apprentice Ashan walked over to her. "Ahsoka?" Ahsoka shook her head and looked to the green-skinned Rodian.

"Yes, Ashan?"

"I just wanted to express my condolences for what happened to Master Skywalker." She replied, taking a seat next to the Togruta. "I can't imagine watching Master Bast get beat down like that." Ahsoka nodded slowly, sighing as she remembered the events of Tibrin. Witnessing Anakin's blood fly was a moment seemingly seared into memories.

"That was... the most impossible thing I've ever seen." She admitted. "Up until now, Anakin had always been so... unstoppable. Sure, he got hurt from time to time, but he always managed to get back up shortly afterwards. That was the first time he didn't get up." Ahsoka told Ashan. The young Rodian understood her fellow Padawan had confided this with her, sensing it was something she had never told anyone before.

"I promise, Ahsoka, we'll make sure The Wraith pays for what he's done." Ashan stated, placing a reassuring hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. Although skeptical if this mission would truly be the ultimate end of The Wraith, Ahsoka nodded in reply.

The specialized stealth shuttle, piloted by Master's Fulcana and Tark, managed to infiltrate Gwori's system without raising any alarms. It had been predetermined that the party would land as close as possible to the shipyards without arousing suspicion. Fortune seemed to play in their favor as the sun was setting by the time they arrived, granting the cover of nightfall to aid in their infiltration. The group of Jedi and Clones managed to sneak inside the facility without being detected, eliminating several droid security teams to maintain their secrecy. Ahsoka quickly memorized the route they took, planning on retracing her steps at the first sign of disaster. They entered through a maintenance wing via a corridor that provided access to the southern server room and the command hub through a central chamber. Other maze-like corridors lead to smaller rooms were various levels of production were overseen. The shipyards were so massive, multiple different head offices were required in order to keep the chain of command present in each area of the facility.

And with this knowledge in mind, Apex Company could successfully say they had captured the southern wing of the shipyard offices.

The group huddled together as they planned their trap, a holomap produced by Ashan floating before them.

"It appears we've managed to strike at a most fortuitous time. The populace is minimal and so are the security teams." Phomen noted.

"Then that will provide us with enough time to assume our positions." Sek agreed. "Padawan Tano, how shall we proceed?" The Tholothian asked Ahsoka, deferring leadership to Master Kenobi's representative.

"We need to gain Wraith's attention. No doubt he's concerned about security, so he may be busy observing the rest of the yards. But I think I have an idea." Ahsoka highlighted the central security hub for the south wing of the facility. "If I can hack into the security hub, I can shut down any defenses and keep an eye on the whole area while you all wait for Wraith."

"Always good to have a someone looking out for us." Blutarch agreed.

"Then it would behoove us to split into teams." Sek added. "Apex Company will be our first line, laying in wait for our quarry to arrive. We Jedi will form the second line and wait for Wraith in this common room." She pointed to a large, circular room that connected all the other areas of the south wing.

"Then we should take up positions in this corridor." Blutarch suggested, pointing out a long hallway that connected the south wing to the rest of the shipyards. "If he's anywhere else, he'll have to cross through here in order to get to us."

"A sound plan, Commander." Sek agreed. "Captain, I shall leave you to your men." She told Redd. The Clone Captain saluted as the holomap powered down.

"Yes sir." Turning about, Redd proceeded to distribute orders. "Alright men, just like we've trained to do. Fix, go with Commander Tano and help her hack into their security, then come rejoin us. Creeper, Ranger, you two go and scout these hallways. We want Wraith playing by our rules."

"Yes sir!" The two reconnaissance specialists saluted before taking off.

"Patch, we'll keep you to the rear of the fighting, just in case one of us goes down."

"Understood sir." The medic nodded.

"Boiler, Crater, you're our heavies, so we'll put you up front with Greydon."

"No worries, sir. We'll give Wraith a few problems to worry about!" Crater eagerly replied, arming his rocket launcher.

"The rest of us will keep our attention on him the entire time. General Kenobi says he's unpredictable and ruthless, so make sure he doesn't make a move you don't know about." Redd carefully warned them. "Okay, Apex Company, let's make a name for ourselves!"

* * *

 _Meanwhile..._

Wraith and Juhm stood with a security droid in the central surveillance hub of the shipyards. From this location, the status of every wing could be checked via the monitoring systems installed throughout the complex. Juhm stood nervously by as Wraith checked and re-checked each system, ensuring nothing had been tripped.

The security was tight enough to prevent any unwelcome guests. But the means to repulse them were severely lacking. Wraith wanted to know the status of everything, should he need to dash to another area of the shipyards and beat back any Republic operatives. He was the first and only line of defense in protecting the shipyards. All available droid resources had been sent elsewhere, desperately needed on the battlefields of the Clone Wars.

"It appears everything is normal." Juhm mused. "Perhaps the Republic will not come?"

" _Perhaps. But I want to make sure._ " Wraith replied, scanning over the console one more time. " _I don't want to leave and then have the Republic show up._ " He growled. The Republic was known for such frustrating plans, forcing the Separatists to try and be in two places at once. Something, for all his capabilities, Wraith could not do. Another red-marked security droid entered from behind them.

"Sir, we performed the comms check, just like you asked." It reported. Wraith stood up to address it.

" _And? Did you find anything?_ " He asked. The droid produced a datapad.

"Only one message was sent today on one of the frequencies you suggested." That one statement confirmed Wraith's suspicions. The mole had managed one last communication before Wraith destroyed him. Opening the data, Wraith quickly read the six words out loud.

" _Have been discovered. Wraith is here._ " He passed the datapad to Juhm. " _What do you make of it?_ " He wondered.

"A cry for help?" Juhm theorized. "Maybe he wanted some last-minute intervention?" Wraith went quiet, quickly mulling over the last words of the mole.

" _Either my reputation precedes me..._ " he mused, " _or maybe-_ " his musing was cut short as the other security droid suddenly reported,

"Sir, one of our security centers has gone dark." Wraith quickly turned back to the console and examined the monitor that had suddenly blacked out. It was the south security hub. Only one reason could result in such a sudden happening.

" _They're here._ " He grimly noted. Juhm turned to him with a look of terror.

"The Republic?!" The overseer cried, his hopes suddenly dashed as reality set in. "W-What should we do? What can we do? We're not fully equipped to repulse them!" Wraith ignored Juhm's outbursts and began to think things through. The mole managed to contact the Republic before his demise and they must've sent aid. No doubt a squad of Clones was here to do... something. Wraith quickly made one of two assumptions. Either the Republic was here to sabotage the shipyards, or for something else. Going with the first and more likely assumption, he knew he had to act now before the Republic could cause any real damage.

" _Lock down this central wing. I'll deal with the Republic._ " He ordered, heading out. While Wraith had a plan of action in mind, Juhm was still worried about his career.

"Should I have anything prepared? An escape route, perhaps?" He asked as Wraith left. The soldier paused and looked back over his shoulder.

" _A cleanup crew._ " He ominously replied. If the Republic thought they could take these shipyards without a fight, they would be sorely mistaken.

These shipyards were about to become the site of their doom.

* * *

Everyone was in position. The Jedi stood as a group, ready and waiting in the central room just beyond the doors to the access corridor.

Ahsoka sat by herself in the security hub, checking all the available holocams for that wing. But the one that was her primary focus was the one mounted in the access corridor, which gave her a platform to view Apex Company as they formed up, weapons pointed at the opposite end of the hall. She would be the team's eyes and ears if The Wraith got past them, providing direction but incapable of assisting them.

Apex Company primed their weaponry as they took up defensive positions before the door that lead to the south wing. In this momentum no one said a word. The Clones remained quiet as they anticipated the arrival of their foe. Lining up the door at the opposite end of the hall in their cross-hairs, they sat waiting in eager anticipation for their chance to take down the fearsome Wraith.

* * *

The halls were barren and empty, the only sound to the fill them was the clicking of Wraith's armoured boots against the metal floors. Alone with his thoughts, Wraith thought nothing else apart from calculations and strategies. He mapped out in his mind the corridors and halls of the south wing, plotting every possible route the Clones could take to avoid him or escape them.

How they entered as of no concern to Wraith. None of them would be leaving here anyway.

The access corridor to the south wing was just a few meters ahead now. Wraith readied himself for the coming battle, prepared to handle who knows how many Clones the Republic had sent to aid their mole. Checking his rifle, Wraith ensured a fresh energy cell had been loaded in and charged up. Scipio had recently equipped him with a prototype cell that had been infused with a plasma additive, promising a more volatile and explosive shot. He was very much expecting a squad of Clones he could try it out on, hoping it would produce some rather... messy results. Standing before the access door which opened to the hallway leading directly to the south wing, Wraith holstered his rifle across his back and rolled his shoulders, prepared to storm through into the wing and start blasting the Clones who were no doubt waiting for him. Opening the doorway, Wraith was met with the sight of a long corridor, brightly lit white walls...

and a group of Clone troopers with their weapons pointed in his direction.

"Hold it right there, Wraith!" A Clone with red-marked armor commanded him. "By order of the Galactic Republic, stand down and come with us!"

Upon hearing his words, Wraith suddenly realized the intention of these Clones. They weren't here to destroy the shipyards or sabotage the frigates...

They were here for him.

His second assumption was correct: the mole was hear to locate Wraith so a squad of Clones could take him down. No doubt this was in response to his sound thrashing of Skywalker. They wanted to take him prisoner, to overpower him by any means necessary and lock him away once and for all, as a way of preventing any future bloodshed by his hand. They were here with then intention of ending the threat he posed to the Republic.

Well. Fat chance that plan was going to come to fruition.

" _You Clones showed up at just the right time,_ " Wraith growled, beginning to slowly advance upon the group, " _I've only killed two people today... and I'm starting to feel the hunger..._ " The menacing tone in his thinly-veiled threat kept every Clone on high alert.

"Sorry to disappoint, but you're going on a permanent diet!" Captain Redd shot back. Nine different weapons were trained on The Wraith. Apex Company thought they had every advantage. Wraith had nowhere to run in this narrow corridor and the instant he tried, they would light him up. They thought his threat was an empty one.

But Wraith didn't try to run. If anything, the show of force only served to amuse him.

" _You must be mistaken..._ " he replied with a chuckle, " _I'm about to have a feast!_ " While his words were threatening, Wraith quickly calculated his odds of surviving a head-on strike. It would be foolish to do so when nine different blasters were trained on him. He would have to play this smart, lure the Clones into his playing field. " _But I am at an obvious tactical disadvantage._ " He mused.

"That's right. Now be smart and surrender." Blutarch commanded him.

" _I'll surrender... if you can take me._ " Wraith taunted. No doubt these Clones wanted to prove their worth... such foolish thoughts would be their downfall.

"Ranger, cuff him. We've got your back." Redd ordered the Clone closest to their foe. The Clone nodded and moved to obey. Ranger cautiously approached Wraith, keeping his blaster trained on the Separatist and watching for any sudden moves. Wraith stood motionless, hands by his sides, waiting for the right moment to strike. Any moment now... just a little closer...

The instant Ranger was within touching distance, Wraith grabbed his knife and slit the Clone's throat, before driving his knife back, clean through Ranger's skull and pinning him to the wall. The Clone twitched as blood dripped from both wounds, red streams trickling down his armor. The blur of motion was enough to startle and even confuse the other Clones. But as soon as Redd saw Ranger's body up against the wall, he returned to his senses.

"Open fire!" He commanded. The other eight Clones immediately did so, lighting up Wraith with a continuous volley of unrelenting blaster fire. Leaving his knife stuck in Ranger's head, crossing his arms before his face and falling to one knee, Wraith sought to protect himself and draw the fire away from his body. His unbreakable gauntlets could withstand the repetitive fire... but he had to wonder for how long. Greydon's rotary cannon pounded his defense, literally pushing him back across the floor. Wraith knew he had to act now, dispose of these Clones and root out any other Republic members that may have come with them. He had to take the pain, if only for a moment, in order to regain the advantage.

Arming a set of explosive disks, Wraith dropped his projectiles before him, blaster fire ricocheting off his jacket and helmet. Detonating seconds later, a column of flame filled the hall and separated Wraith from the Clones. Redd knew Wraith was up to something, he had seen this move before. A classic smokescreen. "Arms up men, expect anything!" He ordered, not wanting to be caught off guard. The flames were hot and quickly filling the hall, preventing the Clones from seeing Wraith take his knife from the body of Ranger and take hold of his other knife.

He had the advantage. Now it was time to end this.

Wraith lunged forward through the fire and smoke, knives drawn and ready to spill blood. He drove his blades into the nearest Clone, Creeper, blood soaking his knives and staining white armor crimson as the Clone cried out in pain. Wraith used his momentum to throw the Clone into a nearby wall, where he gutted Creeper with repeated slashed from his knives.

Two down, seven to go.

Wraith sheathed a knife and drew his rifle, opening fire on Crater. The advanced, plasma-charged rounds ripped right through the Clone's armored torso, splattering blood and bits of innards across the ground. A gaping whole remained where Crater's back used to be as the Clone fell over, dead before he hit the ground. Shifting targets, Wraith opened fire on Boiler, well-aimed blaster rounds punching holes in the fuel tank mounted on the Clone's back. Boiler immediately recognized the damage and screamed for his fellow Clones to get back, moments before his tank exploded and consumed his body in a mighty fireball. Stowing his rifle, Wraith lept into the air, spinning around as his arm blades deployed. He cut his blades forward in a cross strike, decapitating Fix as he landed on his feet.

Three more dead. Only four left.

Rounds pinged off his back as Wraith turned on his next victim, Commander Blutarch. With a roar, Wraith pounced upon the Clone, driving his blades clean through him as Blutarch cried in pain before Wraith silenced him by tearing out his throat. Hands bloody, Wrath retracted his blades and drew both slugthrowers. He turned on heel and opened fire on the Clone behind Redd and Greydon, the medic called Patch. He pumped his body full of slugs, ripping him apart with a hail of acid-lined rounds. With numerous holes riddling his corpse, Patch fell over dead. Redd couldn't believe what he was seeing. His entire squad had been ripped apart like they were nothing. They were supposed to be the best, engineered to take down threats like The Wraith! How could this have happened?!

"Greydon, we need to pull back, now!" He quickly ordered the last surviving Clone. "Fall back to the Jedi, we can renew our defense with them!" His words intrigued Wraith.

" _Jedi? You brought Jedi with you?_ " He wondered aloud as he sheathed his slugthrowers. " _Excellent. Sounds like I will be having a feast after all..._ "

"They'll put you down. You can't stop them!" Greydon retorted, rotary cannon spinning up.

" _I beat Anakin Skywalker into a coma. They are but a mere pittance..._ " Wraith growled. Suddenly flicking his wrist, a pair of throwing knives speared Greydon in the eyes. The Clone screamed in agony as his vision was stolen from him, replaced with blackness and pain. Quickly drawing his pistols, Wraith blasted Greydon in both legs before delivering a kill shot, right between the eyes. The Clone heavy fell dead, leaving only Redd and The Wraith. Stunned by the sudden turn of events, Redd was barely coherent as he snapped up his pistols and blankly fired on Wraith. The rounds bounced off him like nothing, serving only to scratch the Separatist instead of wound him. Stowing his blaster, Wraith turned on Redd and triggered his arm blade, still soaked in Fix and Blutarch's blood. Redd continued to fire as he backed away, Wraith stalking after him. Thrusting his blade around, Wraith impaled Redd clean through his chin, blade driving deep into his head. The Clone twitched as he was lifted off the ground, blood spilling from his chin and down both his chest and Wraith's blade. Suddenly dropping him back on his feet, Wraith drew a slugthrower once more and blew out the Clone's brains with a well-aimed shot. With a hole bored through his head, Redd was dead before he hit the ground, falling back on a splatter of his own blood and brains. The hallway fell quiet as Wraith retracted his weapons, pausing to take in the blood-stained hallway filled with bodies of Clones as he ejected his spent slugthrower clips and reloaded them with fresh magazines.

He was wise in telling Overseer Juhm to send a cleanup crew... it would no doubt take some time to get this hallway cleaned.

* * *

Wraith had decimated Apex Company.

Ahsoka stared in shock at the screen before her. She had observed everything, seen every move anyone made. But above all, she had seen Wraith dispose of those nine Clones with a violent level of calculated precision.

He was brutal.

Ahsoka slumped against the chair she was seated in, still staring at the screen before with a blank expression of shock. Those Clones had been alive and breathing just moments ago, she had just spoken and conversed with them mere minutes prior. And now they had all be slaughtered, reduced to fragments of blood and flesh littered across the floor of the hall. Ahsoka couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. Such brutality, such wanton violence... the young Togruta had seen her fair share of violence, but this carnage was on another level entirely.

This wasn't a battle... it was a massacre. Nothing short of unbridled slaughter.

Obi-Wan was right... they had sent these Clones to their deaths.

* * *

The Jedi at the end of the hall couldn't believe it either. They watched as the doorway opened up, revealing the broad form of Wraith and a blood-stained, body-strewn hallway behind him. They were shocked to see he had beaten Apex Company, their Clones, in such a short amount of time. They were supposed to be the ones to end threats like him it was their directive!

A directive that had failed.

" _Ah... Jedi._ " Wraith growled upon seeing them. " _Time for my main course._ "

"What have you done?" Ashan wondered in shock, taking in the sight of his blood-drenched form. Wraith chuckled darkly.

" _Those Clones were nothing more than a warmup, an appetizer._ " He replied, cracking his knuckles. " _Killing Clones is a favourite pastime of mine... but killing Jedi is another treat entirely._ " This was true. As much as he also enjoyed beating Jedi to a bloody pulp, there was nothing quite like being able to sink his blades into flesh and watching the ensuing blood stain the pristine Jedi robes. A testament to his unstoppable force and his ability to kill even the most stalwart Republic leaders.

"You... Y-You're a homicidal sociopath!" Sek exclaimed, finding her voice and visibly angered by his halfhearted treatment of her now deceased men. If his face were visible, Wraith would've rolled his eyes at the comment.

" _Please... I prefer 'psychopath'._ " He growled in reply.

Such a dark answer made even the Jedi recoil. Ahsoka managed to hear his words in the security hub and they sent a shiver through her spine.

What kind of foul being was The Wraith?

The Tholothian master had had enough of Wraith's villainous tone and proceeded to switch on her green lightsaber.

"I will avenge our men and take you down!" She declared. "Consider yourself a prisoner of the Republic."

" _You think you can promote Republic jurisdiction here on Separatist soil?_ " Wraith wondered. " _What an egotistical point of view._ " He growled. Sek said nothing but summoned the Force to leap through the air as she moved to attack Wraith from above. But the soldier quickly calculated her movements and matched them with his own, executing a kick-flip that caught Sek on the jaw. The Jedi flew back to the floor and rolled to a halt, laying on her stomach and thoroughly jarred by the sudden strike. Wraith recovered and quickly advanced on the other Jedi. Although they aspired to aid Sek, especially Ashan, they dared not get too close to Wraith as Sek's sound defeat indicated he was more than capable of handling whatever came his way. They would need very clever tactics to ensure he was defeated. " _You think you can invade this facility and meddle in Separatist business?_ " Wraith demanded of the other three Jedi. " _Not on my watch._ " He stalked forward menacingly, stopping above the fallen Sek.

He wanted to inspire fear in these Jedi. And he knew just how to do it...

" _Others may put you in prison, or chain you up for interrogation. But this is how I deal with meddlesome Jedi..._ " Reaching down, Wraith suddenly plunged his hands into Sek's back. The Tholothian screamed in pain as Wraith ripped through her flesh, blood splattering her robes. Grabbing a hold of something, Wraith planted his foot against her body and gave a vicious yank, tearing out the Jedi's spine and letting out a primal roar as he did. Sek screamed louder as her bones were ripped from her body, only to suddenly cease and fall dead moments later.

The other Jedi were horrified.

The remaining three stood frozen, paralyzed by raw fear. Ashan as aghast, struck dumb by shock and horror. Her Master was dead, lying in a pool of her own blood with her back ripped open, spine torn out and resting in Wraith's grip. She had told Ahsoka earlier how she was unable to relate to watching her Master get beaten down.

But now she could and then some. For her Master was dead, killed in such a brutal and barbaric fashion. Ashan Hoc had been scarred for life. They watched as Wraith gripped Sek's spine in his bloody fist, fixing his gaze on them.

First Apex Company, now Sek... who would suffer next?

Wraith sized up the Jedi, seeing the stark fear and horror in their eyes. He chose his next words with careful precision, to ensure the Jedi understood him with perfect clarity. " _Willpower is like a bone. It is strong and capable of great internal support. But one wrong move, one serious accident... and it is broken!_ " Wraith promptly snapped the spine in his hands to emphasize his point. Tossing both halves aside, the soldier stepped over the bloody corpse that had once been a Tholothian Jedi Knight. The other Jedi were rendered speechless by the visceral display. In all of their days of fighting in the Clone Wars, never had any Separatist ever shown such cold-hearted brutality. " _I beat the 'Chosen One' to a bloody pulp, his face was unrecognizable by the time I finished! What chance do you three stand against me?_ " Wraith threatened them. The Jedi made no response, slowly backing away from Wraith and the corpse of Master Bast.

"Quickly, split up!" Phomen ordered. Fulcana growled in agreement and the Jedi parted ways, quickly disappearing down different corridors. Ashan cast one last sorrowful look over her shoulder at the body of her dead Master.

" _So that's how you want to play, hm?_ " Wraith mused, quickly noting the different directions each Jedi had fled in. " _So be it. Let the games begin._ " He growled as he turned and took off in pursuit of the Ithorian Jedi.

* * *

Phomen Tark was easy to track down having not traveled very far by the time Wraith caught up to him. Upon hearing metal footsteps draw ever closer behind him, the Ithorian stopped in the middle of the hall and turned to face Wraith. The Separatist slowed to a halt a few feet away from his Jedi adversary, slightly amused he was even attempting to make a last stand when his defeat was so very inevitable.

" _Why run away, Jedi? I took down one of your own when she broke away from your group, what makes you think splitting up will gain you any advantage?_ " He wondered.

"I had hoped we would stand a better chance at dealing with you by ourselves, rather than all be slaughtered at once." Phomen replied, activating his blue blade.

" _A poor decision on your part._ " Wraith growled. " _One you won't live long enough to regret._ " Triggering both arm blades, Wraith rushed Phomen fully intent on drawing blood... eventually. The Jedi Master assumed an defensive stance as Wraith's blades clashed with his, a shower of sparks igniting from their confrontation. The two exchanged blows as Wraith fought strategically, learning Phomen's style as he ducked, dodged and blocked each attack the Jedi made, only to counter with a dizzying suite of attacks. Phomen soon came to understand that Wraith was toying with him and decided to press his luck, going on the offensive as he lunged forward with a sweep of his lightsaber.

But that would be another mistake he would not live long enough to regret.

Wraith backflipped away, far out of reach of the Ithorian's blade and fired a tether from his wrist. His grapple snagged the lightsaber hilt and with a quick tug the hilt was torn from Phomen's hands. Catching the lightsaber in his hand as he landed, Wraith quickly rushed forward towards the disarmed Jedi and activated the blade. Executing one final backflip, Wraith lashed out with his new weapon cut clean through Phomen and severed his body in two, splitting him right up the middle. Landing on his feet, Wraith deactivated the lightsaber in his grip and watched as the two halves of Phomen's body dropped to the floor, feeling quite proud of his expert maneuver. Pausing for a moment, Wraith examined the hilt he now possessed. He looked at it with consideration, thinking about possibilities as hundreds of different scenarios ran through his mind. He had seen the potential for such a thing, watching from a distance as the Jedi used them to lay waste to anything. It was a tool, a weapon and a symbol of power, all in one.

Maybe... just maybe... The Wraith should also carry a lightsaber.

" _One day..._ " He mused before discarding the hilt. He had no time to dream. He had other Jedi to hunt.

* * *

Fulcana stood at a dead end near the end of another access corridor. No doubt this one was used for maintenance purposes as it only lead to the exterior of the complex.

But Fulcana had no intention of fleeing the facility. Not while Wraith was still on the loose. He was a Wookiee, tall and proud, bold and fearless with boundless strength. He would not turn back from a fight. Wraith had killed his friend and he would pay for doing so. Fulcana was a Jedi and Jedi did not take lightly to losing one of their own. With his green lightsaber drawn, Fulcana stood still and waited for his quarry to find him. The clicking sound of metal boots against a metal floor alerted him of his pursuer, drawing nearer and nearer to his position. But Fulcana did not hide, he did not try to obtain the elements of surprise. Instead, the Wookiee aimed for defiance, to show Wraith that he would not fall so easily. The Separatist rounded the corner, red optics burning brightly compared to the dim lighting around them. Facing Fulcana head on, Wraith sized up his newest opponent as the Wookiee held his lightsaber before him and assumed a defensive position.

" _How bold of you Jedi to try and make a stand._ " Wraith mused. " _But, like your Ithorian friend, it will all be in vain._ " Poor Phomen. No doubt Wraith had just finished dealing with him. He would be another Jedi Fulcana would avenge today. Fulcana growled in his native tongue, issuing a challenge to Wraith. Assuming this soldier was incapable of understanding him, the Wookiee expected silence or some remark about being unable to comprehend what he was saying.

The response he received was the exact opposite.

" _If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get._ " Wraith replied. Fulcana was surprised. This Separatist understood Shyriiwook! He growled again in defiance, knowing Wraith understood him this time. Wraith could clearly understand Fulcana wanted a fight and that the Jedi wasn't going to back down. He wanted to avenge his friends, avenge the Clones under his control.

But that was not going to happen. Not today.

" _I hear Wookiees are supposed to be tough._ " Wraith mused, readying himself. " _Let's see how true that is!_ " He growled. Grabbing a stun chip from his belt, Wraith lobbed the projectile at his large foe. The unsuspecting Jedi had no time to react to the small object being hurled towards him, a mistake that would cost him dearly. Despite all the fur, the chip made contact and did its job, zapping the Wookiee with massive amounts of electricity until he was stunned. Wraith charged forward and whipped an explosive disk past the Wookiee, sending it skittering across the ground until it came to a halt. Still being zapped, Fulcana had no time to react as Wraith jumped forward and drop-kicked the Wookiee, sending the beast stumbling back until it stood atop the explosive. The following detonation seared the Wookiee's fur and skin, forcing a guttural roar of pain from Fulcana. Lying on his back, Wraith quickly snapped up both pistols and hit the Jedi with an unrelenting barrage of blaster fire. Fulcana dropped his lightsaber, staggering back as pain hit him from all angles.

Wookiee's were tough, able to take damage that no average being could withstand.

But Wraith could deliver damage _no one_ could withstand.

Jumping back to his feet, Wraith fired a tether from his gauntlet and snared the Wookiee by his robes. Tugging him forward, Wraith holstered both pistols and primed an arm blade. Once he was close enough, Wraith charged forward and slid across the ground on his knees, blade cutting through the left leg and drawing blood. Fulcana roared in pain again as he fell to his knees, blood splattering on the floor. Wraith quickly righted himself, retracted his arm blade and drew his carbine, but not before he attached a trio of explosives to Fulcana's back, snaring the devices within his thick fur with well-placed throws. Fulcana knew something had been stuck to his back and reached around, trying desperately to remove whatever it was. Suddenly, his body was flung forward as a heavy blaster shot from Wraith's rifle slammed into his head. Fulcana roared in pain, but was silenced as Wraith fired again. The Separatist attacked with shot after shot, shooting the Wookiee again and again with heavy blaster rounds until Fulcana could no longer withstand the pain and collapsed. Only then did Wraith reach for his gauntlet and trigger the remote detonation. All three disks activated and exploded simultaneously.

Suffice to say, there wasn't much left of the body.

Fulcana had been reduced to meaty chunks of charred flesh, each coated with burning hair. " _Not so tough._ " Wraith mused, stowing his rifle while admiring the carnage before him. With two Jedi already disposed of, it was time for Wraith to track down his final opponent: the young Rodian. With her demise Gwori would be safe once more, free of intruders and rid of the Republic.

* * *

Ashan found herself in a supply room, filled with crates containing who knew what. She didn't care though, all she cared about was hiding from The Wraith. Tucking herself behind a particularly large stack, Ashan sat alone and afraid in the open room, just waiting for her inevitable doom to arrive.

She had never been afraid before, of anything. But seeing her Master get brutally ripped apart like that... that instilled a whole new set of fears in her.

Alone and uncertain of what to do, Ashan sat in silence as she contemplated the fact that she might die. She wasn't very old, probably no older than Ahsoka was. Ashan considered finding her, wondering for a fleeting moment if maybe the two Padawan seems might be able to stand against Wraith together.

But if her Master could be felled so easily... if Apex Company could be destroyed so swiftly... what chance did two young Padawans stand against The Wraith?

Besides, it would be better for at least one of them escape, rather than both of them dying.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the sound of metal boots clicking against the floor echoed in the room. Ashan held her breath, fear consuming her every thought. A tall, menacing shadow slowly rose across the floor next to her as Wraith strode inside. He stopped, unable to see her. Ashan hoped he might look around and then leave, giving her maybe a small chance at surviving this mission.

" _I know you're here, little one._ " She heard him growl. " _Your fellow Jedi are dead. There is no one left but you._ " Master Fulcana and Master Tark were dead? He must've hunted them down first, saving her for last. " _If you surrender to me without a fight, I may consider sparing you._ " Ashan stayed silent, visions of her own Master's death flashing through her mind. Wraith said nothing, scanning the room, searching for any sign of the young Rodian. " _You're in here somewhere. You can't hide from me._ " He growled. Taking another step closer, Ashan instinctively grabbed her lightsaber hilt. " _All you Jedi can do is hide. Fighting me won't do you any good, just ask your Masters. The Tholothian was truly pathetic, hardly what I call a challenge._ " His words tormented Ashan, fuelling her desire to avenge her Master. " _And if a Master is so pathetic, I find it hard to believe a mere Padawan could be any different. That is what you are, isn't it little one? A scared, lonely Padawan... no Master to save you, no Master to turn to for guidance... you're all alone._ " Wraith was taunting her, trying to egg her out of hiding. " _How pathetic. You're not even worth my time._ "

That did it.

Triggering her blue blade, Ashan lept from her hiding place and stood ready to attack Wraith.

"This is for my Master, you monster!" Ashan cried as she charged ahead. Wraith did not move, Ashan hoping he was not expecting such a forward assault.

But that was exactly what he wanted.

Launching a quick roundhouse kick, Wraith knocked Ashan's lightsaber clean out of her grip and sent it clattering across the ground. Landing on his feet, Wraith lept forward and kicked Ashan right in the gut, knocking the wind out of the young Jedi.

It was time to end this.

Wraith delivered a hard left cross, staggering the Jedi further. Drawing his knife, he quickly stabbed Ashan in the chest as she righted herself. The Jedi gasped in pain, but Wraith quickly moved behind her and struck her in the back of the head with his elbow before tearing his knife free from her chest. Quickly drawing his slugthrower, Wraith fired and shot Ashan in the back. The Jedi froze as pain shot up her back, blood beginning to stain her robes as it seeped from the circular wound. Suddenly stepping past her, Wraith plunged his knife back into her chest only to tear it out, turn and fire another slug into her abdomen. More blood stained her robes, gushing from the twin wounds on her chest and seeping from the bullet wounds in her back and front. The Rodian fell to her knees, struggling to breath as the pain took its toll on her mind and body. Slowly dying, Ashan looked up just as Wraith pressed his slugthrower against her forehead.

" _Lights out._ " He rumbled and pulled the trigger. A splatter of blood, skull fragments and brain matter exploded out the back of Ashan's head as the slug ripped through her. The Jedi collapsed in a heap at Wraith's feet, dead before she even hit the ground. Wraith holstered his weapons, pleased by his efforts. He paused to admire the corpse of Ashan. It wasn't nearly as messy as the other three Jedi had been, but still, a dead Jedi sent a pretty powerful message. In this case, it indicated his work had paid off. The Republic operatives were dead, no longer a threat. He had done his job, his duty was complete. The Gwori shipyards were once again safe and secure.

But he did have to wonder... how did they get in here?

* * *

Ahsoka couldn't believe it.

Each and every member of Apex Company, both Jedi and Clones, had been slain by Wraith. And she had seen it all. She witnessed the decimation of Apex Company, she watched in horror as Master Tark was cleaved in two, she gazed in shock as Ashan was viciously executed, she observed with a queasy stomach as Wraith destroyed Master Fulcana and she nearly lost her lunch when she saw him tear apart Master Bast.

All of them, dead and gone. Moments ago they were living, breathing people. She had conversed with them, planned with them, lived with them. And now they were just corpses, scattered throughout this Separatist base.

She was the last one. Ahsoka was the last surviving member of this mission. There was no one to help her take down The Wraith, no one to aid her if she ran into trouble, no one to turn to if she felt scared.

But The Wraith was still here. Still lurking in the shadows of hallways, creeping around the base and just waiting to pounce upon her. She had to get out of here, she needed to head back to Coruscant and tell her Masters about what had happened. The longer she stayed here, frozen in place, the sooner Wraith would find her... and who knows what he might do to her.

She needed to leave. Now.

Ahsoka bolted for the door, not caring about anything else apart from her survival. She sprinted down the hall and into the central room, not pausing to look at the body of Master Bast. Retracing her steps, Ahsoka quickly followed the route the group had taken to get in here, hoping to make it back to the shuttle without getting detected. The took the first left and entered a short corridor that lead to a hallway. A long one, that led directly to the outside. Escape was not far away...

That's when the lights went out.

Ahsoka slid to a halt and instinctively reached for her lightsabers, expecting someone to ambush her in the now blackened corridor. Her thoughts drifted to monster she was alone with. If she couldn't make it back to the shuttle, she would face a very grim fate indeed.

She shuddered as she imagined getting torn apart, like Master Bast had been.

The lights suddenly switched back on, illuminating the hall. Ahsoka could see her exit not far away, just down the hall. Looking behind her, Ahsoka felt a chill shoot up through her spine as she saw someone else in the corridor with her, at the opposite end.

It was Wraith.

He stood still, watching her movements. Gauging her actions and determining his next course of action. She quickly took in his tall and menacing form, body splattered with both Jedi and Clone blood. Wraith's gazed remained fixed on her, his HUD scanning her and indicating her pulse and heartbeat had greatly increased.

She was afraid of him.

Wraith rolled his shoulders, ready to put an end to-

No. He wouldn't. Here, in this moment, Wraith did something he never did. In all of his experience, where quick-thinking and split-second decisions helped him overcome all odds, Wraith did the one thing he had been instructed to never do. While his mind screamed at him to rush in and attack while the advantage was his, Wraith did the exact opposite.

He hesitated.

His eyes drunk in her lithe form, memorizing every curve and feature. Her orange skin, her striped montrals, her bright blue eyes that radiated fear... a very fine form indeed. She was the only member of this raiding party left. The last of those sent to apprehend him. He wouldn't kill her... interrogate her maybe, but not kill her.

" _Come here, little one._ " He growled and began walking towards her at a slow pace. Without a second thought, Ahsoka turned and bolted towards the exit, fear driving her to escape and escape now! Seeing her retreat Wraith broke into a sprint, hoping to chase down Ahsoka before she could leave. Ahsoka quickly boosted her agility through the Force, acting on instinct. She looked over her shoulder to see Wraith closing in on her, growing larger and larger as he closed the gap between them. Thinking quickly, Ahsoka reached out with the Force and triggered the nearest door control. Wraith was almost directly behind her, Ahsoka could practically feel his mechanized breathing. Hopefully a narrow escape would cut him off, and one of these doors was bound to do the trick. A pair of doors a few feet in front of her started to close and Ahsoka sprinted with everything she had. With the Force fuelling her stamina, delivering such longevity even Wraith wasn't capable of, Ahsoka charged forward and lept through the narrow opening just before the doors closed behind her.

Wraith himself slammed into them, creating a sizeable dent and dislocating his shoulder in the process.

With a pained growl, Wraith forced his shoulder back into place and examined the doors before him. There was no way he could cut through them and there was also no way they would open, now that they had been forced out of place by such a sizeable dent. He could try to pry them open and fit himself through. But by the time he accomplished that, there would be no doubt that Ahsoka would be long gone, having used this as a means to buy her time as she fled from him.

No matter. Perhaps this was a better outcome. Someone needed to tell the Republic of their failure here. It might as well be her.

Fourteen Republic operatives had entered the complex... and only one escaped to tell of the utter defeat that had befallen them.

Wraith returned to the central surveillance hub and Overseer Juhm immediately took note of his blood splattered appearance.

"I... I take it your defence was a success?" He wondered.

" _Indeed it was._ " Wraith replied. " _The Republic has been dealt with, they will not bother you any more tonight._ " He reported. Juhm breathed a sigh of relief.

"On that note, our scans have detected a shuttle leaving the atmosphere." The Muun reported. Wraith assumed that had to be the shuttle Ahsoka was using to leave the planet. "Should I activate our air defences?" Juhm wondered. Wraith shook his head.

" _No need. Let them go. I want the Republic to hear a first-hand account of their failure._ " He stated. Juhm nodded and turned back to the console.

"Well, since all is quiet, I must personally thank you for your efforts here today. You have done us a huge favour by repulsing the invaders and I am forever indebted to you Wraith." Wraith slowly nodded and crossed his arms.

" _Perhaps, Overseer, you can repay me with that tour I asked for earlier._ " He replied, still hoping to get even a glimpse of the frigates under construction. With a smile Juhm lead him out of the hub.

"After what you've done for me today, it's the least I can do for you."

* * *

 _Back on Coruscant..._

Obi-Wan Kenobi was concerned.

Not long ago, Ahsoka had sent him an emergency transmission and explained that the mission was a failure. The shuttle was on its way back immediately, but she did not indicate the status of Apex Company. Concerned for the wellbeing of all those involved, Obi-Wan quickly informed both Master Windu and Chancellor Palpatine of this recent development. The three men now stood waiting on a landing pad, anticipating the arrival of what they assumed would be Ahsoka and the remnants of Apex Company.

"Ahsoka didn't say much in her transmission, did she?" Mace commented to Obi-Wan.

"All she told me was that the mission was a failure." His fellow Jedi replied. "I'm assuming this means great trouble has befallen Apex Company."

"Perhaps we could look on the bright side of things, Master Jedi," Palpatine interjected, trying to be hopeful, "maybe The Wraith has been injured and was forced to retreat. Perhaps the casualties aren't nearly as bad as we think they could be."

"With all due respect, Chancellor," Mace responded, "considering what became of Anakin Skywalker after his encounter, I'm beginning to anticipate the worst if it involves The Wraith." Palpatine fell silent, knowing the Jedi was right but still hoping for some good news. The arrival of the shuttle drew their attention upwards as the specially designed craft landed before them. The engines powered down and the exit ramp extended from the now open access door, revealing a lone figure within the shuttle.

"Ahsoka!" Obi-Wan cried as the young Togruta staggered out, noting how she looked shaken and traumatized.

He also noted she was the only one to exit the craft.

Obi-Wan rushed to her side, fearing she might fall. But she managed to maintain her balance... barely. "What happened? Where is Apex Company?" He asked her. Ahsoka looked like she was in shock. She stared blankly off into the distance, absorbed by her thoughts.

Obi-Wan had no idea the horrors she had witnessed just hours ago.

"It... It was... horrible..." she whispered. "Master Fulcana was reduced to... n-nothing! Master Bast had her spine torn out, Master Tark was ripped in half a-a-and Ashan was... was..." Ahsoka couldn't say anymore as she collapsed to her knees, Obi-Wan was by her side in an instant. "And the Clones... by the Force, those poor Clones." She trembled, hands shaking as she remembered watching the security footage, seeing blood and limbs fly, innards be blasted apart and bodies torn open. "They never stood a chance!" She exclaimed. She turned to look at Palpatine and Master Windu. "You said they were supposed to be the best... but he killed them. He killed all of them without e-even thinking!" She told them. "He's a monster..." Ahsoka fell silent, flashbacks of the murders she had witness quickly shot through her mind. Obi-Wan turned back to Mace and Palpatine.

"She's been traumatized." He quietly stated.

"Dear me... whatever happened? How could we fail?" Palpatine wondered. Mace remained silent, but the understanding that Wraith had brutally executed several members of the Jedi Order did not sit well with him.

Savagery was one thing... carnage was another...

"Out of everything, e-everything I've ever seen during the Clone Wars... Such c-carnage... a blatant d-disregard for life..." Ahsoka mumbled, starting to grow lost in her recollections once more. Obi-Wan slowly helped her up.

"You need to rest. Come, we'll talk about this later." He gently told her as he began to escort Ahsoka away from the shuttle. Mace excused himself and moved to follow his fellow Jedi. As Palpatine watched them leave, he began to think. If even a unit engineered to eliminate deadly threats could be destroyed, if the Jedi's own Chosen One could be destroyed... was there truly anything that could stand against The Wraith?

This development, although he was aware of it, had progressed far beyond his initial predictions. This super-soldier was becoming more and more of a threat to Palpatine's ultimate plan. The potential consequences of this Wraith's activities could result in upsetting the entirety of Palpatine's massive scheme...

And this could not stand.

It appeared Palpatine himself would have to take action in order to secure his plans. Obviously, intervention would be required on behalf of Darth Sidious... and a communication paid to Count Dooku as soon as possible.

* * *

 _Elsewhere..._

Count Dooku sat alone in his quarters, meditating in quiet and undisturbed silence. Events had been progressing well as of late, Wraith's actions had been spearheading Separatist advances throughout the galaxy and had also helped in securing the complete loyalty of several systems. His most recent report concerning the events of Gwori was equally positive. A Republic strikeforce had been cut down and eradicated by him alone, preventing the possibility of sabotage and loss of the valuable shipyards.

It was his own master: Darth Sidious.

"Darth Tyrannus." The Sith Lord addressed him.

"Master." Dooku bowed in reverance. "How may I serve you?"

"I have been observing the recent actions of The Wraith... and I am growing concerned."

"What troubles you, Master?"

"The fact that one man is capable of beating the most powerful Jedi to a bloody pulp." Sidious replied, a notable edge to his voice. "If he could do such a thing to someone who wields the Light Side of the Force, then he could just as easily defeat someone who controls the Dark Side."

"If I understand correctly, my lord, you are concerned whether Wraith will turn against us?"

"Beating Anakin Skywalker has proved to be a major blow against the Republic, but I have no doubt it has also boosted Wrath's ego tenfold. There would be nothing to stop him if he turned against us."

"I see. Such thoughts had not crossed my mind."

"You have been blinded by his skill, my apprentice. You put too much faith in one man." Sidious reprimanded him. "Keep me appraised of his work."

"It shall be done, Master." Dooku replied as Sidious disappeared from view.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Shoutout to SAK-96 for the idea of Sidious' thoughts on Wraith! Another shoutout to everybody who answered my challenge at the end of Chapter 12. I have a boatload of new ideas to play with, thanks to you all!**

 **Until my next posting, Merry Christmas everybody!**


	28. Scipio's Log 155

**Author's Note: Any of you see The Last Jedi yet? I'm hearing a mix of good and bad things about it. Here's hoping it's more than just a rehash of Empire Strikes Back...**

* * *

Scipio's Log: Entry 155 - A most frightful encounter

" _When Count Dooku took us to Serenno, I had very little idea of what to expect. But what took place on that world, suffice to say, was perhaps the most harrowing thing I have ever witnessed. I have been sworn to secrecy, so I cannot elaborate on everything that happened, especially not within one of my logs that are apparently so widely read by fellow scientists._

" _But I have to say, to see my creation endure so much, to see The Wraith pushed to his absolute limit... I had my doubts more than once about his survival. But it appeared he managed to prevail, thinking his way through the situation rather than trying to strong-arm his way out of it._

" _In the end I'm not quite sure what to make of it all. Was it a test? A show of force? A lesson in discipline? A short, sharp reminder as to who's in charge? The answer may forever elude me. But I do know this: if any one ever doubted Wraith's capacity or his unrelenting loyalty to the Separatist cause, this instance shall prove once and for all that he is one of us._

" _There has never been a more staunch ally of the CIS. Wraith will never turn against us."_

End of Log


	29. Know Your Place

**Author's Note: Just wanted to say I really appreciate** _ **all**_ **the feedback you guys give me. Really. I do. I know this story isn't for everybody, but for those who enjoy it, thank you for your continual support. This will be the last chapter for a while as another semester begins, but with luck I'll be able to post either when I'm on break or have some stuff to debut once all is said and done. Now, allow me to introduce... Darth Sidious.**

* * *

Chapter 14: Know Your Place

Location: Serenno

"Any hierarchy is designed by those at the top."

Alone in his private sanctum, Count Dooku knelt before a holographic render of his Master, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Dooku was feeling particularly wary on this occasion as the matter at hand was the well being and functionality of his now preferred soldier: The Wraith. Pomel Scipio had recently contacted him with some rather troubling news concerning Wraith's psyche and his recent actions on Gwori.

"You are wise to inform me of this development, my apprentice." Sidious growled. While his face remained hooded and cloaked in shadow, the Sith could still command a very terrifying presence. "As you see, my concerns about Wraith have proven true."

"It pains me to hear of such ill tidings, but I thought it best you be aware of this matter." Dooku replied. "I too find it troubling that he would seemingly fall for a Jedi."

"As Jedi can be swayed to the Dark Side, so can a Separatist fall for the light." Sidious replied. "We must take immediate action to ensure such a powerful weapon does not fall into Republic hands. It would be the demise of the Separatists if The Wraith were to switch sides." Dooku nodded, knowing his master also understood the gravity of such a situation. Sidious was the true founder of the Separatist, the de facto leader with power even greater than Count Dooku. While the Council often sought Dooku out for leadership, it was Sidious who was the true master of the CIS. This union of businessmen had him to thank for the spawning of such a galactic movement, the ultimate engine of change that would force the Republic to accept them lest they be destroyed. Dooku trusted his master greatly, knowing whatever he did was for the betterment and survival of the Separatist Alliance.

But, unbeknownst to Count Dooku, Darth Sidious had his own agenda in mind.

The Sith Lord saw the Separatists as a means to an end, a simple pathway for him to establish a new empire that ruled the galaxy. He did not care a great deal for the movement as he let on, only wishing to use them as a means to achieve his own objectives. But this plan was a secret, known only by Sidious. And his plans were at risk as long as people like The Wraith were around to keep the Separatists functional instead of disposable.

Whether he knew it or not, Wraith was becoming a problem.

Right now, Sidious was playing the dangerous game of ensuring his ultimate plan did not fail while also maintaining a posture that sought to protect the CIS at all costs. If he failed to keep this appearance for even a moment, perhaps even his own apprentice would turn on him. "I sense The Wraith is growing proud of his accomplishments. Such pride can lead to feelings of entitlement, something that if he does not receive from the Separatists, he may very well seek out the Republic." Sidious grimly mused. While Dooku thought the notion of Wraith joining the Separatists to be ill founded and impossible, the notion still existed. "These feelings must be forcefully put out of Wraith, he must be reminded of his place as a servant of the cause." The Sith Lord determined. "If we do not, I fear we may permanently lose him to his own selfish ambitions."

"But what must we do?" Dooku wondered, not wanting to lose such a valuable asset. "Surely Wraith can be corrected."

"And if he cannot... then we must remove him from the equation altogether." Sidious replied. Dooku nodded in understanding. "Have the Pau'un doctor and Wraith meet us on Serenno. I will see to Wraith's... rehabilitation, personally." Dooku noted the threatening edge to his master's voice when he said 'rehabilitation' but also understood that he would do whatever it took to ensure results were made.

"As you command, my Master." Dooku replied with a bow as Sidious ended the communication. Straightening up, Dooku moved to contact Pomel Scipio and invite both him and The Wraith to one of Dooku's hideouts on his homeworld of Serenno. As he did so, the count quietly hoped that the actions of his master would not completely drive The Wraith from their service.

He knew Darth Sidious was capable of being a little... extreme at times.

* * *

 _The other day..._

 _Scipio was finishing Wraith's debrief of the events of Gwori, making several notes on his ability to adapt under stressful circumstances. However, one issue kept bugging the doctor as he reviewed the footage from Wraith's helmet again and again, specifically one particular moment near the end of his encounter._

" _He hesitates." Scipio mused. "He should be riding the adrenaline high from having butchered several Jedi and Clones... but he hesitates when he sees her." Scipio sat back, rubbing his chin as the moment replayed on the screens before him again. "This doesn't make any sense. He's never hesitated before." When the issue first appeared, the doctor found it to be simply odd and a little out of character for Wraith. But as he continued to watch the moment over and over again, he began to grow concerned._

 _Wraith was acting contradictory to how he should be._

 _Rising from his seat Scipio retrieved several of his earlier logs from the testing phases of the Sunstorm serum, determined to figure out once and for all why Wraith would act so contrary to character in this moment. The doctor poured over his notes and calculations, scanning over the results of countless tests performed while the boy was a youth. Scipio mentally performed calculations based upon notes he'd jotted down on the serum's functionality, how it was supposed to interact with specific areas of the brain and how it would affect certain personality elements. All of them indicated that Wraith should not have hesitated in that moment. Scipio was growing more and more concerned with each set of notes he studied. Wraith had always performed as expected, even surpassing initial calculations but always providing desired results._

 _This behavior demanded an explanation._

" _Wraith, I need to speak with you. Come and find me in the briefing room." Scipio called over his personal communication system. Sitting back in his chair, the Pau'un finished the debrief and turned back to his notes, wanting to be absolutely certain of the situation he was facing. The sound of heavy metal footwear clunking down the hall indicated the arrival of his creation._

" _You summoned me, Doc?" Wraith asked, announcing his presence. "Is it another mission?" He asked, hopeful._

" _No, no. I'm just finishing some reports on your last mission and I needed to speak with you about a... discrepancy I have discovered." Scipio explained. Wraith cocked his head, wondering if his equipment were malfunctioning. "Tell me, and be perfectly honest," Scipio continued, "how did it feel to eradicate such a task force like this?"_

" _As always, I take great pleasure in destroying Republic operatives." Wraith plainly stated._

" _So... the Clones. How did you feel when you destroyed them?" Scipio asked, trying to break things down so he could build up to his big question. Wraith's response was quick._

" _I enjoy the rush of battle. But Clones are almost too easy sometimes. I often wish they would put up a fight." He explained. "In a way, that encounter was... fun. I enjoy any opportunity to spill Clone blood, watching it stain their pristine white armor."_

" _So you enjoyed yourself." Scipio mused. "And the Jedi? How did you feel when you killed them?" Wraith took a little longer to respond this time._

" _I felt... empowered. The Jedi are a symbol of strength and power to the Republic. My killing them makes that symbol crumble, proving my superiority over even the likes of them. If I can fell a Jedi... then who can't I fell?"_

" _I see." Scipio turned back to the screen before him and paused the recording, right when Wraith's gaze was fixated on Ahsoka. "Then tell me, if you killed the Jedi in order to prove your superiority, why didn't you kill her?" He asked, pointing to the screen. "The apprentice of Skywalker?" Wraith paused as his gaze was drawn towards the image on the screen. A familiar pulse began to beat within him, the same one that started once he realized that Ahsoka was the only Jedi still alive, left alone with him. The soldier quickly gathered his thoughts and planned out a logical explanation._

" _I did not realize she had accompanied them. I only realized her presence moments after I killed that Rodian, when it occurred to me that someone had to have knocked out the security hub. I came across her moments later and decided to make use of some fear tactics to make my presence known."_

" _That doesn't explain why you didn't kill her." Scipio interjected._

" _I had planned to interrogate her, to find out how the Republic managed to get in and glean whatever information I could from her." Wraith replied, believing his explanation would be satisfactory. Instead, Scipio arched an eyebrow._

" _If you wanted to interrogate someone, why not capture one of the other Jedi?" He questioned. Wraith suddenly realized he had been caught in a predicament. He had chosen his course of action only upon realizing Ahsoka's presence and after he had taken a... tactical analysis of her body. In the end, Wraith did not want to harm such an exotic creature, not when he could get up close and personal with her in an interrogation._

 _He realized now that his hormones had guided this decision, not his mind. He first realized it back on Tibrin, but now every time he had thought of or seen the adolescent Togruta that was Ahsoka Tano, Wraith couldn't help but feel... something. He wasn't quite sure if it was her presence or her appearance, but he was determined to keep this a secret until a later time when he could reveal his feelings on his terms. Wraith quickly began to devise a very believable excuse to cover up the warming sensation he felt whenever he saw Ahsoka._

" _Because... I did not think of that plan until I saw her." He stated. Scipio arched his eyebrow again as he noted the odd pause in Wraith's sentence._

" _So upon discovering Ahsoka's presence, you chose to capture her instead of kill her." Scipio replied, restating Wraith's responses. "Killing her never once crossed your mind..." he noted._

" _It did." Wraith quickly replied. "But I chose not to." Scipio instantly stood up._

" _You turned down the chance to kill a Jedi?!" He exclaimed. "You worry me, my boy."_

" _Why? What have I done?" Wraith quickly responded._

" _I'm afraid there is something about this Ahsoka that has bewitched you." Scipio gravely responding, staring straight into Wraith's optics._

" _That's absurd!" Wraith declared. "The last person to ever control me would be a Jedi. Have you not rendered me immune to their mind tricks?" He replied, trying to deflect Scipio's train of thought._

" _I have, but this is not a matter of control." Scipio replied. "It is matter of coherent, logical thought." Wraith was hesitant to reply. The doctor was clearly on to him. "What if you were to encounter the Twi'lek master, Aayla Secura?" Scipio asked him as he turned and started to pace around the room. "She is a Rutian Twi'lek and there is a very good reason why they are commonly sold as pleasure slaves. Or what of the other Togruta, Shaak Ti? She has been considered to be the finest example of her species... and no doubt very distracting. If you were to encounter either of them, would you hesitate as well?"_

" _I would cut them down without hesitation!" Wraith quickly replied, balling his hands into fists. He had seen what those other Jedi looked like, neither of them got his heart racing quite like Ahsoka did._

" _Of course. You never hesitate when it comes to attacking Jedi, but with her you did." Scipio continued. "Now tell me why. Let me hear it from your own voice!" He commanded, staring very intently at his creation, wishing his helmet were capable of conveying emotion._

" _I was... simply caught off-guard." Wraith stated. "That is why. I adapted to the change in the situation."_

" _Something that should've taken you mere milliseconds, not a full thirty seconds!" Scipio countered, raising his voice. "That's very unlike you, Wraith. Under any normal circumstances you don't get caught 'off-guard', nor do you take so long to 'adapt'." Letting his words sink in, creator and creation stared each other down as a tense silence filled the air. Finally, Scipio broke it with another question. "If you truly wanted to capture her for interrogation, then why didn't you slow her down? You have a plethora of anti-personnel weapons you could've used in any capacity to bring her down before she escaped through those doors. But you didn't!" Scipio crossed his arms behind his back. "Well?" He felt like he was interrogating his creation. But Wraith was acting very peculiar, so much unlike every previous interaction they had shared. Scipio continued to wait, expecting an answer._

 _But Wraith chose to remain silent._

 _An answer finally came to Scipio as he recalled studying activity in connection with emotional patterns. "By the stars," he gaped, "you didn't want to hurt her."_

" _A wounded prisoner is less likely to talk." Wraith coolly countered. But Scipio would have none of it. Deeming Wraith's mind as having wandered too far from his original personality, the doctor began walking towards the exit._

" _Come with me." He ordered._

" _Where are we going?" Wraith asked, curious as to the odd move as he turned to follow._

" _I think you are due for a reconditioning session." The Pau'un replied. Wraith grabbed the doctor's arm and spun him around to face him._

" _I assure you doctor, I am fine!" He firmly stated._

" _Are you? Are you truly fine?" Scipio retorted. "You may say you're 'fine', but all it takes is for one young Togruta to worm her way into your mind and the next thing I know my own creation is fighting against me!"_

" _You speak foolishness!" Wraith growled. "I would never betray the Separatists!"_

" _Then why do you refuse a reconditioning session? Are you afraid it will override your desires for this Ahsoka?" Scipio snapped at him. Pausing to control his rising anger, Wraith stepped very close to Scipio until the two of them were merely inches away from each other, the soldier being forced to stare down at the Pau'un. The doctor could almost see the narrowed eyes of his creation behind those red optics as he gazed up at Wraith's armored helm._

" _Because that program is designed to ensure I do not forget Separatist values. It ensures I remain fully committed to the cause, fine-tuning my brain so I am one with Separatist doctrine." Wraith replied. "And I am one with Separatist doctrine. Not once have I questioned the cause and not once have I defied it." The stare down continued as Wraith formed his next sentence. "Is it so wrong for me to think like a man once in a while? Is it so wrong for me to allow red-blooded desire to invade my thoughts?" Wraith questioned. "I am, after all, human." Scipio's eyes narrowed as the Pau'un let his soldier's words settle._

 _He dared to say such things?_

" _But you are more than just 'human'," Scipio growled, "you are a relentless killing machine! The perfect weapon, the perfect soldier, and I will not allow my creation be tainted by his sexual attraction to a common Togruta!" He yelled. His voice echoed throughout the room as Wraith and Scipio maintained eye contact for a few more moments before Wraith turned to leave, pushing past the doctor as he did. He left the room behind him, the clicking of his boots against the floor growing fainter and fainter as Scipio remained where he stood. The Pau'un took a breath as his emotions evened out and his thoughts quickly began to form a logical conclusion. It appeared Wraith's thoughts were growing erratic and beyond the normal parameters originally intended. Perhaps his string of prestigious victories had resulted in such an influx of abnormal behavior, or maybe it truly was his infatuation with this Ahsoka that had resulted in such thoughts and feelings. Regardless, Scipio knew that this could not stand. Wraith's mind needed to be cleansed and returned to his normal, calculated-Separatist-warrior-self._

 _He quickly determined that he needed to take action, something had to be done to corral Wraith's rampant thoughts. And his first decision was to pay a communication to Count Dooku..._

* * *

 _Present day, in the Serenno system..._

Scipio mulled over his heated exchange of words with Wraith over and over again as the two sat in silence aboard Wraith's personal shuttle. After speaking with Count Dooku the previous day and relaying his growing concerns, the count had contacted them later on and instructed them both to come to Serenno. He did not reveal why though and both of them dutifully agreed to do so without question, remembering the last time they had acted against Dooku's will. determined there was something wrong with his mind. As much as he would have preferred to do this in the isolation of their secret base and with a simple reconditioning session, Wraith was in no mood for such activities and Scipio lacked the strength to force him into one. His hope was that, whatever Count Dooku's plan was, it would be enough to fix Wraith's mentality. The doctor wished to never have another conversation like that with Wraith ever again.

Wraith's thoughts lay in the secrecy surrounding this venture. With Scipio revealing very little to him and Count Dooku not even explaining his reasoning for summoning them, Wraith could only hope that some dangerous mission of grave importance was being assigned to him. Ever since he had successfully defended himself on Gwori, Wraith was beginning to think highly of himself and his skills. The so-called 'best' of the Republic had been easily slaughtered by him and the Jedi stood no match for his skills. He thought little of his 'argument' with Scipio the other day and had hoped that such a display of power would help him to rise through the ranks of the Separatists.

Ultimately, his one true goal was to further the Separatist cause. But now, he wanted to play a bigger part in it. With such a vast amount of examples to prove himself, Wraith could only hope this trip to Count Dooku's homeworld was to honour him and perhaps promote him to a position of high standing among the members of the CIS.

" _Coming up on Serenno._ " Wraith reported as they exited hyperspace. The streaks of starlight around them slowed to pinpoints on the black canvas of space as their destination suddenly came into view. A massive fleet of Separatist cruisers met them as their shuttle passed by, headed for Count Dooku's palace on the world below. " _Really gotta wonder what Dooku has in store for us._ " He absentmindedly mused.

"If anything, my boy, it will be more for you than for me." Scipio quietly replied.

" _I kind of hope so._ " Wraith chuckled in response, deciding to keep his thoughts to himself. " _The last time you were the subject of Dooku's attention, you were getting choked._ " He quipped. Scipio made no reply as he remembered the occasion on which he had disobeyed Dooku and sent Wraith on an unsanctioned assassination mission to Mandalore.

He hoped similar treatment would not befall Wraith.

Scipio believed harsh treatment would only prove to push Wraith away, hardening his already contradictory will. He thought it best to take Wraith by surprise and fix him subconsciously, without using any forms of brute force.

There was a growing sense of unease within him as the two approached Serenno. One that would not be quelled any time soon.

Serenno proved to be a very lush world, sporting great forests, tall mountains and rolling grass plains. Wraith found it appropriate that a world of such natural beauty should be such a stronghold for the Separatist Alliance. In comparison with the grossly overpopulated Coruscant, Serenno appeared to be quite tranquil and serene. Their destination lay in the form of Count Dooku's cliff-side palace. Scipio was aware that Dooku had been heir to a massive fortune and his family history was long and respected. In fact, Dooku was the head of one of Serenno's Great Houses, making him something of a local celebrity. No doubt Dooku made the most of this, using his famous charisma, wealth and legacy to become a figurehead of the Separatists. The shuttle flew to the back of the palace and set down on a landing pad where Count Dooku was waiting. The two departed the shuttle side by side and were met by Dooku at the bottom of the landing ramp. The Count stood tall with his hands behind his back, an even and unreadable expression across his face. The scientist and soldier bowed respectfully.

"We came as soon as we could, my lord." Scipio informed him.

"Your promptness is to be commended. You are as obedient as you are efficient." Dooku replied. Wraith took this as high praise, a compliment from Count Dooku was certainly something to bask in.

" _You are too kind, sir._ " Wraith replied as he and Scipio stood up. Dooku motioned for them to follow him inside the palace. Together, the group walked down a long ornate path, past rows of gardens and obelisk statues on their way to the entry of the palace.

"You have a most exquisite home, my lord." Scipio noted, his gaze captivated by the design of everything around him. "Your taste is most pristine."

"Thank you doctor." Dooku replied with a nod of his head. "And what about you Wraith? How do you feel about my humble abode?"

" _I'm more used to battlefields and flat gray walls. But this is rather... pleasant._ " The soldier mused, taking in the sights around him. He certainly approved of such fine tastes. " _Gotta admit, sir, you do know how to live._ "

"Often times, traveling from world to world on business wearies me. There aren't very many worlds aligned with the Separatists that share the same beauty Serenno does. I'm glad I can always come home to such a place." Dooku stated. Wraith found it interesting that his superior, and supreme leader, had such tastes or even possessed such thoughts and feelings. Wraith had always dealt with 'business' Dooku. To see such a different side of him was a most striking contrast indeed.

It just went to show that not all monsters lacked humanity.

The trio entered the palace, Dooku and Scipio pausing to let their eyes adjust to the lack of light while Wraith's optics automatically recalibrated. The Count led his two guests down a nearby stairwell that revealed a long corridor full of different access doors. After a quick scan of the structural design in comparison with the rest of the palace, Wraith had to guess this was some sort of private cellar or maintenance hub. No doubt the place required systems for water, heating, ventilation, electricity and the like. But Wraith still had to wonder why he and Scipio were in the bowels of the palace instead of in one of the main rooms.

Whatever the Sith Lord was planning, Wraith was beginning to feel concerned about his current situation.

Dooku led them down the corridor and through the last door on the left. Wraith and Scipio were suddenly aware of the openness of this apparent meeting room. Both guests had to wonder what kind of meetings took place down here. It was Wraith who gave voice to their queries.

" _Out of curiosity, my lord, why are we down here?_ " He wondered. " _I don't doubt you have some uses for it, but I never took you for the kind to bring guests to your basement._ " Dooku turned to him with a rather calm gaze.

"Trust me, my dear soldier, all will be made clear in due time." He replied. There was something in his voice. Some hidden element of knowing about what was to come that sent a chill through Wraith. He had not felt this before. This sense of unease mixed with wariness and mistrust. Something was clearly in the works and was being withheld from him. Without raising much suspicion, Wraith steeled himself for any kind of nasty surprise that might be waiting for him.

But what was waiting for them, was something most unexpected.

Off to the right, near the back of the room, stood a figure cloaked in a robe. A hood was hung over their head and their back was turned to them, concealing their identity. Both Wraith and Scipio immediately felt uneasy and uncertain about this individual and paused near the entrance to the door as Dooku continued further into the room, approaching the robed figure. About mid-way between his guests, the count turned and began to make introductions.

"Wraith, Doctor Scipio, this is my master and the supreme leader of Separatist Alliance: Darth Sidious." Sidious. Both Wraith and Scipio were relatively aware that Dooku reported to a higher power. But to see such a figure in person was truly... terrifying. The lone fact that someone had more power than Count Dooku was enough to rattle both Wraith and Scipio.

And that name. That villainous-sounding, fear-inducing name. Scipio was incapable of stopping the shiver that shot through his spine. Wraith himself felt even more on edge than he already had been.

Unless this 'Sidious' could prove himself a true friend, there was simply something about this Sith Lord that Wraith found... unnerving.

At the mention of his name, the cloaked figure turned around to reveal crimson robes beneath a crimson hood and deep blue shoulder cape. Golden clasps held his robe together and his large hood obscured his face, revealing only a human mouth and jaw.

"Ah... the young soldier I've heard so much about." Sidious greeted them. Scipio immediately dropped to one knee, as did Wraith, and bowed before the mighty Sith.

"Forgive us, my liege. We were unaware Lord Dooku was going to introduce us to you." Pomel quickly replied. "We are honored by your presence."

"Rise." Sidious commanded as he continued to regard them. They immediately did so. "And the honor is mine. To meet such a famed Separatist hero and his ingenious creator." The Sith began walking towards them, feet obscured by his long-hanging robe. "Your exploits are becoming renown throughout the galaxy, Wraith. As is your power over the Jedi." Sidious seemed to spit that last word, as though it were something vile he wished to get off his tongue.

" _You flatter me, your lordship._ " Wraith replied. " _I live to serve the Separatists._ " He quickly stated, not quite knowing what to say. That was certainly a first. Sidious seemed to dwell on his words as he walked around the tall soldier, his hooded head only reaching Wraith's chin.

"Yes... Yes you do serve, as you have been trained to do." Sidious noted. "But my apprentice tells me your thoughts have been rather contradictory as of late." His words sent a jolt of fear through Wraith's mind before he quickly quelled it.

" _I do not understand._ " Sidious turned to face the soldier's back.

"Of course you do. You know exactly of what I speak." Sidious growled. "Through the Force I can see your mind and all your thoughts. You are an open book to me." The Sith hissed. "You know I speak of your growing affections for a certain young Togruta... the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker!"

" _And what of them?_ " Wraith responded with little thought to his words. It seemed his conversation with Scipio was about to repeat itself. " _Am I not allowed to feel such things?_ "

"And why should you?" Sidious wondered, moving back around to his front. "You said it yourself, you live to serve... so why should a servant feel anything for his enemy?" Wraith said nothing. His blood-red gaze followed Sidious' every move, tracking him thoroughly with unseen eyes. "I would've liked to offer you some advice in avoiding any sort of feelings for our hated enemies. But it seems you are already enticed with _her_." Sidious growled. "I can see she fills many of your thoughts."

" _While you are in my head, may you also see how dedicated I am to the cause. There is nothing that could ever sway me from the Separatists... I'd rather die than join the Republic!_ " Wraith firmly declared.

"Is that so?" Sidious mused, walking a short distance away from the pair. "Is that really what you think?"

" _Yes it is. I think there is nothing that could ever come between me and my loyalty to those I serve._ "

"Than you should also know that a servant thinks only when he is told to!" Sidious growled as he whipped around and promptly blasted Wraith with a burst of Force lightning. Wraith was knocked away from Scipio and slammed into the door frame behind him. The Pau'un was thoroughly startled by the sudden action. He looked to Sidious with a surprised and fearful gaze.

"M-My Lord?" He stammered, half-wondering if he would be next.

"You would be wise to join Count Dooku off to the side, Doctor." Sidious told him as he strode forward. "This is between myself and The Wraith." The final growl that left Sidious mouth indicated this was no suggestion but a command. Pomel promptly did as he was told and hurriedly joined Count Dooku off to the corner of the room.

"My lord, with all due respect," Scipio addressed the old man, "you said nothing about your master assaulting my creation!"

"Perhaps it is for the best, Pomel." Dooku replied. It was seldom he ever used Scipio's first name. "Admittedly, I am worried about the well being of your soldier after this... lesson. But perhaps, since Wraith seems to understand violence quite well, maybe violence is the only way to correct his thoughts." He mused. Scipio said nothing more and turned back to the growing fight.

Summoning the Force, Sidious lifted Wraith from the ground with a single outstretched hand and threw his body across the room. Wraith slammed into the wall before dropping to the ground, landing on all fours. The disoriented and stunned soldier, quickly began to process things. He knew that unnerving feeling about Sidious was for a good reason. He should have listened to his instincts!

Sidious was out to attack him.

"A good servant does not think about himself, but only about fulfilling the wishes of of his superiors." Sidious stated as he stalked towards the downed Wraith. "It appears that I need to remind you of this."

" _And you need to be reminded of how I gained my name!_ " Wraith growled as he rose to a crouch, drawing a blaster and opening fire on the Sith. But Sidious simply raised his hands and summoned a Force barrier to deflect each and every shot. Wraith ceased firing as soon as he realized his efforts were futile and Sidious took the opportunity to use the Force to wrench the weapon out of Wraith's hands and send it skittering across the floor. Sidious shook his head disapprovingly.

"A good servant would never turn on his master." He stated.

" _So that's what this is about? 'Educating' me on how to kneel even further?_ " Wraith wondered.

"From what I understand, Count Dooku tells me your exploits have gone to your head, inflating your pride with such victories which in turn has led you to think very highly of yourself." Sidious stated as he allowed Wraith to rise up. "And I am here to put you back in your place!" The Sith Lord declared as he sudden grabbed Wraith with the Force. Throwing his body up to the roof like that of a rag doll, Sidious promptly flung Wraith back across the room and sent him slamming into another wall, close to Scipio and Count Dooku. The Sith Lord chuckled as he calmly began to stride over to his victim, showing no visible signs of exhaustion or tiredness. Scipio and Dooku watched on as Wraith picked himself up with a groan. He knew his body could handle such duress, but never before had he ever encountered the Force so unleashed like this. It surprised him that not even the Jedi had tried it on him before. He smacked his helmet as a single, glitchy warning flashed across his HUD, indicating his recent tumble had knocked something loose. Scipio's gaze turned back to Sidious and swallowed nervously as the Sith Lord approached his creation. "Tell me Doctor, do you fear for your creation's life?" Sidious questioned, not even glancing at the Pau'un.

"To be... perfectly honest, my lord, I am a little concerned." Scipio nervously replied. "I... I-I hope his wounds will heal quickly." He added. Sidious briefly chuckled.

"That depends on how much discipline your creation requires." He replied. Scipio understood that Sidious would not stop until Wraith willing submitted, something that was not built into his nature.

"Um, my boy," Pomel quickly called to the rising Wraith, "perhaps you had better heed Darth Sidious' words." He informed him, hoping to try and get him off without further injury.

" _You know what, Doc?_ " Wraith responded. " _I think Lord Sidious simply wants a demonstration of what I'm capable of._ " His words sent pangs of worry ripping through Scipio's body. That was not what he wanted to hear. " _He's heard the stories, now he wants to see for himself. I had to prove myself to Dooku, the Separatist Council... and now, to him-_ " Sidious' harsh laugh suddenly interrupted Wraith's reply.

"You arrogant fool!" He growled. "I care not for your abilities, only for your unwavering loyalty! Something you have yet to show me!" Wraith clenched his fists as Sidious flexed his hands. "With the Force on my side, you are nothing more to me than a speck of dust! Your power pales in comparison to mine." Sidious informed him.

" _Then why haven't you destroyed the Jedi already?_ " Wraith shot back. Sidious' mouth curled into a snarl.

"Foolish slave!" The Sith reprimanded him as he simultaneously thrust both of his arms forward. Summoning the Force, Wraith suddenly felt his throat grow restricted as his airway was cut off by what felt like a pair of invisible hands. Scipio and Dooku watched, both with growing worry, as Wraith choked and gasped, desperate for air that was simply no longer there. Sidious growled as he increased his strength through the Force, intent on driving Wraith to his breaking point. "Must I also teach you respect?"

This was how bad servants were disciplined: by being thoroughly reminded as to who had power over them.

The crushing grip on his neck drove Wraith to his knees, air ripped from his lungs as Sidious choked the soldier mercilessly. But as his body was deprived of oxygen, Wraith's mind snapped into overdrive and he suddenly realized that this situation could be averted by a process of mind over matter. He began to focus, trying to override his body's instinctive need to take in oxygen.

Suddenly, much to Sidious' surprise, Wraith ceased to struggle and also ceased to breath. Further surprising the Sith Lord, and the two observers, Wraith stood up and raised himself to full height to stare down the Sith Lord.

"What is this?" Sidious wondered, moments before Wraith lunged forward and kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying backwards. As he landed on his feet, Wraith heaved his shoulders and breathed deeply. He glanced over to Scipio, who now bore a more relieved look.

" _Can't choke what's not there._ " Wraith growled. " _As long as my body struggled for oxygen, I couldn't function. By holding what little breath I had left, I managed to gain some clarity._ " He explained to Scipio, and by consequence Darth Sidious.

"An intriguing victory." The master Sith Lord mused as he climbed to his feet. "For the moment I will ignore the fact you struck me."

" _I can strike more than once._ " Wraith stated, clearly unfazed by Sidious' desire to 'discipline' him.

"I see you are a proud servant. One who is in dire need of correction." Sidious mused. "Which means I must take more extreme measures." His statement was punctuated by the twin sounds of two lightsabers being ignited. Wraith quickly realized Sidious possessed two lightsabers moments before the Sith Lord leapt into the air and came barreling down towards the soldier with a roar. Wraith barely had time to raise his arms in defense just as both blades came down hard on his gauntlets. Sidious proceeded to strike again, attacking rapidly without mercy as he strove to crush Wraith's guard with a display of overwhelming power. Pushed back by the crimson tornado that was Sidious' lightsabers, Wraith stumbled away and managed to trigger his arm blades. A split second later, Sidious came rushing towards him only to clash with Wraith's extended weaponry. The unbreakable phrik would, hopefully, be Wraith's greatest ally in this fight. It's unique properties, granting it an immunity to lightsaber attacks, meant that Wraith would be able to achieve a comeback if he timed his strikes just right... and if he could catch a break.

Because right now, Sidious had no intention of letting up his assault.

Wraith did his best to parry the Sith Lord's strikes, hoping to put him off balance so he could move in and finish this. But Sidious was proving too skillful and simply too much for Wraith to simply strike when an opening presented itself. Whatever the history of this Sith, Wraith had to guess it involved eons of becoming immersed in the art of combat and the ways of the Force.

"Am I too much for you?" Sidious cackled as he ground his blades against Wraith's.

" _I never surrender._ " The soldier promptly stated.

"Such prideful arrogance." The Sith noted in reply. Pulling back, Sidious paused to allow Wraith a moment. A moment the soldier took full advantage of. Wraith charged forward and dove in, ready to hack and slash at Sidious' lightsabers until they were extinguished.

But to his utter surprise, Sidious deactivated his weapons and allowed them to float in the air, suspended in place by the Force. Stretching out his hands, now curled into claws, Sidious shocked Wraith with a relentless torrent of Force lightning. The bolts of supernatural energy blasted him back and pinned him to a wall, detaining the soldier once more. The tech incorporated into Wraith's armor fizzled and shorted out, deactivating many of Wraith's essential weapons. But the short-circuiting devices zapped Wraith as well, sending double the pain shooting through his body as lightning shocked him and tech burned him. Wraith roared in pain as he dropped from the wall and fell to his hands and knees, lightning rippling across his body. His HUD grew filled with static, glitchy warnings of impending electrical overload flashing before his vision. But at last, Sidious ceased the electrical barrage and watched as Wraith's body heaved for air, gasping and panting from the duress of a thousand high-voltage shocks. Smoke wafted upwards from his now steaming body, sparks erupting from his gauntlets as his blades forcibly retracted themselves. Everything was running amok as Wraith fought to control his equipment, trying in vain to re-establish the powerful presence he once possessed. Scipio watched fearfully as his creation looked up, optics blinking between bright red and dull crimson as they tried to recalibrate. Wraith tried to summon his throwing knives, but the controls wouldn't respond. He tried to launch an explosive disc into his hand, but all he received was a burst of sparks. "You didn't need those anyway." Sidious mused as his lightsaber hilts disappeared within the sleeves of his robe. Wraith said nothing, struggling to rise.

" _So what do I need?_ " He wondered, coughing as he recovered from the harsh electrocution.

"A simple reminder... that you serve and are not to be served." Sidious growled. "Your arrogance has led you to this moment. But it will take you no further."

" _Me? Arrogant?_ " Wraith finally acknowledged the phrase Sidious had been using to describe him. " _What I am is proven. A proven method to finally put an end to the Republic!_ " He exclaimed. Darth Sidious took note of Wraith's choice of words.

"Your reconditioning seems acceptable." He mused. "But it must be furthered so that you fully comprehend your place." Sidious promptly shocked Wraith with another burst of lightning. The force of the strike was enough to throw Wraith off his feet and knock him down. "You will submit to me!" Sidious growled, hands held dangerously before him as lightning rippled between his fingers.

" _Give me a good reason!_ " Wraith retorted. His response was met with another electric shock.

"Go ahead and be stubborn," Sidious growled with a toothy smile, "I can keep this up as long as I please!" He cackled before more bolts leapt from his fingertips. Wraith writhed on the ground, finding himself weakened and incapable of rising. No matter how hard he tried to fight back all it earned him was more lightning and more pain. Growling as he suffered, Wraith hated himself for being so weak.

And who was this Sith Lord?

For being an ally, he sure was acting like an enemy. Wraith would have no difficulty opposing him any time soon. But, given his incredible power, how long could Wraith last against him? "You serve the Separatists! You are a servant!" Sidious snarled. "Submit to your master!" The punishing effects of Force lightning could be felt through Wraith's entire body. It frustrated him to know there was someone stronger than him. He was supposed to be the best, the deadliest warrior in the galaxy! And now he was being bested by a so-called ally, the master of his superior! "You will know your place!" Sidious thundered. With one final roar of frustration, Wraith ceased to struggle. Seeing his lack of movement, Sidious relented and allowed his lightning to dissipate. Smoke rose from Wraith's steaming body, his jacket thoroughly blackened by scorch marks. His helmet sparked and his optics had grown dim, no longer as blazing red as they had once been. His gauntlets fizzled as intricate circuitry short-circuited, completely fried by the unrelenting voltage. Scipio and Dooku looked on, visibly worried.

"Is he...?" The Pau'un wondered aloud, not daring to finish his sentence.

"If he is, Doctor, there is always Operation: Legacy." Sidious replied. But a grumbling sound from Wraith filled Scipio with relief as Sidious turned back to his victim. Groaning in pain and seemingly defeated, Wraith's head rolled from side to side as he tried to find the strength to rise.

" _...TtThaAt... hrk... That hur-t... bzk..._ " Wraith managed to say as his voice modulator filled his words with static. With another groan he forced his left arm over his body in an attempt to roll over.

"Impressive," Sidious mused, "you are clearly no average man. Even the most seasoned of Jedi would've have succumbed by now." Wraith was proving far more resilient and far tougher than anyone Sidious had ever encountered, not the Jedi or even his own apprentices had ever endure such an onslaught. Wraith said nothing as he rolled onto his stomach, finding a small amount of resolve that encouraged him to at least push himself to his knees.

He had to wonder if this is what Skywalker felt like when he was beating him.

"Have you come to your senses?" Sidious asked him. "Or will your pride continue to sustain this rebellious spirit?" Wraith did not reply. Setting one hand against the wall, armor thoroughly tarnished, Wraith weakly pushed himself to his feet. It was a feat that took much effort as each movement left Wraith panting for breath. Struggling against his pain-wracked body, Wraith managed to stand... albeit not very high. Bent over from pain and exhaustion, he certainly did not look like the formidable foe that the Republic had faced. Not anymore. "I take your silent stance as a 'no'." Sidious mused, sounding disappointed. But his mood changed very abruptly. "Have it your way!" He snarled. Stretching out his hands, the Sith Lord began to slowly curl his hands into fists. Wraith doubled over further as his body felt suddenly constricted. The groaning of stressed metal alerted Wraith to his situation: Sidious was crushing him with his own armor! Wraith growled as the armor of his jacket grew tighter, cracking his ribs as the pressure grew. His arms felt like they were reaching the breaking point as his gauntlets squeezed his flesh. He could feel the circulation in his legs being cut off as his armored boots grew far too tight. Even his helmet began to groan as Force-based duress began to crush it, squeezing its already form-fitting size around his head. Wraith had to act fast, or else he wouldn't be able to act at all!

What in the galaxy was wrong with Sidious?! For someone who wanted to 'discipline' him, he certainly acted more like he wanted to kill him.

A fight-or-flight response kicking in, natural instinct told Wraith he needed to do whatever it took to survive. Pain he could handle. But with the way Sidious was acting, he could very well be crushed to death.

He needed to escape this hold... now!

Fighting against the Force, Wraith managed to draw one of his knives as he began to enact a plan. Upon his arrival to this room, he took note of a single light that was large enough to brighten the room.

It would be the perfect distraction.

"Are you trying to stab me?" Sidious asked, mocking the absurd move. "I could snap your arm with a single thought before you even reached me!" But that was not Wraith's intention. Had Sidious been more focused on reading Wraith's mind than he was crushing him, he would've seen Wraith's plan and known how to counter it.

But seeing as he was otherwise occupied with more sadistic measures, he failed to do so.

Briefly wresting control of his left arm from the Force, Wraith pitched his knife into the light-source, shattering the bulb and plunging the room into darkness. Sidious released his hold on Wraith and looked about the blackness. Scipio and Dooku were just as surprised by the sudden move. The clinking of metal against metal resounded in the quiet room, prompting Sidious to spur his need to see.

"Dooku, bring me light!" He commanded.

"At once, Master." Dooku replied as he summoned the Force to trigger backup lights mounted along the walls of the room. It took a moment for the power to kick in and the lights quickly warmed up and bathed the room in a darker, emergency glow.

And once their eyes had adjusted, a startling surprise awaited them.

Wraith had discarded much of his attire.

His jacket, boots, gauntlets, belt, everything armored had been removed from his body, preventing Sidious from gaining any more leverage over him. But what surprised them most was even Wraith's helmet and face mask lay on the ground. Dooku looked up and saw Wraith clad in only a formfitting shirt and combat pants. While mostly obscured by the low lighting, the true face of The Wraith had been partially revealed to him. Having never seen his true form before, Dooku was quite surprised. Scipio was equally surprised as he had never seen his creation take such measures before. But given the circumstances, he was doing whatever he could to survive. While Scipio was normally quite proud of seeing such instinctive planning, he feared the path Wraith had chosen would only result in more dire consequences for him. Darth Sidious suddenly realized that Wraith had purposefully distracted them in order to discard the armor he was using to crush him.

A rather ingenious move. But another display of a very rebellious spirit. One not befitting a loyal subject.

Wraith himself was feeling grateful for the less-constricting confines of his armor, but was a little worried about how exposed he was. The adrenaline rush from the near-death experience had restored much of his stamina but he felt very vulnerable outside of his all-encompassing armor.

"I think you might've gone too far with that move, Lord Sidious." He stated, his voice clear and strong without the synthetic modulation. "Discipline is supposed to be corrective pain... not killer."

"You would lecture me?" Sidious replied with a venomous edge in his words. "In your state of disadvantage, you would persist in telling me what to do?" The effort was almost astonishing. _No one_ had ever done such things before.

Despite his mission to correct Wraith, Sidious couldn't help but find himself pleased with the soldier he was dealing with. He truly was a remarkable creation... one that was still in need of correction. The Sith Lord fell silent as he weighed the situation before him. He guessed this was Wraith's last effort at surviving before he had run out of ideas. With no tech, weapons or armor to aid him, Wraith stood alone against the dark power that flowed through Sidious. "Perhaps I have been a fool." The Sith Lord mused as he stretched out his hand. "I should've immediately taken the direct approach." Summoning the Force, Sidious forced Wraith to his knees, a supernatural power holding him in place. Expecting another onslaught of lightning, Wraith braced for the incoming pain.

But none came.

Sidious instead walked before the kneeling soldier, hand still outstretched. "You will submit to me." He plainly stated before gasping Wraith's skull in his grip. He could feel thick hair beneath his hand, evidence that Wraith was no droid.

Suddenly, bursts of lightning erupted from his hand as Sidious tapped directly into the soldier's mind. Wraith growled in agony as pain worse than a splitting headache pierced his body. "You live to serve the Separatist cause." Sidious declared.

"I... I..." Wraith could feel words forming in his head as the Force overwhelmed his natural functions and literally forced him to submit. "I serve the Separatist cause." He repeated in a strained voice.

"You seek to fulfill the will of my masters." Sidious continued.

"I seek to fulfill the will of my masters." Wraith repeated, gasping for breath.

"You do nothing of your own accord."

"I do nothing of my own accord."

"You are a servant to the cause."

"I am a servant to the cause." The flawless repetition caused a smirk to grow on Sidious' face. Wraith had finally submitted. But there was one last statement that needed to be heard, one that would cement his dominance over the willpower of The Wraith.

"You feel nothing for Ahsoka Tano." He stated.

But this time, Wraith did not immediately respond.

The soldier struggled to speak. Incoherent words formed on his tongue and came out sounding like gasps and growls.

"I... I-I..." He managed to say. But still the desired phrase went unspoken. Sidious frowned and increased his lightning, covering Wraith's head with painful bolts.

"You feel nothing for Ahsoka Tano!" Sidious firmly repeated, summoning the Force to demand Wraith repeat the phrase and drive every last ounce of rebellion out of him.

"I... I feel... nothing..." Wraith began to say but struggled to do so. Sidious waited patiently for him to finish. "I feel nothing... for the... apprentice... of Skywalker." Wraith stated after much effort. Sidious growled as he realized it was not what he had said.

"Say it!" He roared, blasting Wraith with Force lightning. "Say her name!" He commanded him. Wraith screamed as the bolts of lightning went straight to his brain.

"I FEEL NOTHING FOR AHSOKA TANO!" He cried.

Suddenly, all at once, the lightning ceased. His mind was his once more and the invasive presence vanished. Wraith fell to his hands, gasping for air as Sidious took a step back as if he were admiring his work.

"You will do all that we ask. Understood?" Sidious waited for Wraith to reply, anticipating expected results from his dose of 'reconditioning'.

"Yes... Master." Wraith replied between pants. Sidious smiled once again.

"Very good soldier. You have proven yourself to me." He calmly stated. "Now you see that when you do as I ask, all will be well."

"Yes Master." Wraith nodded in understanding.

"Good, good." Sidious muttered, satisfied. He turned back to the two others in the room. "Doctor, you may see to your creation. Dooku, a moment of your time." He instructed, beckoning his apprentice to join him. Both did as they were told. Scipio rushed over to his downed creation.

"Can you hear me, my boy? How do you feel?" He asked, trying to assess the damage.

"Like hell." Wraith grumbled before collapsing to the floor.

"Take it easy, no sudden movements." Scipio instructed him. "Your body has been engineered to handle great strain... but you may have reached your limit."

"I'll say." Wraith coughed. Scipio proceeded to examine Wraith's bruised and battered body with his hands and eyes, looking for any problematic issues that required his immediate attention. Fortunately, apart from bone fractures and electrical burns, nothing major had come to the surface. The two were joined by Dooku moments later.

"My master wishes you well on your endeavors Wraith and would like to congratulate you, Scipio, on your prestigious achievement in creating the perfect soldier. Lord Sidious was impressed by what skills he witnessed." The Count informed them.

"With all due respect sir, I'm not entirely in the mood for compliments right now." Scipio admitted with a sigh.

"I can't say that I blame you. It appears you have your work cut out for you." Dooku replied with a nod. Pausing to examine the face of The Wraith, Dooku was rather surprised by what he saw. For a bloodthirsty warrior whose very name was a harbinger of defeat and spelled death for all who attacked him, his looks were certainly not that of a gruff, veteran soldier. "So that's what he looks like under the helmet." Dooku mused. "I didn't think he looked so... youthful."

"A side effect of the serum I'd say." Scipio off-handedly replied, mind otherwise occupied by what he deemed to be more important matters. "If I could trouble you a little further, my lord, you wouldn't happen to have a medical bay nearby, would you?" He inquired.

* * *

 _Later that night, on Coruscant..._

Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine sat alone in his office on Coruscant. The night sky over the city provided a brilliant backdrop to the innumerable lights provided by the cityscape behind him. Alone with his thoughts, the Chancellor reflected on his discoveries and actions made that day... and his very up-close encounter with The Wraith.

For Chancellor Palpatine was in fact Darth Sidious, the evil and diabolical genius behind the likes of Count Dooku and the Separatists.

Palpatine was a quiet but cunning man, very capable of using his words to persuade others to follow his plans. But in action, he could be very swift and use whatever means were at hand to save his plans from failure or to bring about correction where needed.

Such was the nature of his meeting with The Wraith. For such a brilliant creation, capable of many remarkable feats, the only limitations upon him were put there by Palpatine himself. For without them Wraith would be no different than a mercenary.

Well, there was one difference: Wraith had been engineered to be perfect. And he seemingly knew this.

Palpatine desired control over all aspects of his plans. The Separatists were part of a much bigger plan, a plan that ended with the triumphal return of the Sith, the complete destruction of the Jedi and his total rule over the entire galaxy.

But the presence of The Wraith could very well change his plans.

He had a vision for his rule to be widespread, a galactic empire where his word was law. But with a self-enabled, mentally strong and bold-spirited soldier in his reality, Wraith could eventually challenge him and maybe even overthrow him, as long as he wasn't kept in check.

Palpatine's primary concern was with those who were strong in the Force, those capable of matching his wits and strength and proving able to overcome even his power. But despite his lack of connection to the Force, Wraith was swiftly becoming one of those threats.

That was why Palpatine needed to deal with him. He acted under the guise he was correcting Wraith's feelings for Ahsoka Tano and bringing him to heel. But in reality, he was ensuring Wraith would be his loyal subject... someone who could be counted on to never turn against him. But if Wraith's rebellious spirit continued, Palpatine may have no choice but to put an end to him. As much as he did not like having to waste such resources... he would be left with few other options. If Wraith continued to act on his own and pursue his own ambitions, ambitions that could interfere with Palpatine's master plan, then he would have to be destroyed. Palpatine knew Wraith despised Anakin Skywalker, seeking to do-in the powerful Jedi Knight whenever he got the chance. But if Wraith so much as expressed the potential to kill this Jedi... well... he would soon find himself on death's door instead.

Shifting focus, Palaptine leaned back in his chair as he began to explore different possibilities of having a loyal soldier like Wraith by his side. With a little more 'discipline' and some continued efforts in reigning him in, Wraith could be one of his most powerful allies.

Yes... He could see it now... 'Emperor Palpatine', flanked by his apprentice, the 'Chosen One', and his bodyguard, The Wraith. Such a triune force of immense power would never be challenged.

Perhaps Wraith would not have to die. Perhaps, as long as he served obediently, he could be further trained to become a great asset.

But if he possessed any visions of grandeur, visions that resulted in the death of the one Jedi Palpatine was secretly grooming for his service, then The Wraith would have to be killed.

Palpatine made a note to update the orders of the Office of the Chancellor. Powering up a datapad, the Chancellor quickly jotted down what would become his newest order... should push come to shove, of course.

"Order 151: The immediate elimination of the Separatist commando designated 'The Wraith'. All Republic Grand Army units are to pursue said commando and target with extreme prejudice." He read aloud. It sounded good, it sounded proper for a direct order coming from his office. Palpatine nodded as he reread the words in his mind. "Just in case." He mused.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Shoutout again to SAK-96 for the idea that evolved into this chapter! And until next time, may the Force be with you all!**


	30. Scipio's Log 334197

Scipio's Log 3341.97 - Thoughts on the practicality of select weapon prototypes

" _I'm going to divert my thoughts for a moment to discuss some other details. It appears some fellow scientists within the Techno Union have been avidly listening to my logs and wish to hear my voice on other matters. How do they hear them? I continually post them to the organization's Foremen for observational purposes. They are reports without all the paperwork._

" _My topic of choice today is the pursuits of our machinery departments. The Techno Union continuously works to give the CIS a considerable technological advantage over the Republic. Some of these projects eventually manifest on the battlefield. I quite fondly remember the design process of the Defoliator before it came to be atop an AAT body of all things! Ha! Good times! But today I will focus on the practicality of more handheld weapons._

" _There are two primary issues that come to mind when considering the deployment of such prototype projects. The first, being entirely in my opinion, the usefulness of these weapons truly depends on the bearer. You could have a state-of-the-art plasma emitter and give it to an utter incompetent who completely and utterly fails to harness it's full potential. Now if you were to equip, say... the prototype NAS Slugrepeater on a B2 series droid, the results may be more effective. Or perhaps we equip our tanks with X-Series Rotary Turrets instead of simple cannons, then the execution works out as well._

" _The second issue is the level of complexity of these prototype weapons. There is a thin line between 'advanced' and 'outlandish' and it is very important that line is not crossed. Take, for example, the G-6 Thunderer. While the potential is there, the current design and science behind the weapon is far from complete, resulting in a waste of time and resources. No one, droid or man, would be capable of hefting such a weapon over their shoulder! The weight and machinery used to empower the thermal core is simply too much for one man or droid alone, yet this project is filed under 'personnel weapons'. It would be better suited as a replacement for the AAT main battery, or better yet, mounted on a set of legs like the J-1 Proton Cannon._

" _Suffice to say, I believe that there is room for prototype weapons, as long as the science, time and resources allotted to them are done so based upon practicality and effectiveness. I am not against all prototype weaponry, but I am against the improper use and construction of it. It is a waste of time and resources that will not benefit anyone in any way._

 _..._

" _Hm... I wonder what would happen if Wraith were to carry an X-Series Rotary Turret... Something to consider another time I suppose..."_

End of Log


	31. Tools of the Trade

**Author's Note: Well, I found some spare time and managed to type this up. Shoutout once again to SAK-96 for an idea that was too good to ignore!**

 **Need some feedback from you all, so I've posted a poll on my profile page. Go over there and vote... once you've finished reading this, of course! :)**

* * *

-Chapter 15: Tools of the Trade-

Location: Cono

"What doesn't kill you will only strengthen your resolve."

 _Pain. Unrelenting, sharp and sudden. It collided with him again and again, striking fiercely and mercilessly. It shot through his arms as metal crushed his bones. It filled his neck as his throat grew constricted, choked by an invisible assailant. It consumed his body as he was shocked by lightning. Pain and agony drove him to his knees as the battle ended and his emotions settled._

 _For the first time ever... he felt afraid._

 _Fear and confusion filled his mind. Never before had he faced someone so powerful, someone with enough strength to bruise him and crush him without breaking a sweat. He felt fear as he realized there was someone stronger than him, someone who wanted a servant and a slave... not a soldier._

 _But this assailant was supposed to be an ally of some kind. The highest authority to which he was supposed to submit to... but was also torturing him. What kind of ally was this? What kind of leader was this?_

 _In the corner of his gaze stood Count Dooku and an unknown Pau'un, dressed in a plain gray jacket and black boots. They did nothing to aid him, adding to his fear. They simply stood by and watched as this scene played out before them._

 _The pain came again, searing and unrelenting. It attacked his mind without hesitation, driving him to his breaking point. It was rewriting his mind, changing how he thought, turning him into the servant he was supposed to be. It built his confusion. Why was he enduring this? Why did he have to suffer this? Each command that was ingrained into his mind, forcibly branded there like with a hot iron, changed him a little more... it forced him to forget certain aspects of himself and gain new, unknown ones their place, confusing him further._

 _Then came a most startling and unexpected command._

" _You feel nothing for Ahsoka Tano!" A voice growled. His gaze looked up to reveal a hooded individual, showing only the lower jaw of man with a mouth full of crooked teeth curled into a snarl. The sight of this man was chilling and the command he issued sent another pang of fear surging through his mind._

 _He didn't want to forget her. He needed to remember her, wanted to always remember her._

 _He fought against the command as best he could, summoning the last ounces of his mental fortitude from the depths of his confused and pain-addled mind. He tried to circumvent it, to avoid it, to get out of saying it. But an onslaught of lightning drove him over the edge, forcing him to scream out the declaration in one final attempt to end his suffering._

" _I FEEL NOTHING FOR AHSOKA TANO!"_

Ahsoka awoke with a start, gasping for air and covered with a sheen of sweat. She was alone in her quarters at the Jedi Temple and had once been fast asleep in her bed.

Until this vision erupted in her mind.

Ahsoka had seen visions before, visions that helped her prevent the assassination of Senator Amidala. But this was something else entirely. She appeared to be witnessing something as it was happening. She didn't know where it was but a few faint clues indicated through whom she was witnessing this.

The scattered armor laying across the ground, the forgotten dark blue jacket bearing a proud Separatist emblem... and the telltale helmet discarded to one side.

It had to be... it had to be The Wraith.

"But why?" Ahsoka wondered out loud. Why indeed. Why was she witnessing this apparent torture of The Wraith? And through his eyes?

But another, darker question appeared as she recalled her vision.

"Who was that Sith?" She wondered. The amount of power he radiated was enormous. He appeared to be very strong in the Dark Side of the Force, especially if he was capable of throwing Wraith around like a rag doll and crushing him like a piece of plastic.

She didn't even think that Wraith could be hurt.

Under normal circumstances she would've been glad to see that monster suffer, to experience such harsh pain like he had inflicted on her Master. But the amount of fear and confusion she felt in his mind made Ahsoka feel... sorry for him. Like his suffering was unjust and was simply for the sport of whomever this Sith Lord was.

If Count Dooku, who had greatly supported Wraith during the fight on Tibrin, was confined to the sidelines to simply observe such a beating... this Sith Lord had to be really powerful.

Ahsoka moved to a seated position, resting her feet on the floor of her room. Rubbing her face, she wondered what she ought to do about such an occurrence.

Perhaps it would be best to go and speak with Master Yoda about this... or better yet, bring the matter before the whole Jedi Council. Given their deep concern over the presence of The Wraith, especially after he had beaten down Anakin, maybe they should know about this.

Especially this Sith Lord.

Shaking the last few ounces of sleep from her pajama-clad body, Ahsoka rose to get dressed and go before the Jedi Council.

* * *

As Sidious bombarded Wrath's mind with the Force, an unintended consequence came about as the result of the Sith Lord's forced effort to cleanse Wraith's mind of any and all feeling for Ahsoka Tano. In his pain-ridden state, Wraith accidentally reached out to the young Togruta with his mind. While he did not possess the Force, the combination of his mentality with Sidious' Force-based torture resulted in something neither of them would ever know about... the creation of a vision. A vision Ahsoka experienced as she slept that night while Wraith was enduring his brutal 'reconditioning'. The solider had no idea Ahsoka had witnessed his pain and agony and suffering at the hands of Darth Sidious, he didn't even realize what was happening through the Force.

The power he mocked and thought so little of was proving to be more powerful with every encounter he had with it.

Little did Wraith know that he had also accidentally revealed something incredible to the young Jedi he'd grown so fond of: the identity of the second Sith Lord.

With the vision still fresh in her mind, Ahsoka walked through the now silent halls of the Jedi Temple towards the council chamber on the uppermost floor. Flashes from her vision shot through her mind, forcing her to remember the massive amounts of fear and the unbearable amounts of pain. She found it hard to believe that someone could endure so much and found it even harder to believe someone could be so heartless.

After witnessing Anakin's beating, she didn't think it was possible for anyone else to be so cruel and violent. Apparently it was.

Arriving at the entrance to the Council chamber, Ahsoka paused as she thought about what she would say to them... and how she would even introduce this revelation to them. This was something of a first for her, to witness things from the enemy's perspective, and she had to wonder if there was anything she should leave out in an effort to stay on topic.

Should she even be here? Should she wait until morning?

Ahsoka began to quickly go over the details of her vision, hoping to be as quick and precise as possible so she didn't take up too much of the Council's time.

The sound of Shaak Ti calling her name snapped Ahsoka from her reminiscing, remembering that fellow Jedi could sense her presence. Almost sheepishly, Ahsoka slipped into the Council chamber and appeared in full view before the entire Jedi Council.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Masters," she began, "but... there's something I need to tell you." Many of the Masters cocked their heads in curiosity or leaned in, wondering as to what she had to say.

Only Master Yoda had an idea.

"Troubled your mind is." The wise old Grand Master stated, reading her through the Force. "Seen something you have." His report drew a few more curious glances from the other members of the Council. Ahsoka nodded.

"I... I had a vision." She told them.

"What was in it?" Obi-Wan inquired. Ahsoka took a deep breath as she began to relate what she had viewed in her nightmarish revelation.

"I saw The Wraith... he was being tortured by a Sith Lord. Not Count Dooku." She started. Mentioning those first few details, she could see many of the Council members visibly stiffen and bear looks of concern. "I could feel his fear and his pain. He was confused and trying to figure out why this was happening to him." She continued. "He... He was afraid of this Sith Lord, whoever it was. A-And I thought that, if The Wraith is afraid of someone, maybe the Council should know about it." She explained. Several members nodded as they digested the information she had presented.

"You were wise to bring this before us, Padawan Tano." Mace Windu praised her. "But I sense you witnessed something else... something you haven't told us." Ahsoka quickly searched her mind, trying to think of some detail she could've possibly over-

Oh. Well... there was _that_ one thing...

"It... It appears the Sith Lord was trying to cleanse Wraith's mind..." she nervously replied, feeling very hesitant to disclose the information. Her feelings were quite obvious to the other elder Jedi.

"It's alright Padawan," fellow Togruta Shaak Ti reassured her, "you can tell us." Ahsoka nodded in understanding and took a deep breath.

"A-Apparently... Wraith has, er-well _had_ , feelings... for me." She admitted. "The Sith Lord forced him to feel nothing for me... he was using the Force to change his mind, like he was re-writing it." This information both puzzled and created grave concern among the Jedi Masters.

"How curious." Master Mundi simply stated. "The Wraith feels emotion. Perhaps he is not the droid some of us once thought him to be."

"And yet to feel something for a Jedi... something so very contrary to how he acts towards the rest of us." Aayla added, being something of an expert on affection. Being a Twi'lek (and a near flawless one in terms of physique) meant she had earned the gazes of more than a few men over the course of her time as a Jedi. She was well aware many men were capable of lusting after a female Jedi, despite their disconnect from physical pleasure in any form.

"Masters, I didn't try to do anything to encourage this! I swear!" Ahsoka quickly moved to defend herself, thinking they might deem her responsible for Wraith's feelings.

"We believe you Ahsoka." Shaak calmed her. "But you are an adolescent Togruta, on the cusp of becoming an adult. Your body is maturing and as a result you may attract a few more stares than you might like... evidently The Wraith is included in that category."

"Ew." Ahsoka shuddered, feeling suddenly disgusted by the idea that Wraith might've thought about her in _that_ way. "Trust me Master Ti, I _do not_ reciprocate his affection." Ahsoka firmly replied.

"That is good to hear." Mace nodded, pleased Ahsoka was keeping the Jedi Code. Being the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker, the Master Jedi sometimes had his doubts about what the Chosen One was teaching his apprentice. Master Yoda spoke next.

"See this vision, I would like to." He calmly told Ahsoka. "Recall it for us, can you?"

"I'm really seeing only bits and pieces Master." Ahsoka admitted. "It was all so sudden and it was over so quickly."

"Help you, we can." The Grand Master stated. Turning to his fellow Jedi, Yoda instructed them to reach out to Ahsoka through the Force. Closing their eyes, the Jedi focused as Ahsoka did her part to recall the vision.

By working together, the brief moment was recalled in full and the entire Council was able to witness what Ahsoka had seen. Once the vision had ended, the Council slowly returned to reality.

"It is troubling to see a Sith Lord of such power." Plo Koon mused. "And that there is someone capable of subjecting even The Wraith."

"I agree." Obi-Wan agreed, feeling a little bewildered by the revelation. Shaak Ti said nothing but was deeply perturbed by the fact that Wraith, the bloodthirsty and cold-hearted monster, felt something for Ahsoka.

Force knew that couldn't possibly end well.

The other Jedi nodded, realizing that such information needed immediate attention... no matter how late it was.

"For bringing this to us, thank you, we do." Yoda thanked Ahsoka on behalf of the others. Ahsoka nodded and took that as her que to be dismissed.

"Ahsoka." Mace called after her. "Be very careful around The Wraith. Given that he appears to have some level of attraction towards you, it would be wise if you avoided any solo encounter with him. We don't want him acting upon any kind of desire." Ahsoka nodded in understanding, but a shiver shot through her spine as she momentarily wondered as to what Wraith might do if he ever managed to get his hands on her.

The thought was creepy at best.

"I will, Master Windu."

* * *

 _Days later..._

It had been several days since Wraith destroyed the Republic's Apex Company and the super-soldier was looking forward to his next assignment, eagerly anticipating another opportunity to put an end to a Republic force.

That is, until his encounter with the Master Sith Lord known as Darth Sidious.

Ever since Sidious had made an effort to influence his thoughts, Wraith had been silent and solemn. Instead of his usual, pumped-up self, Wraith walked around the base at a slow and deliberate pace. He trained and studied with a machine-like quality, leaving Scipio to wonder what exactly Darth Sidious had done to his mind. No longer did his creation freely speak his mind and he appeared to be deeply bothered by something. But Scipio couldn't get a word out of him otherwise.

The Pau'un doctor had a feeling there was only one way to get _his_ Wraith back. And he found it soon enough when a most urgent call came in, straight from the Count of Serenno himself.

Scipio immediately informed Wraith of a new mission of top priority. Wraith had been busy training but quickly made his way to the briefing room where Scipio was waiting with the most intriguing details.

" _They shot down a whatnow?_ " Wraith wondered, finding the information he had just been given rather hard to believe.

"A cargo transport engineered to transport various prototype weapons." Scipio repeated.

" _I was not aware the CIS had such a department._ "

"Oh yes. A special wing of R & D has been devoted to the advancement of Separatist firepower. It's funded and operated by joint Techno Union and Trade Federation scientists and engineers, the perfect combination of manufacturing and brainpower." The Pau'un explained. "An assortment of weaponry was being shipped to a secure testing location, but was intercepted and shot down by a small group of Republic fighters over the world of Cono. Given it was a transport, they stood no chance of surviving a direct assault."

" _How did the Republic know about such a transport?_ " Wraith asked, suspecting someone was listening on Separatist conversations. Scipio's reply was immediate.

"They didn't. It was by happenstance and pure luck that it was discovered. That transport had CIS logos painted all over it, literally screaming 'shoot me' to any passing Republic operative."

" _I'm guessing you want me to go and retrieve the weapons?_ " Wraith wondered.

"As much as I advocated for such measures, Count Dooku says there are simply too many, and too many volatile ones at that, for you to handle on your own." Scipio replied. Wraith cocked his head, now questioning his involvement entirely. "You are to move in advance of the salvage party and secure the crash site, ensure the Republic gets away with nothing. Those weapons are very powerful, Wraith. To have even one of them fall into Republic hands would be an issue."

" _But how do they know what's in that transport? It wasn't specifically identified, was it?_ " Wraith asked, still assuming the worst.

"Far from it." Scipio firmly stated. "But it was actually thanks to your bug on Coruscant that allowed us to intercept a communication from Palpatine to a joint 212th Battalion and 501st Legion task force, ordering them to investigate the crash." Wraith felt a little better, knowing work he had done helped to acquire such information. But the army designations quickly informed him the raiding party would be no joke.

" _Skywalker and Kenobi_." He mused. " _When was this intercepted?_ "

"Roughly ten... maybe fifteen minutes ago." Scipio replied, double checking the time stamp on the data portfolio he had received.

" _Then I'm wasting time. I should go now._ " Wraith replied. " _But first, give me some stats on this planet the transport's wrecked on._ " Scipio nodded and quickly moved to pull up the data on the nearby holotable.

"Cono is an empty, barren world in the Bestine system, located in the Mid-rim territories. It's lifeless, nothing more than a pile of scorched rock." Scipio reported. "The only life forms you'll encounter there is the Republic."

" _So... nothing to worry about?_ " Wraith surmised. Scipio had to arch an eyebrow at Wraith's questioning tone. Usually he thought little of the Republic and welcomed any opportunity where he might slaughter Clones in droves.

"For you, no!" Scipio exclaimed. "The Republic has never stood a chance against you." He turned to face his creation and cocked his head, giving Wraith a quick once-over. "Are you feeling well, my boy?" Wraith did not reply for a few moments, seemingly mulling over his response in his head.

" _I'm just... I just want to make certain I don't bite off more than I can chew. And that I'll be able to do this within the defined perimeters of the mission._ " He finally explained. Scipio was aghast at such words.

"Defined perimeters?! My boy, it will be you alone versus the combined firepower of the Five-Oh-First Legion and Two-Twelfth Battalion, led by a trio of Jedi who are no doubt hungry for revenge after your victories on Tibrin and Gwori. I have no doubt that you will have to improvise at some point!" Since when had Wraith ever thought like this? Usually he'd be spoiling for a chance to wipe out the Republic however he could. Such second-guessing thoughts were not only unnatural for him, but also worrying. However, Scipio believed the best way to get the old Wraith back was to thrust him into a mission the old Wraith would enjoy. "I think what you need is a good fight in order to kick your brain back into gear." Scipio replied, laying a hand on Wraith's shoulder. "You've always impressed us before, there's no need to second-guess yourself now." Wraith nodded in understanding. But the way Sidious had tinkered with his mind had left him feeling a little... insecure. Something that maybe he alone was capable of fixing. "But, before you do," Scipio quickly strode over to a nearby table and returned carrying what appeared to be a new jacket, "this is the exact same design as the one you currently wear, but has been shaded in desert camouflage colours. Perfect to help you blend in with those dusty rocks on Cono." He informed him with a grin.

" _Indeed. Thanks doctor._ " Wraith replied as he pulled off his current blue jacket and put on the brown and sand-shaded replacement. It felt no different from his other one, but still needed to be broken in.

Something this mission to Cono would achieve in full.

"Excellent!" Scipio beamed, crossing his hands behind his back and admiring Wraith's new 'desert camo' look. "Oh! I should inform you, I've been having a little trouble getting your video feed up and running again. Something must've been broken or knocked out during your bout with Darth Sidious. I'm still looking into the problem, but I'll be without visuals for this one." Scipio informed him.

" _Understood._ " Wraith nodded.

"Now, off you go. You've got an army to waylay!"

* * *

 _Earlier, on Coruscant..._

Anakin Skywalker was walking around.

For the first time in a long time, the Jedi Knight was able to stand and move on his own two feet without assistance and without being hindered by any pain. With a slight grin on his face and a bright demeanor, the Jedi Knight strode around the Temple in an effort to stretch his legs and shake up his freshly healed body. For too long had he been stuck in bed after his bloody beating at the hands of The Wraith, now the Chosen One was more than ready to get back into the action he had been missing out on. Many of the Jedi he passed in the halls of the Temple were very pleased to see him, greeting him with a smile, a nod and a few comments on how well he looked. To which his response was something along the lines of "never felt better", as if his bludgeoning was nothing more than an annoyance or phase.

But out of all the Jedi he met, it was Ahsoka and Obi-Wan who were most pleased to see Anakin up and walking.

"Looking good Master!" A very chipper Ahsoka greeted him with a broad smile.

"Thanks Snips. I've never felt better." Anakin replied with an equally broad smile. The Jedi Knight turned and gave Obi-Wan a nod. "Master. You're looking well."

"As are you. I had no doubt you would recover, but it is good to see you milling about with my own two eyes." Obi-Wan mused, crossing his arms and smiling. "Admittedly, you seem to have made a very speedy recovery."

"Nothing a little Force stamina and some Chosen One star power can't fix." Anakin quipped. Both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka rolled their eyes in response.

Suddenly, Anakin's demeanor shifted quite suddenly.

"All this time in bed has made me realize that I need to do whatever I have to when I meet Wraith next." He stated, gaze suddenly shifting into a glare as he remembered the armored assailant that put him in the Halls of Healing in the first place. He turned back to Obi-Wan. "I want a rematch with him. But this time, the outcome is going to be very different." Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure I like your tone." His former Master stated, taking a very strong dislike to Anakin's sudden change of voice. Even Ahsoka was put on edge by his sudden shift. "But, while we're on the subject of enemies, the Chancellor needs us on Cono. Apparently a mysterious freighter bearing Separatist markings has been shot down and want us to investigate the wreckage." Obi-Wan explained. Such was the reason for Anakin walking about. Having been cleared by the Healers, Anakin had been contacted by Obi-Wan and told to join him and Ahsoka on the upcoming mission to Cono, having been instructed by Chancellor Palpatine to investigate. Both Obi-Wan and the Healers had deemed the mission of low threat and therefore acceptable for Anakin to carry out. He may have recovered, but no one wanted him to wear out his body so soon. "No Wraith for you until you're back to maximum capacity." Obi-Wan clearly stated.

"Well, I better get well soon then." Anakin replied with a begrudging nod. "When do we leave?"

* * *

 _On Cono..._

Scipio's intel certainly wasn't wrong, Cono was nothing to look at. From space, all that could be seen were dust clouds and vast empty fields of sand and dirt. The odd rock formation jutted up like an unsightly scar every so often, sometimes resulting in the presence of canyons or buttes.

Still, it was hardly the number one vacation destination.

Given the desolate landscape, it did not take Wraith long to find the wrecked freighter. Small columns of smoke billowed from various spots around the crash site and the dirt had been blackened and scorched from the impact. Landing in a field of rocks and the odd piles of boulders, there was almost no tactical advantage to be found.

Fortunately, Wraith was here first.

Landing his craft near the rear of the wreck, Wraith disembarked the shuttle, pausing to gaze up at the towering remains of the ship as he stood under it's shadow. Surprisingly, the wreck appeared to be in moderately salvageable condition. Slowly making his way around the hulk, Wraith took note of a few holes in the side of the metal behemoth as well as a series of scorch trails marking the hull, no doubt made when the ship entered the atmosphere. Approaching what he assumed to be the bow of the ship, Wraith was met with a pile of twisted metal. The bow had seemingly broken off during the impact and had been crushed into a pile of junk when it crashed.

Wraith had to question the structural integrity of the ship and if such ships should be allowed to carry valuable cargo.

As he stood there, gazing at the piles of indistinguishable scrap, the voice of Scipio came over his comms.

"Well my boy, anything to report?" The doctor inquired. Wraith turned to the skyward facing stern section as he offered his description of the scene.

" _Looks like the engines were shot out. That would explain the angle of impact._ " He stated, noting the damage while he'd circled the wreck in the air. " _A chunk of the bow has been destroyed, probably on impact. It's weird how the whole front half is a scrapyard now, while the stern and body are sticking straight into the air._ " He mused.

"Well, if that's the case, we can probably write off the command deck." Scipio replied, making the logical assumption that the crew had all been killed. "On the bright side, the cargo hold should be just fine. Hopefully it's contents haven't been smashed to bits."

" _Any idea what it was carrying?_ " Wraith wondered as he ventured into the minefield of debris and shorn metal. " _I know you said prototype weapons, but I don't exactly want to walk into a cloud of toxic gases._ "

"Quite right, my boy. I'll pull up a manifest while you get inside." Scipio replied before going silent. Wraith eyed up the raised stern portion from his new angle. Taking into consideration the damage to the ship, Wraith quickly surmised his best point of access was right in front of him.

" _There must be a hole, from when the bow broke off._ " He mused. Kneeling down near what he could only guess was the connection between the stern and the bow, Wraith brushed away dirt and sand until he discovered more twisted metal. Triggering his arm blades, he quickly cut open a small opening which he pried apart to form a larger access hole. " _Yeah, this'll do._ " He muttered before dropping inside. The now dusty and dimly lit corridor was tall enough to accommodate his broad form, but direction both forward and backwards was hampered. Behind him stood a wall of dirt, both impassable and leading nowhere. Before him stood a single door, but with no power would not be opening for him anytime soon.

Good thing Wraith was more than able to work around such variables.

Stepping forward on the slanted floor, Wraith used his brute strength to shove the door open, revealing another hallway. This one had a single light that flickered on and off. " _There must be some power left in this part of the ship. Could be a good thing._ " He mused. Moving forward, Wraith discovered another doorway before him, shaped exactly like the one he had just pried open. " _These must be bulkheads._ " He surmised, taking stock of the size and shape of the entrance before him. " _Guess that means I'm near the cargo hold._ " Brushing off the fact he was starting to speak out loud to no one save himself, Wraith examined the door before him. A single electronic lock kept him from accessing the rest of the ship. Shouldn't be a problem to bypass. Kneeling next to the depowered lock, Wraith pulled a cable from his gauntlet and plugged it underneath the pad. The functions of the lock appeared in holographic form on his gauntlet, allowing Wraith to bypass the need for full power and to simply access the lock's functions from his arm.

He had to admit, Scipio was something of a genius.

After hacking the simple system, Wraith was greeted with a hiss as the door slid open on its own. Pulling the cord from the lock, Wraith stood and entered into a massive cargo hold. He could tell it was massive based upon how little of the room was illuminated by the light behind him. It was easily bigger than any room he'd ever seen before. " _Bigger than I expected. Maybe even bigger than most cargo holds, I'll bet._ " He whistled. " _Must be keeping either a lot of stuff in here... or one big gun._ " Still uncertain as to the cargo he was dealing with, Wraith vaulted over the railing before him and landed with a metallic thud on the sloped floor of the hold. Queuing up his comms, the soldier reported in to Scipio. " _Doc, I'm in the cargo hold. Got that manifest yet?_ "

"Pulling it up now my boy." Came the reply. Deciding it would be easier to see what he was working with, Wraith switched his optics to night vision mode. Immediately the cargo hold became completely visible and Wraith could see the majority of its contents. "What do you see in there?"

" _Lot of crates. Some broken open but the majority's intact._ " He stated.

"That's good news. Most of those weapons should still be functional then." Scipio noted in a positive tone. Checking his surroundings, Wraith soon found a breaker switch that appeared to control power in the room. At least, that's what his scans told him.

" _Real dark in here. Found a switch that should bring the lights on._ " He informed Scipio as he walked over to the large switch. Deciding to switch off his night vision, just in case the lever did as he hoped it would, Wraith grabbed the lever with both hands and reefed it down. A shower of sparks erupted as the lever made contact with electrical components. Stepping away, Wraith looked up as the hold's lights began to flicker on. " _Bingo._ " He happily mused.

"Found the power, have you?" Scipio asked.

" _Yeah. Now I can see what I'm doing._ " Wraith replied as he turned back to the many crates before him.

"If you'll recall, I'm having some issues with your visual feedback systems. You'll have to open those crates and tell me what you see." Scipio told him. Wraith nodded and went work, using his blade to pry open the nearest box. Shoving the lid over to the side, Wraith peered inside before he lifted the contents up and into the light. It appeared to be a rifle of some kind, but was very big and bulky, sporting something like the barrels of a rotary cannon running down the middle towards the end.

" _I got some kind of a rotary cannon-assault rifle hybrid here._ " Wraith told Scipio. " _Pretty hefty piece of kit._ " The doctor scrolled through the list before him until he found what matched the soldier's description.

"Ah, that would be the A-One Machine Rifle. Sounds promising. Able to fire up to one hundred rounds in the span of three seconds." Wraith was astonished.

" _You're kidding!_ " He exclaimed. " _Not even my carbine has a rate of fire that high!_ "

"That's why these are prototypes." Scipio reminded him. Feeling excited over the prospect of uncovering new and even more extraordinary weapons, Wraith set the machine rifle down on the floor and moved on to the next crate. This one was significantly shorted in height but very long and wide. Throwing off the lid, Wraith discovered what could only be described as a rotary cannon with two sets of barrels.

" _Found two rotary cannons mashed together._ "

"That must be an X-Series Rotary Turret." Scipio replied. "It's supposed to be mounted on an AAT and replace the side guns."

" _Not bad._ " Wraith left the weapon in its casing and moved on. Finding a smaller box that had tumbled down, Wraith flipped over the dented and scratch case and pried it open as well. Inside, he discovered a pair of thick-bodied hand-held weapons. " _Not quite sure what I'm looking at here. They look like fat pistols._ " He reported, relaying his odd discovery.

"Let me check..." Wraith waited as Scipio went through the list. "Sounds like CBA Hand Cannons. Those suckers pack the force of a small tank turret into the size of a blaster." He reported. Wraith was thoroughly impressed. A growing desire to try out these weapons for himself was building within him with each new tool he uncovered. Hopefully, an opportunity would present itself if the Republic were ever to show.

Moving to the next crate, Wraith pulled out a rather boxy-looking weapon sporting not one but two barrels. Describing its shape to Scipio, the doctor discovered it moments later. "An NAS Slugrepeater." He announced. "Imagine the ammunition of your slugthrowers being fired at the rate of a blaster carbine."

" _That'll wreck your day. Probably even faster than the machine rifle would._ " Wraith quipped.

"Indeed it would." Scipio chuckled. Finding himself drawn towards another rectangular crate, Wraith decided to investigate one last weapon before making arrangements to protect this horde of powerful tools. The top of the case slid off easily and the soldier found himself face to face with a rather odd looking weapon. A long, cylindrical barrel extended forth from a boxy housing, forming what looked like the turret of a tank. Picking the weapon up from its storage, Wraith discovered a series of straps and a single handle equipped with triggers.

It appeared this weapon was meant to be arm-mounted.

Wraith promptly called on Scipio to determine the nature of this new tool. The response was quite startling. "What you are holding there is an M-Ten Fusion Caster. The box-shaped base holds a particle accelerator that generates energy from particle collisions and channels it into the cannon." Wraith couldn't help be be vastly impressed by the perfect combination of science and technology to create such a weapon of potentially devastating power.

" _I really want to try this one out_ now." He mused, setting the cannon down. Inspired by such a remarkable discovery, Wraith continued to dig through crates and uncover the most outlandish and fanciful weapons he'd ever seen, including something called a G-6 Thunderer that was supposed to fire a beam of solid electricity! After a half-hour of unpacking and examining weapons of all shapes and sizes, Wraith found himself staring that what could only be the most incredible arsenal of weapons he'd every seen. Each one of them, by themselves, could be used as to bring death and destruction to the Republic army.

And he had a little over a dozen to work with!

" _Remind me to give those R and D folks a proper thanks for building all these things._ " Wraith mused.

"I'll be sure to tell them for you." Scipio replied, making a note for his debriefing. Eyeing up the weapons once more, Wraith determined that the cargo was definitely secure.

" _Going to investigate the outside. Don't want anyone sneaking up on me._ " He reported. His built in scanners would detect and incoming presence long before anyone found him, but he did want to make sure nothing was faulty. Scipio applauded his strategy as Wraith ascended back up to the catwalks surrounding the cargo hold. But instead of retracing his route in, Wraith triggered his blades and cut open a hole in the side of the ship, one big enough so he could either exit the ship or look out at the landscape and see if the Republic was coming. His plan was to fortify the wreck of the freighter by using these experimental weapons to repulse any and all invaders.

But almost as soon as he looked out, he saw something that made him realize the time for planning was over.

The Republic had arrived.

Two Venator-class cruisers floated high in the sky, silhouetted against the sun and casting large, ominous shadows across the land.

" _They're here. Two cruisers worth._ " He growled, quickly moving back into the cargo hold.

"Then you'd better get ready." Scipio informed him. "I've gotten into contact with the nearest fleet. They're in route to your position but you'll have to hold out until then." Wraith took that as a piece of good news as he hurried back to his collection of weapons. Reinforcements would come, he wouldn't have to do this forever. Pausing as he stood before the armament before him, Wraith took a moment to consider his plan of action.

Although he originally planned to fortify the wreck and use the tools within to keep the Republic at bay, a lone thought lingering in his mind kept him from fully carrying out his plan.

The last thing he wanted to do was disappoint Darth Sidious or do something contrary to his will. These weapons were prototypes, meant to be worked on until they were completely operational. They were for the benefit of the Separatists, not just his own. Although he desperately wanted to put these tools to good use against the Republic, should he really be expending such potentially valuable resources for his own personal gain? These meant for the greater cause and should possibly be left alone so they could be returned to R and D in pristine shape so they could be improved upon. Wraith was here to protect these weapons, not use them. But he so badly wanted to...

Would these weapons truly improve his chances of winning? Or would they just quench his bloodlust for a moment?

In wrestling with this question, Wraith realized he had very little time between now and when the Republic would be on his doorstep. Given the two armies that he would have to deal with, his job would be significantly easier if the Republic was being constantly bombarded by additional weaponry. But again came the matter of pleasing Darth Sidious. What would his master say? What would his master expect? How could he please hi-

Another, sudden and thunderous thought invaded his mind, suddenly kicking his old tactical mindset into gear. Never before had he bothered with pleasing a Sith like Sidious, so why should he start now? His only bother was to propel the Separatists to victory, by any means necessary. This was his mandate, this was his mission ever since his creation.

To hell with Sidious. Let fate judge his actions.

Wraith unclipped his belt and pulled it off, pistols and all, dropping it along with his carbine on the floor. Scipio heard the sounds of metal on metal and grew concerned.

"Wait a minute, what are you doing?"

" _Gearing up._ " Wraith stated as he loaded shells into the hand cannons. " _I'm going to put these weapons to good use._ "

"But they haven't been properly tested yet!" Scipio replied, worried.

" _Consider this a field test._ " Wraith replied, clipping both weapons to either side of his waist.

* * *

Instead of landing to deploy their forces as one, Obi-Wan and Anakin decided to divide their forces, just in case Separatist forces arrived from above. Obi-Wan's cruiser, the Vigilance, made to land on the surface of Cono while the Resolute opted to deploy its tanks and troops via LAAT's and gunships.

Regardless, the combined force was a most impressive display of the Republic's finest.

Rows upon rows of Clone Troopers, flanked by a series of fighter tanks and supported by one colossal juggernaut tank, marched towards the wrecked freighter. Their intent was to secure the crash site and retrieve whatever the cargo was being transported... and clear out anyone who got in their way. The Jedi trio of Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka led their men forward, expecting a relatively easy mission but also anticipating any potential threat that might lay within this freighter.

"What bothers me most is the small shuttle detected on the opposite side." Obi-Wan mused, remembering the results of the area scan his men had performed. "If my memory serves me correct, it appears to be the same shuttle that transported Aurra Sing back on Naboo." That was a dark day indeed.

"So the Seppies are hiring mercenaries to do their dirty work?" Ahsoka wondered, trying to put the pieces together?

"It could be. Or that shuttle could belong to someone else entirely."

"If I'm not mistaken," Anakin jumped in, "wasn't Wraith or someone else with her?"

"Yes, that's right." Obi-Wan nodded in remembrance. "But they were never identified."

"Remember the bodies of those guards? My credits are on Wraith." The Jedi Knight tasted, convinced the one responsible for wounding his wife and killing Jar Jar Binks was the same one who had beat him on Tibrin.

"That remains to be seen." Obi-Wan was growing concerned with the way Anakin was seemingly obsessed with this Separatist commando. Part of him couldn't blame him because of his devastating defeat at the hands of Wraith, but the rest of him was afraid Anakin might be willing to do whatever it took to see Wraith stopped... even if that meant abandoning the Jedi Code and risking the lives of those around him.

If this wasn't dealt with properly, Anakin's dangerous obsession might effect all of them.

But as the Republic continued to march towards the crash site, Wraith was busy making final preparations for their arrival.

The first thing he'd done, once he had selected his chosen weapons for defending his position, was turn the scrap that had once been the bow into a kind of defensive wall. Behind this position, he laid out his weapons by size and firepower. His plan was to use his cover to switch between armaments and hopefully thin the Republic forces before they got too close. From there he would employ his natural skills and abilities in conjunction with his other weapons in order to repulse them and prevent the Clones from ever entering the ship. All he had to do was keep them at bay until Separatist reinforcements showed up.

Simple, really.

As Wraith was finishing his preparations, which involved hooking the G-6 Thunderer up to a makeshift power pack he had built from parts of the ship's now defunct engines, Scipio called.

"I trust you're nearly ready for the arrival of the Republic?"

" _Pretty much._ " Wraith mused, surveying the weapons before him and the defensive wall behind him.

"How many are there?" Scipio asked, wondering what kind of forces Wraith would be tackling. Wraith quickly poked his head over the scrap wall.

" _Definitely two armies worth. A whole mess of Clones, three Jedi, quite a few fighter tanks... and one juggernaut._ " He counted. Scipio whistled.

"That's a lot of Clones. Think you can kill them all?"

" _Please. If anything, I'm overqualified for the job._ " The solider remarked. Scipio couldn't help but grin, knowing Wraith had returned to his confident old self.

"Now that's the Wraith I know! Go give them hell!"

" _My pleasure._ " The soldier replied and reached to heft the G-6 over his shoulder.

As the Republic drew nearer to their destination, Anakin and Obi-Wan called a halt as the debris field became evident. Portions of twisted metal had blown out, away from the wreck and would pose a problem for their vehicles. The Clones could easily maneuver it, but both Jedi wanted to keep their vehicles on hand at all times. As they were debating on how to move forward efficiently, a lone figure stood up close to the wrecked ship. Ahsoka was quick to point him out.

"Master, look!" Ahsoka called, pointing to the debris field. "It's Wraith!" Anakin turned and saw their foe, sporting a dirt-shaded jacket and standing tall with a large rectangular object mounted on his shoulder.

"I knew it." Anakin growled.

" _Republic!_ " Wraith called to them from his perch. " _I see you've brought your war machines. Now allow me to introduce you to mine..._ " The Thunderer began to power up, a brilliant blue glow forming inside the barrel of the gun. " _Behold... my instruments of destruction!_ " Wraith announced, the biggest grin plastered to his face underneath his helmet. Taking aim at the Turbo Tank, Wraith pulled the trigger.

The kickback was enormous, almost enough to throw Wraith to the ground. Barely managing to stay standing, Wraith looked on as a torrential blast of pure electricity shot through the air and ripped clean through the tank, tearing a hole from front to rear.

The vehicle promptly exploded in a massive fireball seconds later.

" _I think I love this gun!_ " Wraith mused, eyeing the weapon hoisted over his shoulder. Unfortunately, the power had been completely drained from the pack he'd designed, meaning the Thunderer could not be used again. While it was bittersweet to fire such a magnificent weapon only once, Wraith was heartened by the fact he had numerous other tools at his disposal. Discarding the weapon on the ground next to him, Wraith reached for the rotary turret...

The Republic forces were shocked by the intense display of firepower and took cover as their biggest vehicle was reduced to a burning husk. Everyone, Clone and Jedi alike, stared in shock at the catastrophic damage dealt by a single shoulder-mounted weapon.

"What the slag was that?!" Ahsoka cried.

"Bad news. Very bad news." Obi-Wan grimly stated. "It looks like Wraith has found himself some new tools to use against us."

"Just our luck." Anakin growled, thoroughly frustrated by the new development. "Rex, order your men to dig in here. I don't want to find out the hard way what other kinds of toys that monster's packing."

"Right away sir." Rex saluted as he turned and relayed the order to his men.

"Cody, move your troops forward and solidify a defensive position." Obi-Wan instructed his commander. The Clone immediately moved to obey. Soon enough, blue-streaked troopers were taking up positions behind boulders and in nearby trenches while orange painted troopers deployed makeshift barricades and worked to create a perimeter around their comrades.

At that moment, Wraith reappeared from behind the scrap wall and hefted a giant two-barrelled cannon up and over his lone defense.

"Uh, Masters, we've got trouble!" Ahsoka alerted Anakin and Obi-Wan to the sudden development. Both Jedi looked up and were shocked by the size of the tool Wraith now carried. Even Rex and Cody were astonished. They'd never seen something so... peculiar before.

" _Smile!_ " The Separatist gleefully cried as both barrels quickly spun up.

"Duck and cover!" Anakin ordered, moments before a hail of red laser fire peppered their position. Wraith was literally raining down blaster fire from his turret as he raked his deadly aim back and forth across the lines, brute strength holding up the giant twin cannons like they were a common rotary cannon. Rex's men managed to find proper cover and took shelter as they waited for the assault to cease.

But Cody's men weren't so lucky.

Wraith cut them to pieces as they stood exposed, busy working on building their defense. Their armored bodies were ripped apart as high-caliber blaster fire absolutely shredded their position, destroying all potential defenses as Wraith put an end to the members of the 212th. Suddenly, the barrage came to and end. The barrels wound down and smoke wafted up from the tips of the weapon. The Republic slowly peered out from their hiding places and took in the sight of the slaughtered 212th members, their corpses lying still and riddled with scorch marks. " _Do you give up? Or are you gluttons for punishment?_ " Wraith asked in a taunting tone. While Obi-Wan stood agape at the devastation, Anakin was already moving.

"Rex, tell the tanks to bombard his position! Now!" He ordered. The Clone captain was quick to obey and soon enough, the tanks lined up their turrets with Wraith. " _Guess you are gluttons._ " Wraith mused as he disappeared behind his cover. " _Surprise, surprise._ " Thunderous tank rounds slammed into his defense, pounding away at the wall of durasteel that stood between him and getting destroyed. Setting down the rotary cannon, Wraith reached for his next weapon of choice. " _Hopefully this'll do what I hope it'll do._ " He mused. The weapon in question was the RX Shock Cannon: a powerful two-handed weapon engineered to fire concussive blasts of destructive energy.

Enough power to, hopefully, destroy a tank.

Waiting for a lull in the bombardment, Wraith charged up the weapon and planned his next move. He might only have a few seconds before the tanks opened fire again, so he would have to aim and fire at the nearest tank as quickly as he could.

Fortunately, his mind had been engineered to calculate such variables within a fraction of a second.

When the lull came, Wraith stepped out from behind his cover and fired a single blast at the nearest tank. The whole front of the vehicle was crushed by the wave of energy, splinters of metal and fragments of armor raining down as the vehicle was thoroughly rendered useless. To the astonished Jedi watching, it were almost as if the tank had been crushed by the Force.

"Holy-!" Ahsoka gasped as she viewed the scene.

"Language, Padawan!" Obi-Wan reprimanded her.

"I wasn't gonna-!" She started to say but was stopped when Wraith managed to fire off a second blast, which crushed another tank as if gravity itself were at his command.

"Fire! Open fire already!" Anakin cried. The remaining tanks did so, now aided by additional fire from the Clones. Wraith was quick to duck back behind his cover, narrowly avoiding the second bombardment. To his surprise, the Shock Cannon powered down in his hands, momentarily drained of energy. He reached for his comms.

" _Scipio, make a note that the RX Cannon needs to be able to fire off more than two rounds before overheating._ "

"I shall do so immediately." Came the reply. Setting the gun aside, Wraith decided the Republic was close enough to make things personal. Strapping the machine rifle to his back, Wraith armed the slugrepeater and waited to go over the top.

Those tanks were still going to be a problem though. Fortunately, he'd had plenty of experience from his mission to Muunilinst. All he had to do was make the tanks come to him.

Leaping over the wall amidst the heavy assault, Wraith trained his sights on the nearest Clones and opened fire. The quick spray of slugs was enough to kill all three of them with bloody headshots.

That was one thing he loved about slugthrowers: you could always count on them to leave a mess behind.

Turning to his left, Wraith gunned down another pair of troopers, squeezing the trigger for a few extra seconds so as to pump them both full of lead and splatter their blood across the ground. He was quick to move on, knowing time was not on his side, and rushed towards the nearest tank. The Republic had brought five, six including the juggernaut, and three of them had already been disposed of. Part of Wraith wished he had brought along an explosive projectile of some kind, maybe one he had yet to uncover within the cargo hold. But, if Muunilinst had taught him anything, his explosive disks were an easy match for the Republic vehicles. Leaping back and forth to avoid the incoming cannon blasts, Wraith slid beneath the tank and stuck a pair of disks to the underside. The soldier rolled out moments before they exploded and the tank crashed to the ground. Rising to his feet and scaling up the side, Wraith ripped open the top hatch and filled the cabin, and crew, with slugs. Leaping off the disabled tank, Wraith found himself staring at innumerable blasters pointed right at him. Rolling his shoulders, he cocked his slugrepeater in preparation for the coming fight. " _Game on._ " He muttered, smirking beneath his helmet.

He always enjoyed a good carnage.

Those closest to him fell first. Slugs flew from the twin barrels of his weapon and ripped through the bodies of Clones, courtesy of acid-lined shells. Blood flew in all directions as Clones were ripped apart by a weapon they knew nothing about. Despite their attacks, more and more Clones continued to fall. Orange and blue striped bodies piling up before Wraith as he mercilessly slaughtered anyone who dared to oppose him. Blaster bolts attacked him from all sides, ricocheting off his indestructible armor and blaster-proof jacket. They were fighting against an invincible force, against which they would gain no victory.

But Wraith was forced to pause when his slugrepeater suddenly stopped firing.

With blaster fire streaking past him and occasionally colliding with his frame, he checked the magazine only to discover it was empty. With a growl of annoyance, he tossed his weapon to the side and reached for the two weapons on his hips.

Meanwhile, the Clones were growing increasingly flabbergasted at their lack of effect on Wraith, despite a near-relentless barrage of blaster fire.

"We're not doing anything!" One of them cried.

"Any advice trooper? I'm all ears." His commander asked, equally frustrated. Without another word, the trooper rushed forward, ready to bash The Wraith with his rifle.

"For the Republic!" He cried, winding up and ready to swing. But he slowed to a halt when he found himself staring down the barrel of Wraith's latest weapon.

" _For the Separatist Alliance._ " The solider growled before pulling the trigger. The powerful blast shattered the Clone's helmet and blew his face apart, the round nearly tearing clean through his head. Stepping past the dead body, Wraith opened fire with his new weapons. These hand cannons certainly packed a punch, if the recoil were anything to go by, the only downside being they lacked a large ammunition clip. Gunning down the squad before him, Wraith held the now defenseless commander at gunpoint. " _If I were you, I'd ask the Jedi for help._ " Wraith mused. " _Good thing I'm not you._ " He growled, promptly killing the Clone with a single shot to the chest. Looking up and seeing more troopers approaching, the soldier surmised he had no time to reload his cannons. Strapping them back to his hips, Wraith reached behind him and drew the one weapon he had been eagerly waiting to test out: the machine rifle. Stepping forward and ignoring the blaster fire sailing past his position, Wraith trained his sights on the nearest group of Clones and opened fire. Each and every Republic attacker died within seconds of him squeezing the trigger, their bodies falling to the ground with scorch marks covering their armor.

Wraith was right. The rate of fire for this gun was significantly higher than any other weapon he knew about. This made it devastatingly effective and earned a special place with the super soldier, who was quite tempted to request one for his own use. " _Could you at least make this a challenge?_ " He wondered aloud. " _Or am I asking too much of you duplicates?_ " He chuckled, gunning down more Clones.

The Jedi witnessing the carnage were reluctantly cautious about what their move would be. They knew from experience that Wraith was too fast, too powerful and too cunning for just one of them to handle. But the fact that numerous Jedi had fallen to him on Gwori made them question the wisdom of confronting him at all. But their troops would not last long against this onslaught, not even their vehicles could defeat him... let alone survive and attack from him.

Someone had to do something.

Anakin Skywalker had had enough of being told to avoid Wraith. He'd had enough of being forced to avoid and open confrontation. His men were dying and he would not idly stand by while one opponent steamrolled over them. The Jedi Knight deemed it time he took action, regardless of what anyone said.

Sprinting towards the fight and ignoring the calls of Obi-Wan, Anakin's freshly healed body could feel adrenaline surge through him as he anticipated his coming fight.

He was convinced this rematch would end differently.

He scowled as he neared the fight and ordered the troops to back up. The Separatist was finishing off a group of Clones when he looked up and saw his Jedi rival step forward. Knowing Skywalker would be rather incited by the field of bodies behind and before him, Wraith smirked as he realized he had another opportunity to prove his superiority over the Jedi. " _Anakin Skywalker!_ " Wraith called out the him, sounding almost pleased to see him. " _Glad to see you're up and walking again... means I get to knock you down a second time._ " He grimly stated as he holstered his rifle behind him.

"You know Wraith, we have a saying back at the Jedi Temple," Anakin replied as he switched on his lightsaber, "'what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.'" Wraith took note of Anakin's grim demeanor, mildly amused that the Jedi was angry with him.

" _I too have a saying, Skywalker: 'I don't care.'_ " Wraith dismissively retorted before lunging forward with a high kick that connected with Anakin's lightsaber. Momentarily impressed that his blade did not pass through the boot, Anakin quickly moved to attack, having learned to never give Wraith an opening of any kind. But Wraith was quick to recover and even quicker to block the incoming strike. " _I don't care how resilient you think you are, how powerful you are, how determined you are,_ " Wraith growled as his gauntlet ground against Anakin's blade, " _all I care about is putting you down!_ " Pushing the saber out of his way, Wraith launched a high kick that connected with the side of Anakin's face. The Jedi was knocked away and stumbled for a minute before he managed to get his bearings. In that brief amount of time, Wraith executed a lunge kick and drove his foot into Anakin's ribs. Growling in pain, and feeling a bruise coming on, Anakin quickly recovered and attacked again. But Wraith back-flipped away, avoiding the strike by many feet. " _Have your bones fully knit?_ " Wraith wondered. " _I'm looking forward to breaking them again._ "

"Never again!" Anakin boldly stated. "Today's the day I end you!"

" _So presumptuous. And still so egotistical._ " Wraith chuckled. " _Glad to see my beating didn't hamper that prideful spirit I so love to tear apart._ " He jabbed. With a growl, Anakin thrust his saber forward. Wraith quickly sidestepped and responded with a pair of high kicks that connected with Anakin's chest.

"This time I'm gonna tear you apart!" The Jedi thundered as he recovered and rushed back in. Wraith couldn't help but chuckle as he dodged Anakin's attacks with over-exaggerated ease.

" _Ah, Skywalker, you have no idea how much I missed this banter of ours._ " He commented, jumping over a low sweep.

"Shut up and let me hit you!" Anakin growled as he fought to land a blow. But Wraith was practically dancing around him, making a complete mockery of the Jedi Knight.

" _Don't tell me your 'A' game has gone out the window? I'd hate for the Jedi poster-boy to be all ego and no flashy moves._ " Wraith shot back as he hopped over another low sweep and quickly balanced on one foot, dipping parallel to the ground in order to avoid another upward slash from Anakin only to cartwheel away. Growling in frustration and annoyance, Anakin quickly dropped everything the Jedi had taught him about controlled fighting and allowed raw emotion to guide his strikes.

No longer dodging, Wraith began to parry Anakin's relentless assault. A combination of Force-precision and emotion-fueled power allowed the Jedi to unleash himself upon the Separatist soldier. " _That's more like it!_ " Wraith stated, enjoying the adrenaline that coursed through his whole body. He watched as Anakin grew angrier with each parried strike, knowing that the Jedi was only acting this way in an effort to gain the upper hand.

Something he was not receiving at all.

Anakin repeatedly brought his lightsaber crashing down into Wraith's raised gauntlets, slipping into a frenzy as his emotions drove him to avenge his men and his own pride.

"Just! Die! Already!" He growled angrily. Wraith only chuckled as he continued to deflect, parry and block each strike. Just then, Scipio's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Wraith, I've received an update on the reinforcements. A pair of cruisers should be at your position within a few minutes." The doctor informed him. Wraith was pleased. Soon the Republic would be on the run and he would've fulfilled his role once more. All he had to do now was keep Anakin occupied until Vulture Droids and Hyena Bombers showed up to wreak havoc.

But until then, he still had a fight on his hands. A fight he was winning.

Anakin thrust his blade forward, trying to stab his opponent. But Wraith managed to sidestep and grabbed Anakin's arm, promptly twisting it behind the Jedi's back and wrenching his lightsaber from his grasp. Anakin grunted as his arm was violently re-positioned.

" _You appear to be getting sloppy. Did Tibrin teach you nothing?_ " Wraith growled in Anakin's ear before he kicked the Jedi in the back and sent him sprawling. But before Wraith could move in and inflict further pain on the Jedi, a squad of Clones led by Rex showed up and surrounded Anakin, opening fire on their opponent. Rex and another trooper helped Anakin to his feet and the Jedi quickly called his lightsaber to him as they escorted him back to Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. Wraith was mildly amused by the sudden retreat but gladly welcomed the opportunity to destroy more Clones. Anakin tried to shake himself free of the trooper's grip on him.

"Why'd you do that Rex? I was just fine!" He snapped at his captain.

"General Kenobi ordered me to, Sir." The captain stated. "He wants you back with him and Commander Tano."

"Right..." Anakin huffed as he proceeded onward, without assistance. As he did, the screams of dying Clones and the sounds of repeated blaster fire continued to irk him. They didn't stand a chance against Wraith... but someone had to do something!

By the time Anakin had made his way back to the others, Obi-wan appeared less than pleased to see him.

"What were you thinking Anakin?! In your condition, you should have nothing to do with Wraith!" He firmly stated, scolding his former apprentice.

"And what was I supposed to do? Nothing? He's slaughtering my, no, _our_ men without hesitation and we're supposed to just stand by and do nothing?!" Anakin shot back, sounding very irritated. "Besides, I'm perfectly healthy."

"That's not what I was referring to." Obi-Wan muttered, thinking about Anakin's mental state. "Wraith is a strategist, clearly able to out-maneuver us at any given moment. So we just need to think smarter than him." The elder Jedi stated.

"But what do we have that could even stop him?" Ahsoka wondered, having no idea what to do. "Our tanks clearly can't stop him and the Clones are just piling up at his feet." As she spoke, another pair of Clones were dispatched by some well-aimed shots. Wraith was quickly thinning the combined armies and soon enough, he would be overrunning their position.

The Jedi no longer cared about securing the mysterious cargo. Now they just wanted to defeat The Wraith.

Hearing Ahsoka's words, Anakin suddenly had a thought.

"No forces here... but maybe elsewhere..." he mused aloud, a plan coming to mind. Turning to Rex, Anakin quickly relayed a new order. "Rex, contact the Resolute. Tell Admiral Yularen to locate out position and acquire targeting coordinates for an orbital bombardment." He commanded.

"Right away sir." Rex nodded and turned to go find a trooper with radio equipment. Obi-Wan overheard the brief exchange and grew concerned.

"Anakin, please tell me you're not planning something crazy."

"This isn't crazy. All I'm doing is calling an orbital strike on Wraith." Anakin explained, as if it were a simple battle plan. Both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were not convinced.

"Yeah... that sounds a little crazy to me Skyguy." The Togruta admitted.

"Ahsoka, we have an opportunity to put down one of the greatest threats to the Republic. What could possibly be wrong with this?" Anakin replied, sounding very hellbent on fulfilling his idea.

"I'm more concerned about the blast radius." Obi-Wan interjected, giving voice to his concerns. "Yes, you'll eliminate Wraith, but who else along with him?"

"Obviously we're going to pull back, I have thought this through!" Anakin countered. "What do you think I am, crazy?"

"Well... the thought had crossed my mind." Ahsoka quipped. Anakin rolled his eyes.

"Just tell the men to pull back, Snips." He sighed. Ahsoka did as she was told.

Wraith was mopping up a few final Clones when the order was given. The Republic troops quickly backed away as the remaining tanks opened fire on him. Wraith was quick to start dodging their shells, but noticed that the tanks were also pulling away. It hit him that they were covering a retreat and were only firing on him out of necessity.

He had won.

Rolling to his feet after narrowly avoiding yet another tank round, Wraith stood up and watched as the Republic called in a full retreat.

" _Nothing more satisfying than knowing you've done your job._ " He mused, placing his hands on his hips.

Anakin stood with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka as their troops filed past them, moving further and further away from the wrecked freighter and their opponent. Wraith stood tall, watching them leave and not bothering to pursue them. Evidently his job was to protect this wreck and not to destroy them. Anakin thought there no doubt Wraith was feeling pretty proud of himself, feeling very triumphant in his victory over them.

Anakin couldn't wait until Wraith saw the surprise he had planned for him.

The Jedi turned as Captain Rex arrived with news.

"General, The Resolute has acquired bombardment coordinates and are awaiting your orders." Rex reported. Anakin turned back to look at the lone Wraith, standing by himself as the tanks pulled further away from his position. With a slight smirk, Anakin uttered a single word,

"Fire."

As the Republic began to grow smaller in his vision, Wraith was feeling very triumphant. Not only had he repulsed a combined attack force, but he had also managed to fulfill his own curiosity and test a few highly-effective experimental weapons.

But his moment of glory was short-lived, a few heavy echoes resounding in the distance.

Wraith looked up to see a blue glow descending from the sky, growing bigger and bigger as it filled his vision. He froze in place as he suddenly realized the grave danger he was in and the mere seconds he had left to act.

The Jedi had called an orbital bombardment upon him... and he had nowhere to run or hide!

Now the retreat made sense. Now his victory did not seem so sound. Now he didn't feel so triumphant.

Dropping his hands to his sides, Wraith looked back at the distant Republic and could've sworn he saw Anakin's cocky smirk all the way from his position.

" _Well played, Skywalker. Well played..._ " He growled, moments before the blasts consumed his position. A massive shockwave accompanied each titanic blast, blowing the surrounding terrain to pieces as each thunderous impact scorched the ground and reduced mighty boulders to rubble. The Republic shielded themselves as dust and debris flew wildly about, pitched high into the air as a series of cacophonous explosions accompanied the most brilliant glow any of them had ever seen.

It was all over in a matter of seconds. When the dust settled and dirt finished raining down, only a burning, smoking crater remained where The Wraith had once stood. Anakin shook the dust from his hair and blinked his eyes as he adjusted to the glorious sight before him.

"Looks like today's the day I _did_ end him." He said aloud with a grin, feeling quite proud of himself. The moment was cut short when Rex reported in.

"Sir, we've detected multiple Separatist ships heading to our position. Way too many for us to take on." The captain reported.

"Never mind them, tell the men we're pulling out." Anakin replied. He turned back to face the still burning blast crater, a smirk growing on his face. "We've accomplished something far greater." He mused, feeling very triumphant indeed.

No one could've possibly survived that.

At best, the fearsome Wraith had been blown to pieces and was no longer a threat. At worst... well... there was still a recognizable body left to recover.

Both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka couldn't help but feel a little relieved themselves. It looked like Wraith had finally met his demise, overwhelmed by something infinitely more powerful than him.

As far as they were all concerned, The Wraith was dead and gone.

* * *

 _Later on, elsewhere in the galaxy..._

Pomel Scipio was a wreck. He believed he was suffering from a nervous breakdown, something he had never once felt in all of his days. The Pau'un scientist paced back and forth in a medical lab, worrying about countless things.

But there was still one thought that held his undivided attention.

He remembered the moment with vivid clarity and how he had felt in that situation. He'd been informed by a droid commander how they had searched and, to everyone's surprise, in the midst of the fire and flame, surrounded by blackened earth and scorched rock, they found their target laying still amongst the rubble. His jacket in tatters, bits of flame licking at small patches of fabric. His clothes torn to pieces, flesh burned and blackened by innumerable scorches. His helmet burnt and sparking from various tears in the metal. They immediately summoned their medics and did whatever they could to keep him alive as he was shipped across the galaxy to his home base. Scipio had taken over from there. The doctor turned to the bacta tank behind him and the source of his worry.

Wraith was suspended inside the bacta tank, tubes and wires hooked up to his body as the healing salve bathed his burnt and blackened body. The orbital blast had nearly fried him, reducing his body to an appearance like that of charcoal. Much surgery was required to cut away his destroyed clothes and armor, some of it having been fused to his skin due to the intensity of the blast.

The worst part was, when hooked up to life support machines, there was no pulse to detect.

Scipio had at first assumed his body had gone into stasis, forcefully locked down by a life-preserving command written into his enhanced genetic structure. But days and days had been spent in this tank and there was still no heart rate.

Scipio sighed, prepared to give up hope. He did not want to resort to Operation: Legacy, but it seemed he had no other choice. His creation was gone and he was left with only the experience to try and improve his next attempt. He had grown rather fond of this boy, having practically raised him from infancy. He had been there through every injection, every test, every procedure. He knew everything there was to know about this boy and now he would be forced to start over. It appeared fate had no other choice for him.

But fate had yet to yield an unexpected reward.

Just as Pomel closed his eyes and was ready to admit defeat, a single beep echoed from the heart rate monitor.

Snapping open his eyes, he turned to the machine and watched in astonishment as the line jumped again, accompanied by another beep.

"Impossible..." he breathed, rushing over to the equipment. But his eyes did not deceive him, nor was the equipment faulty, there was truly a pulse to be read. The beeps came quicker, leveling out into a normal pulse and heart rate. Scipio looked up in amazement at the figure in the bacta tank, who remained motionless despite all indications he was alive. "It's a miracle you survived that bombardment." Pomel whispered. He knew his creation was engineered to withstand almost all kinds of punishment... but to survive an orbital blast...

Just _what_ had he created?

"But it is my fault I did not prepare you for such an extreme situation." This was true. Scipio never thought for a moment that the Republic would resort to such an extreme assault. Then again, giving the immense notoriety of The Wraith, he should've expected them to try anything and everything to stop him. "I have failed you in this regard, my boy. I will not do so again." He confidently whispered, determined to ensure Wraith's survival.

As he did, Wraith slowly opened his eyes...

* * *

 **Author's Note: sorry to end on such a cliffhanger... but you know how school gets. I'll post again once I have some time and something written down. Promise!**


	32. Scipio's Log 3371

Scipio's Log: Entry 337.1 - A miracle of science

" _I am... grateful he is alive."_

 _..._

" _No... grateful does not even come close to describing how I feel. I am relieved. I am ecstatic... but I'm also very astonished. Not even for a moment had I considered the intensity of an orbital bombardment, or the fact the Republic may go so far as to use one on him. And yet he survived, able to live and fight another day._

" _Having said that, he survived... barely._

" _It was a miracle that the serum allowed him to endure such extreme circumstances. But it alone would not be enough to sustain him. That's where I had to step in and apply my knowledge of biology in my own effort to restore him. That and some leftover materials from the old days of testing..._

" _During the early stages of Project Sunstorm, several biologists and chemists took genetic samples from various species who possessed regenerative abilities. These were broken down into a single compound known as L4E-60 or as some called it 'the Regenesis Formula'. Initial tests resulted in rapid tissue repair and increased rate of healing in normal beings. It was originally intended to be fully incorporated into the original Sunstorm serum, but somehow managed to fall by the wayside during the construction phases. It is this formula that I have been pumping into Wraith, along with a protein mix to further stabilize the Sunstorm serum. I managed to keep several samples on hand and have been busy replicating it... part of a 'just in case' measure. After such a harrowing encounter, the serum is no doubt on overdrive right now, doing whatever it can to heal and preserve his body. It needs all the assistance it can get._

 _..._

" _Part of me marvels at the fact he survived such an ordeal. Another part of me thinks I should have expected such things by now."_

End of Log


	33. Warning Signs

**Author's Note: Well, would you look at that... this story is now part of a community! Head over to the "Archive of Self Inserts and Original Characters" if you'd like to check out some stories with a very unique flavor.**

 **Also, 20K views! Astounding! You all are way too much, thank you all for your constant support and feedback. You have no idea how much it means to me. Thanks also to everyone who voted in the poll I set up, your response has given me some stuff to think about.**

 **Now enough of me, here's a new chapter for you to enjoy!**

* * *

-Chapter 16: Warning Signs-

Location: Aefao

"There are some things that shouldn't be ignored."

 _A flash. A thunderous explosion. Intense, unbearable heat. It consumed his body, burning him alive..._

Wraith awoke with a sudden roar, bolting upright in his bed. Sweat ran like rivers down his face as he awoke from yet another flashback to the moment he was bombarded from above by cannon rounds.

As the moment faded, Wraith became aware of his surroundings... and how sore his body felt.

Much of his flesh was new, having regrown over many weeks of medicinal treatment in a bacta tank. His hair was short, Clone trooper short, growing back after it had been mangled and scorched. He hated it, but he had no choice as he waited for it to grow back in full. Large portions of his body were wrapped in bandages as a mixture of bacta and kolto continued to heal his more grievous injuries. The white strips of cloth were firmly bound around his chest, right shoulder and arms, not to mention the entirety of his legs.

He felt fine... but he also felt weak. And he absolutely hated to feel weak.

The hissing of an opening door drew his attention as Scipio appeared in his quarters.

"Are you alright, my boy?" The doctor wondered as he knelt by his side. "Another flashback?"

"Yeah..." Wraith grumbled as he breathed deeply. This wasn't the first time he'd suffered from a mental assault after having been nearly killed in an orbital bombardment approximately two weeks ago. Time and time again he'd witnessed the moment being replayed in his mind, as if someone wanted him to remember the moment he was no victor... but rather, a victim.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if this was Sidious' doing.

"After what you've been through, I'm not surprised. You're likely suffering from a form of PTSD." Scipio mused, checking him over.

"I'm... not supposed to..." the soldier groaned as he slowly lay back in bed, "I'm supposed... to be better."

"Relax. You've been through a lot. Even your body needs time to heal." Scipio eased him as he made Wraith comfortable and prepped an injection of L4E-60.

"I've been healing for two weeks." Wraith countered. "What I need is some action."

"That's highly unlikely... unless it's an absolute emergency." Scipio replied. Given he was Wraith's caretaker and physician, he knew better than to push a wounded body as though it were back to full health. Even Wraith needed time to recover.

"I can walk. I can talk. I'm a little tender, but apart from that I'm fine." Wraith argued. Scipio shushed him as he injected the formula into his shoulder.

"There's no arguing with me, my boy. Rest is what you need and rest is what you'll get." The doctor firmly stated. With a sigh of relent, Wraith closed his eyes and quickly drifted back into the slumber he thought he didn't need. Scipio stood up and paused for a moment to view his creation. Even after something so tremendously life-threatening, he still possessed his unshakable iron resolve to get back to the fight.

The boy was truly a miracle.

Synchronizing the nearby heart rate monitors, which broadcasted a signal directly to him, Scipio quietly exited the room as he left Wraith to his desperately needed rest.

* * *

 _Two days later..._

It had been a little over two weeks since Wraith had been hauled back to base a charred and smouldering mess, and in that time Scipio had worried and fretted over him nonstop, doing whatever he could to encourage a quick recovery. The damage done to his body by the orbital fire was both slowly and quickly being undone by a combination of medicinal miracles. His burned skin had regenerated almost completely, thanks to constant injections of L4E-60. However, some of his more major injuries, those sustained by unknown circumstances, appeared to need more time and more attention. Scipio had no doubt that even though his skin was renewed, he would probably receive a few scars by the time he was fully healed.

Another factor in Wraith's recovery was how swiftly he regained his strength. Thanks to the serum built in to his body, Wraith soon found himself able to walk around without any assistance. But his body felt tender and weak, feelings he attributed to his newly regrown skin and his entire recovery. Something that could be remedied, he believed, with a single combat mission.

But Scipio would have none of it.

"The war can wait." He would say. "You can't fight the Republic half-healed!" Although he accepted his rapid healing and attributed it to the serum, Scipio only wanted his creation to be at his best. And right now, half-healed was not his best.

Currently, Wraith was busy testing the strength of his left arm, now free from bandages and considered to be fully healed. With a small weight in his hand, Wraith was performing curls as Scipio made notes.

"Looks like your strength certainly hasn't diminished by any means." The Pau'un noted.

"I certainly feel fine." Wraith mused, not pausing his exercise.

"Yes, so you've mentioned... over and over again." Scipio replied with a light chuckle.

"Just trying to avoid atrophy." Wraith told him, very much desiring to be active once again. This bedridden state of his simply wouldn't do, not when there was a war going on he needed to participate in.

"The serum will not allow you to atrophy. Nor would it allow you to die, so it would seem." Scipio replied, muttering the last part. "Nice excuse though. I'm still not letting you go anywhere, not until I'm convinced you are fully healed."

"But I need to get back out there!" Wraith urgently replied. "Not only do the Separatists need me, but my body needs it as well. This new skin needs to toughen up-"

"Just heed my words, would you?" Scipio sighed as he stopped his explanation. "There's no use arguing with me. As your physician and care-taker, I am only giving you what you need... and that is rest!" He stated. Wraith rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Suddenly, the holotable beeped, indicating an incoming communication. The doctor immediately set down his datapad and strode over, activating the communication link. Count Dooku appeared before them seconds later.

"Doctor. I was just checking to see how our super-soldier is doing." He greeted them, getting right to the point of his call.

"If I may, my lord, why don't you ask him yourself?" Scipio replied with a grin, motioning for Wraith to come forward. Rising from the table he had been sitting on and setting down the weight in his hand, Wraith walked into Count Dooku's line of sight and saluted.

"Wraith reporting for duty, sir." He announced. Dooku arched an eyebrow, a slight smile appearing on his face.

"At ease soldier. You're looking quite well." He noted.

"I certainly feel well, sir. I believe all I'd need is a good mission to get me back to full health." Wraith stated. Before Scipio could make another objection, Dooku spoke again.

"In that case, I believe I have something for you. Separatist forces on Aefao are being overrun by a Republic strike force. Aefao is one of the more hotly contested worlds and we must reassert our dominance. The people have allied with us and wish to have nothing to do with the Republic, I need you to go there and fend off the invading Clone armies."

"Sounds like a job right up my alley." Wraith mused. "I'll gear up and be on my way in a moment."

"Just a parsec now!" Scipio interrupted them. "Wraith, I cannot deem you battle-ready just yet. Your body has not fully healed!" He repeated before turning to Count Dooku. "With all due respect, my lord, a battle would only stress Wraith's body even more. It would do the exact opposite of what he hopes it will do!"

"Give me a percentage, Doc," Wraith countered, "where am I at?" Scipio powered up his medical tablet and scrolled through his diagnosis.

"You are approximately eighty-nine point seven percent healed. But some of the more major burn wounds still require-"

"So ninety percent... practically one hundred." Wraith interrupted, deeming himself healed. "That's good enough for me." Turning about, the soldier strode over to another table where his tools and weapons lay. His pistols and carbine had been retrieved from the wrecked ship while his gauntlets had required some serious reconstruction as did his helmet. But it had all been fixed and was waiting to be used.

"But...! But you're-!" Scipio tried to push back.

"No 'buts' Doctor." Wraith interrupted him. "The Separatists have called and I will answer!" He stated, strapping his armored gear around his limbs. "Besides," he mused, slipping on his helmet, " _what the Republic doesn't know about my health won't kill them._ " He stated. Then he paused. " _Well... I will kill them anyway..._ "

"But will it kill you?" Scipio wondered, thinking Wraith might be less overconfident and more in over his head. "I get you want to get back to the fight, but if you're not perfect then you will suffer because of it!" Finishing slipping on his jacket, Wraith turned back to Count Dooku and asked,

" _My lord, would you deem the situation on Aefao an emergency?_ "

"The Aefans certainly would." The count promptly replied. Wraith nodded and turned back to Scipio.

" _You said only in an emergency, Doctor. And this is an emergency. Besides, if the Clones can't tell I'm not 'fully' healed then I'm already perfect._ " Without another word, and not waiting for Scipio to say something else, Wraith turned and made for the exit. " _I'll need a rundown of the planet, send it to me as soon as you can._ " He called over his shoulder as he disappeared behind a closing door. With a mechanical click, the door sealed and Scipio was left alone with Dooku's holographic render. The doctor sighed in defeat.

"I hope you're happy, my lord." He told Dooku. "For the record, I want you to know that this is completely against my better judgement. His AV systems are still offline, I'll have no way of communicating with him."

"I would not be too worried, Doctor." The count replied. "Considering he has survived an orbital assault, I doubt anything short of death can slow him down. I will be sure to check on him for you." As the two conversed, Wraith made his way through the winding corridors of the base towards the landing pad where his shuttle waited. The soldier couldn't help but question Scipio's logic behind keeping him bedridden. He had the science at his disposal, he had the technology to prove Wraith's belief to him and he had every reason to allow him to fight again. Wraith simply couldn't understand why Scipio was being so... foolish.

As far as the commando was concerned, there was nothing wrong with him...

* * *

 _Later, on Aefao..._

On the absolute fringes of civilization, Aefao was very much cut off from the rest of the galaxy. Part of the Outer Rim territories, Aefao was a simple, remote world that held little value apart from being the homeworld of the native Aefans.

Apparently it was also of strategic value, which, in Wraith's mind, was the only logical reason the Republic would relentlessly fight for such an isolated planet.

His shuttle landed at the remains of the Separatist base on the planet, now significantly reduced in size given the numerous fallen battle droids that had succumbed to the Republic onslaught.

Fortunately, battle droids were easy to produce... unlike the Republic's Clone troopers, who needed to be bought from their Kaminoian manufacturers.

Just another perk of being a member of the Separatists: business was on your side.

Disembarking from the shuttle, Wraith's optics calibrated and performed a quick scan of the area. Once his HUD was updated, Wraith learned a nearby city had been the recent site of a final confrontation between the Republic and the Separatists. It had now been reduced to little more than rubble and the remains of what might've once been buildings.

No doubt any Clone forces would be busy securing their newly acquired territory. They would become his first targets.

Wraith wasted no time in sucking in a lungful of refreshing air before breaking into a jog as he advanced upon the nearest city. He was convinced this would do him some good. It would be only him and the enemies before him, no interruptions, no one anticipating his arrival, it would be just him and the battles to come. His array of AV equipment was still on the fritz after the orbital blast, leaving Scipio with no way to connect with him. Dooku could though, his long-range comms were still operational. But the count never pestered him like Scipio did.

Wraith was actually grateful someone wouldn't be looking over his shoulder the whole time.

The air of the city was significantly less pure than that near the base. A thick layer of dust and gun smoke hung thick in the air, indicating the battle for territory had only been recently fought. The streets were littered with twisted masses of permacrete and durasteel, creating vast areas that needed to be avoided or vaulted over as he jogged through the city. Rebar stuck out from chunks of debris like part of a fence, creating something reminiscent of spike-balls in certain piles of permacrete. The place was an absolute mess. Fortunately for Wraith, this chaotic environment would be perfect for him if he went on the defensive... and maybe the offensive...

His scans picked up a trio of heat signatures nearby. He couldn't quite tell if they were natives or Clones, but a closer look would soon reveal them. Dropping a little lower and slowing his pace, Wraith lowed the heat sigs as he began to stalk his targets. He took cover behind a pile of permacrete debris and adjusted his audio receptors, hoping to catch an indicator as to whom he was dealing with.

The accented voice immediately gave it away.

" _...locals aren't very easy to deal with. Glad I'm on recon instead of crowd control."_

" _They're Seppies, they joined as soon as they could. What else would you expect?"_

Clones. Two for sure, probably a third. They liked to move in groups or squads, trying to play the numbers game as part of a level one tactic of being a team.

Wraith needed no team. He was a predator, stalking a herd of soon-to-be victims. His tactic was the simple premise of striking first, striking fast and striking hard. Very hard. So hard the enemy would never recover... and never survive the encounter.

Deciding to engage them in a quick and ruthless attack that left no opening for recovery, Wraith took a breath and hoped his body was up for some lightning-fast moves. Setting his optics on thermal vision, he quickly outlined the Clones and calculated his angles of attack.

Should be no problem... as long as his body was up for the task.

Wraith leapt over the pile of debris, wrist blades extending from under his hands as the nearest Clone looked up in surprise. Wraith pounced upon him before he could react, blades piercing clean through his chest armor and sinking deep into his vital organs. The Clone died as Wraith rode his body to the ground, pulling his blades free and retracting them as he rolled forward. Another Clone cried out in surprise just as Wraith triggered his arm blades, spinning around and slicing through the trooper's leg. The severed joint fell away as the Clone dropped like a rock, only to find Wraith's other blade buried in his back seconds later. The final trooper managed to fire off a few shots from his blaster, only for his rounds to bounce off Wraith to his utter shock. The commando was on his feet in an instant, whipping around as he brought his blades to bear on his final opponent. The Clone stood no chance as one blade slit his throat before the other was buried deep in his torso. With blood staining his armor, the Clone dropped dead as Wraith wrenched his weapon free, watching the Clone die as his weapons disappeared back into his gauntlets. Wraith felt satisfied, his body had performed most admirably and three Clones were dead, all thanks to him. Looking around at the bloodstained bodies, Wraith was feeling quite good. Two weeks was simply too long to be away from this environment of death and destruction.

" _Ahhh..._ " He sighed in satisfaction, breathing in the stench of gun smoke and fresh blood. " _I missed this._ " He growled. " _It's good to be back. This is what I need!_ " Feeling invigorated, Wraith charged forward into the city, feeling good and ready to hunt more Clones.

* * *

This city had definitely seen better days.

Wraith wasn't sure if this had all been part of the battle for control of the planet or if the Reepublic had purposefully destroyed this city during their invasion. Either way, it was a far cry from the battleground that was Crystal City on Christophsis. At least that place was mostly intact, his very first deployment had only shown him a good side of the now-infamous Clone Wars, how some cities and places actually managed to survive the war that came to them.

If that was the good side of things, Wraith was convinced he was the bad side... at least for the Republic.

His body appeared to be functioning just fine. He'd been moving on foot for the past while and he'd shown no sign of slowing down or pain. He believed his body was beginning to toughen up to it's original battle-hardened state. This was good. The more he kept at this, the healthier he would become.

It seemed he needed to fight, for the sake of his own health.

Bounding across piles of rubble and vaulting over the remains of walls, Wraith aimed to keep his body in maximum shape, hoping to prove once and for all he didn't need to be in top condition to be perfect. If Clones could fall while he was less than optimal, then there was no need to delay him any further from rejoining the war effort.

Sliding to a halt in the midst of a rubble-strewn courtyard, Wraith paused to quickly survey his surroundings. He was in the middle of the city now, and anyplace could be the home territory of the Republic. Not wanting to stumble across their base unprepared, Wraith deemed it prudent he figure things out before he got himself into a tight spot. Pinging his scanners, he appeared to be alone out here. But that didn't mean someone couldn't be spying on him from the remains of one of the many buildings surrounding him...

His scans suddenly picked up a plethora of heat signatures over in the next courtyard.

Were they all Clones? Had he found the bulk of the invading force? Not wasting another minute, the commando set off to investigate.

He had encountered very few troopers as he moved through the city, scattered about in small teams or pairs that were easily dispatched. Wraith had to wonder why the Republic was so sparse when it seemed a battle had been recently fought in this area. It was an odd phenomenon for sure.

Scaling a wall and peeking out over the edge of what was once a balcony, Wraith managed to lay eyes on what was the source of his readings. A company of Clone troopers was moving through the area, possibly trying to secure their position or quell any attempts at resistance. There were six, maybe seven of them. Definitely a larger squad. The other heat sigs belonged to a group of Aefans taking refuge inside a nearby building. At first glance, they appeared to be hiding from the Clones. But, as Wraith performed a scan of the building they were in, he discovered its integrity had been compromised and was threatening to collapse. Wraith had already encountered several members of the planet's native species as he moved through the city, but only in passing glances as he continued onward on his mission to destroy the Republic troops. This was the first time he'd seen such a large group. They must be survivors from this sector. Aefans were shorter than the average human, roughly about half the height of someone like Wraith or a Clone trooper. Their skin was orange, a common shade that every member of the species shared. It was enough to make Wraith think about a certain Togruta every time he passed one of them.

But they were Separatists aligned individuals. They deserved his help, they deserved to he saved by the alliance they had committed to. But he had to think about his own priorities, ones that came straight from Count Dooku.

His mission had to come first. The Aefans would have to wait.

Determining his course of action, Wraith waited until the Clones had their backs to him before he stood, drew his pistols and lined them up in his-

 _Save the civilians!_

Wraith froze where he was as a voice, sounding plain as day, resonated through his mind. Coming seemingly from out of nowhere, Wraith looked around and checked his HUD scanners for anyone else in the area.

But they came back negative.

 _You need to save those civilians._

There it was again. Wraith shook his head, hoping he was just hearing some communication chatter from the Republic. Turning back to his would-be victims, he realized they were out of sight and probably long gone. Any movement now would only draw unnecessary attention as he could no longer get the drop on them.

He had lost his element of surprise.

Cursing under his breath, Wraith holstered his pistols and raced towards the crumbling structure. It was a simple building, possibly part of a bigger facility at one point, but was now being held together by what could only be sheer willpower. Large pieces of durasteel rebar had collapsed before the entrance, effectively trapping the Aefans inside. Quickly tearing through the debris and casting it aside, Wraith pushed his bulk frame through the small entrance. His presence surprised the trapped group, but they said nothing and simply backed further into the room.

Poor souls. They were terrified of anything that moved. They must've witnessed untold destruction, losing everything to the Republic assault.

Performing a quick scan, Wraith pinpointed the weakest portion of the roof. It was threatening to cave in, but appeared stable unless disturbed by some thunderous movement. Stepping into the center of the room, Wraith braced his shoulders against the partially collapsed roof and pushed up. Summoning whatever strength he could and pressing his hands upwards for additional support, Wraith moved the roof higher and higher until it was on an even angle. The Aefans were clearly astonished by his feat, but Wraith knew he could only do this for so long.

He did have a mission to get back to.

" _Go! Now!_ " He ordered, ensuring the roof was secure against his back. The civilians were quick to move in single file past his body, swiftly making their way towards the exit. Wraith mentally ticked each one off as they left, counting twelve altogether. Once the last Aefan was out and none were left cowering in the corner, Wraith dropped to his knees and quickly crawled out of the building, returning back into the open. Standing up straight, Wraith heard several pieces of roof smash into the ground behind him. It appears his efforts to save the Aefans was the roof needed to lose its stability. He had acted just in time. Performing a quick headcount, Wraith positively confirmed that all the Aefans were safe. A job well done, if he did say so himself. One of the civilians, a man, rushed over and began pumping Wraith's hand.

"Thank you sir! A million times, thank you!" He said, thanking him profusely. His thanks were added to when the other Aefans started clapping, deeply grateful for the fast actions of their savior. Wraith had to admit, it felt good to do something nice for those he fought for. And additional thanks from random members of the populace was even sweeter than a congratulations from Count Dooku or Scipio.

" _Head east towards Separatist lines, you'll be taken care of._ " He promptly instructed them. The man nodded and moved to lead the group, releasing the commando's hand. After ensuring they were on their way, Wraith moved on, determined to travel further into the destroyed city and hunt down more Republic affiliates. With luck, he'd be able to make up for not eliminating that squad he noticed earlier.

Which raised a more serious question: what was that voice?

Did it belong to someone? Was he hearing something through an unknown communications channel? Was it something derived from within his mind, the same source that brought on those recurring memories of the moment he was bombarded? He knew the blast had definitely knocked out Darth Sidious' attempted reprogramming, but had it knocked something else loose as well?

Wraith didn't know. He wasn't sure what was going on with him. But, given how he could hear nothing at the moment, maybe it was all over.

Believing that to be the case, Wraith set off to hunt down more invading Clones.

* * *

More Clones did he find... and more Clones did he kill.

They stood no chance as he struck from the shadows, lunging forward and moving with refined precision, cutting them all down with simple series of predetermined, choreographed moves. Every single action had been timed and plotted right down to the exact millisecond it was enacted, every move flowing together in a perfect demonstration of top-tier coordination.

The Wraith was no machine, but he certainly worked like a well-oiled one.

Two squads had already succumbed to his hit-and-run tactics, bodies torn and blasted as a mark of his handiwork. He was here to send a message, to let the Republic know they would not run so roughshod over his allies as long as he was around. Despite being assaulted with some of the hardest weaponry at their disposal, Wraith had persevered and only returned stronger and more determined than ever. His unquenchable bloodlust fueled his motions, his body back to optimum functionality as he forgot all about the mysterious voice in his head.

He forgot, that is, until he came across his next cluster of victims...

Another Clone squad was patrolling the edge of the city, working on securing their perimeter as the Republic sought to gain total control of their most recent conquest. But as the troopers milled about under the shadows of ruined buildings, they failed to notice the deep blue coattails and blazing red optics that watched their every move. Like some silent and hungry predator, Wraith patiently waited for the most opportune moment before he leapt down from his perch, drawing his knives and driving them into the back of the Clone he had pounced on. The deceased's fellow troopers barely had time to recognize the danger they were in before a pair of knives were impaled in their throats. Dashing past them, Wraith holstered his weaponry and drew a single blaster pistol as the final two Clones opened fire on him. Rounds pinged off his armor as Wraith grabbed the nearest Clone and emptied a cluster of rounds in to the trooper's abdomen, effectively killing him. The other Clone kept firing, hoping he might get lucky and scoring a downing hit.

He wouldn't be.

Shooting the blaster out of the Clone's grip, Wraith quickly struck with a hard left cross as he holstered his weapon. Striking with a quick right hook, Wraith followed up by kicking his opponent away and sent the Clone tumbling across the ground. But, to Wraith's mild surprise, the trooper managed to right himself. Lunging forward, Wraith downed the Clone with a quick punch to the gut. Rearing back his right arm, his blade shot forward over his hand as he-

 _No! Stop!_

Wraith froze in place as the voice returned, stopping him before he could plunge his blade through the Clone's head.

" _What?!_ " Wraith wondered aloud, annoyed by the return of this invisible distraction and that he had been interrupted.

 _Disable him, don't kill him._ The voice instructed him.

What an absolutely absurd notion!

" _Why? He's a Clone, he deserves to die!_ " Wraith retorted. Suddenly struck in the mid section, Wraith stumbled back as he realized his victim, although very confused, had recovered and had proceeded to attack him. The soldier responded by shoving his blade deep into the Clone's torso as soon as he drew near enough. He relished in the crimson rivers that stained his sword as blood freely flowed from the fatal wound, feeling completely justified in defying this voice. " _There, over and done with._ " He mused, retracting his blade as the Clone fell over and died at his feet.

 _Why'd you have to do that? What'd he ever do to you?_ This voice was growing more and more irritating with each passing second.

" _He was in my way._ " Wraith stated plainly.

 _That's not a good reason._ The voice shot back. Wraith growled in frustration and shook his head, hoping to silence this irritating new development.

" _Shut up and leave me alone,_ " he demanded, breaking into a jog as he moved back into the city, " _I've got work to do._ "

 _By work you mean murder._ The voice retorted.

" _Fine. Whatever you wanna call it._ " Wraith growled. " _I can't believe I'm talking to myself._ "

 _I am not you. I am nowhere near the monster you are!_ The voice sharply told him. The commando sighed in annoyance and set about actually doing something to quell this irritation. Having finally had enough of the additional chatter, Wraith quickly powered up the music files in his helmet and promptly cranked the volume, hoping to drown out the voice with some harmonic beats that would also amp him up for battle.

 _I know what you're doing! You can't drown me out forever!_ He heard the voice cry before he managed to fully tune it out. Harmonic beats filled his head as his body began to tense up, feeling amped up as the synthesized tunes consumed his thoughts.

He often trained with this kind of music in his head, it helped him get his thoughts aligned. Sometimes he was even able to fight in-sync with the beat of the music. It was a rare but nice coincidence.

But right now, he just wanted this mix of tunes to help him overcome some level of insanity. To bring about a sense of normalcy. He was The Wraith, he couldn't perform under such problematic circumstances! He needed focus, he needed clarity!

Despite the circumstances, Wraith carried on, determined to fulfill his mission.

Bounding through the city at a fast clip, he vaulted a wall and landed right in the middle of another squad of Clones. With his music too loud to hear anything they were saying, Wraith simply drew his pistols and began emptying shots left, right and centre. Spinning around and around so no one could get the drop on him, Wraith blasted his foes with the quickest of reflexes and split-second timing. One by one, each Clone hit the ground dead, a smoking wound somewhere on their chest or head. After a few chaotic seconds of repetitive gunfire, Wraith halted in place. The Clones were all dead. Lowering his volume levels, Wraith believed he had sufficiently reduced the annoyance of this voice... at least for the time being. He took stock of his surroundings and his mental state as he holstered his weapons, breathing heavily as a sudden adrenaline rush died down. So far, all was quiet. The Clones had been dispatched and the voice appeared to have taken a hike.

But who know how long it would be before it returned?

A loud droning overhead forced him to disable his music entirely. Looking skyward, Wraith discovered a pair of LAAT gunships en route to the planet's surface.

They must be here to deliver reinforcements.

Breaking into a sprint, Wraith followed the descending ships as his body began pumping adrenaline once more in anticipation of a fight. The craft were moving faster than him, but Wraith had a feeling he may be able to ambush them from afar. After all, a single well-place shot could obliterate the whole craft, effectively killing everyone aboard.

It was time to see just how well his hand-eye coordination had become. Hopefully the bombardment hadn't set it back any. His mind may be slightly askew of its once perfect state, but as long as he could score a bullseye he was convinced he could tough it out.

Coming to stop on a hill, Wraith took in the sight of the gunships making landfall on an empty patch of ground, doors open and squads of Clone troopers being deployed. The ground had no doubt been razed by the recent battle, making for the perfect clearing to deploy any size of squad.

The one downside? They had no cover to hide behind.

Seeing the opportunity practically being handed to him, Wraith jumped down from his perch and landed crouched on the ground. " _No more._ " He thought. " _The Republic holds Aefao no longer!_ " Drawing his carbine, Wraith knelt down, took aim at the open gunships full of Clones and pulled the trigger.

His aim was perfect. With each shot a Clone fell dead. His opponents had no time to react, no time to return fire before they were gunned down. Wraith kept firing, round after round exploding from his weapon. Soon one gunship was full of the bodies of dead Clones, scorch marks riddling their armor.

But he wasn't finished.

Turning his sights on the next gunship and quickly re-calibrating his weapon, Wraith squeezed the trigger and unleashed more hell upon the invaders. Clones fell from the gunship, dying in droves as his rifle ripped them apart. Another ship emptied of the living, he returned his sights to the one full of the dead and fired a burst of rounds that pierced the cockpit, killing the pilot.

None would leave here alive. And any who arrived would soon find themselves as dead as their comrades.

Convinced they had all been killed, Wraith ceased firing and stood up, eyeing the carnage he had created.

 _So much death... why?_ A quiet voice wondered from the recesses of his mind.

" _Not. Now._ " Wraith growled, convinced he could dominate this voice through a powerful mental presence. Sheathing his carbine behind him, Wraith walked over to the downed gunships and whipped out a pair of explosive disks. Sticking them both to the roof with well-aimed throws, Wraith took a few steps back and patiently waited as the timers counted down.

The ensuing explosion rocked him, but the commando relished in the glowing flames before him as the gunship and the dead Clones were consumed by the blaze. " _Nothing like a warm fire fueled by my enemies._ " He absentmindedly mused. Taking a moment to reflect on the voice in his head, Wraith began to wonder many questions as to what it was he was hearing. " _Maybe it was a Jedi._ " He muttered, looking for a logical explanation for. But he suddenly realized that would be impossible, Scipio had rendered him immune to all Force mind tricks. No one should be in his head.

So who, or what, was this voice?

Could it be some kind of apparition? A figment of his imagination? Had that bombardment knocked loose something other than Sidious' reprogramming? Maybe it was a momentary hallucination, a one-time occurrence that would soon be forgotten.

Hopefully, that was the case.

Deciding he'd had enough standing around, Wraith turned to leave and began to make his way to... well, he wasn't quite sure where. Clones were everywhere, the Republic was everywhere. What more could he do apart from doing what he'd already been doing?

Fortunately, an incoming communication interrupted his thoughts.

"Good work Wraith." Count Dooku praised him. "From what I've heard, the Republic is undermanned and will require reinforcements. Reports are coming in that they are losing men quite rapidly and lack the forces necessary to keep Aefao under their control." He added, making Wraith feel a little prouder of his efforts. "Separatist reinforcements are on their way to reinforce our position on Aefao. You've bought us a fighting chance here, for that I say well done."

" _Thank you sir. I live to serve._ " The commando promptly replied.

"It appears the Republic decided to try and make some gains in your absence." Dooku added. "Aefao is not the only world under siege right now. I'm sending you to Saleucami to alleviate our overwhelmed forces there. Push back the Republic and lead our forces to victory."

" _It shall be done._ " Wraith accepted his new assignment as Dooku closed the communication. Back to back missions. This was perfect. Nothing like a nice hard run-of-the-mill strike mission to get the blood pumping.

But what of this voice? Should he speak to Scipio about it? Should he call things off and get his head back in shape?

No. There was no time. He had work to do.

Deciding his interests were inferior to those of the Separatist cause, Wraith turned on heel and proceeded to jog back towards the eastern base he arrived at. He could live with a simple voice for just a few days. It shouldn't be that big of a problem...

* * *

 _Elsewhere, aboard the Resolute..._

Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi had been instructed to lead their forces into battle as the Republic pushed deep into the Outer Rim territories, hoping to remove the Separatists from long-held positions on a variety of worlds. Since the demise of The Wraith, Palpatine deemed it wise for the Republic to attack in full force as their enemies were now missing a valuable member. Having successfully completed removing a deeply-entrenched force from Mygeeto, the Generals had returned to Anakin's cruiser feeling a little light-hearted with their victory.

"I still say that tank only counts as one." Obi-Wan was saying.

"Look, I took out the pilot, the gunner and the navigator. That makes three!" Anakin countered.

"Yes, you took them out... by blowing up the whole tank." Obi-Wan replied with an eye roll. "I swear, I can never win one of these games with you."

"Better try harder next time, Master." Anakin shot back with a smirk. The two of them were interrupted when a serious-faced Admiral Yularen stepped before them.

"Generals, pleased to see you both back safe." He greeted them.

"It is good to be back." Obi-Wan mused, glancing around the bridge of the cruiser.

"What have you, Admiral?" Anakin asked, spying a datapad in Yularen's grip.

"We've received a report from Aefao." Yularen informed them. There was something negative in the tone of his voice that made Anakin a little worried about what his admiral had to say.

"Something tells me I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear." He mused. Yularen nodded slowly as he handed over the datapad.

"It appears The Wraith has returned." He simply told them. "Two whole regiments have been slaughtered, along with a pair of new supply depots destroyed." Anakin and Obi-Wan looked up in shock.

"Impossible!" Anakin exclaimed. "That orbital bombardment... i-it should've killed him! No one can survive that!"

"Bodies don't lie sir." Yularen grimly replied. "It's him alright." Anakin quickly flipped through the images of dead Clones with blood-stained armor and tell-tale blade wounds he'd seen too many times before. Suddenly, he switched images and came face to face with a grainy image of Wraith, stalking around the ruins of buildings. The image was undoubtedly taken from a trooper's helmet recording.

"Yes, that's him." Obi-Wan sighed, looking over Anakin's shoulder.

"But how...?" The Jedi Knight wondered, still astonished by the fact Wraith had survived an orbital bombardment!

"I don't know sir. All I know is that he's back and he's made life miserable for our forces on Aefao. Separatists reinforcements have been spotted and it looks like we may lose the planet once more." Yularen reported.

"He's undoing what we've done." Obi-Wan noted. "That means he may hit Mygeeto and other worlds pretty soon after this."

"Why do I get the feeling we'll be making a U-turn some time soon?" Anakin grumbled. They had just come from Aefao and had believed themselves to be completely victorious.

Leave it to a not-so-dead Wraith to change their fortunes.

"We have to inform the Chancellor, tell him The Wraith is back." Obi-Wan surmised, not wanting to be the bearer of bad news.

"Better let Master Windu and Master Plo know as well." Anakin added, thinking about the other Jedi with them here in the Outer Rim. "How are we supposed to kill the unkillable?" He wondered, at a complete loss for how to proceed and still in shock by the fact their enemy was alive and well. Obi-Wan silently shook his head, not knowing what to do either.

But at that moment, Yularen had something to say.

"Sir, if I may, I believe I have something for you in that regard." Hope sprung anew in Anakin as he heard Yularen's words.

"Go ahead Admiral, we're all ears." Obi-Wan quickly urged him to continue.

"As you may know, there are many exchange officers from outside the Republic who are here to observe our war with the Separatists. One of them has been particularly intrigued by The Wraith and has put together a briefing I think you'll be interested in. Given how Wraith still lives, it may be prudent that you listen to what he has to say." Yularen told them.

"Any idea what's in this briefing?" Anakin asked, both curious about what this officer had to say and annoyed by the fact he'd have to sit through a briefing. From his past experiences, they tended to be quite boring.

"It is a way to combat this most persistent foe of yours." A voice stated from behind them. Anakin and Obi-Wan turned around to see a figure standing near the bridge viewport with his back to them, someone they had not noticed before but was now turning and approaching them.

"Generals, this is the officer I was talking about." Yularen informed them. "I offered him a position with the command staff of the Resolute, given his particular insights into The Wraith." The man regarded Yularen with a simple nod. Neither of the Jedi recognized him.

"And who might you be?" Obi-Wan wondered, curious as to the identity of this newcomer. Anakin doubly so. There was a stranger on his ship he did not know about! The man quickly replied,

"Forgive me for not introducing myself properly, General. I am Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Chiss Ascendancy. But you may simply call me 'Thrawn'."

* * *

 **Author's Note:... skip the next chapter at your own risk...**


	34. The Artist of War

**Author's Note: What's this? No Scipio's Log? Well, you know, it's Thrawn... you don't waste any time getting to Thrawn. This chapter isn't exactly action-packed, but I hope this gives you all some insight into who The Wraith is. It may be just as beneficial for you as it is for the Republic...**

* * *

-Chapter 17: The Artist of War-

Location: The Resolute

"One may know how to conquer without being able to do it."

It was an offer too good to be true.

Anakin and Obi-Wan were eager to hear Commander Thrawn's briefing as the exchange officer from the Chiss Ascendancy was ready to offer them an outside perspective, a way to fight back against The Wraith. It was something the two Jedi, along with many others, had desperately been seeking for a very long time. But before they could hear the briefing Thrawn was prepared to present to them, they quickly invited the other Jedi out in the Outer Rim territories to listen in.

Within the hour, Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Wolffe, Ahsoka and Plo's former apprentice Bultar Swan appeared via holocom in the designated briefing room, ready to hear what the exchange officer had to say. Anakin invited Rex to attend along with Cody, figuring it would be a good idea some of the front line men heard about this. The more who knew how to effectively combat The Wraith, the better.

Thrawn was a most impressive man. The blue-skinned, black-haired, red-eyed Chiss possessed a commanding presence and a piercing gaze, one that absolutely captivated his audience. The visiting officer appeared calm and cool, a very collected individual in the midst of turbulent times. He stood off to the side, a data pad under his arm, as Admiral Yularen ensured a strong connection for the distant Jedi. After some quick confirmations, the admiral straightened up and cleared his throat to gain the attention of his superiors.

"Thank you all for coming to this briefing on such short notice." He began. "Allow me to introduce Commander Thrawn of the Chiss Ascendency, an exchange officer here to observe our war with the Separatists. He has been studying The Wraith very carefully and has assembled some information that will help us conquer our problematic foe. Hopefully." This last line was spoken with a hint of hesitancy, Admiral Yularen knowing full well what Wraith was capable of and having his own doubts about how such a foe could even be beaten. Yularen turned to Thrawn as he finished. "Commander, the floor is yours." He stated, stepping away.

"Thank you, Admiral." The Chiss nodded in acceptance as he took his place before the gathered Republic leaders. Pausing to order his thoughts and set his data pad down, Thrawn folded his arms behind his back before he began. "In order to understand your enemy, you must understand who they are as a person. Their beliefs, influences, heritage, all come together to create the single person you see before you." He stated. "Having thoroughly researched all available archived footage, battlefield descriptions and first-hand accounts, I have put together a portfolio detailing who The Wraith is, as we know him. Although you may question my efforts, you will see that even the smallest detail can reveal the most important of clues. Someone has put much time and effort into crafting The Wraith, and this makes him all the more interesting to study. To see him in action, to see his movements and style, says a lot about the artist that designed him."

"Artist? You think Wraith is a work of art?" Anakin incredulously wondered, finding the statement rather absurd.

"In a way, he is." Thrawn calmly replied. "He is the one being in the known galaxy capable of singlehandedly defeating a Jedi in hand-to-hand combat without exterior assistance, destroying a Clone army with the simple tools at his disposal and surviving the most extreme circumstances. All of these feats found within a fluid and tactical soldier who is as deadly as he is efficient. Truly a work of art, if only because of his uniqueness." His descriptions gave the Jedi something to think about as Thrawn offered a perspective none of them had considered before. "I appreciate the art of a society, General. It is who they are, the essence of a race, captured in a single item that has been lovingly crafted over time, the result of much effort and passion. The Wraith, in many ways, is the art of the Separatists... their masterpiece, if you will." He added. "Within him you can see their desire to be distinct from the Republic, their hatred for the Republic and their ambition to become something greater than the Republic." The Jedi were quite impressed with how Thrawn calmly relayed his personal beliefs. This man was making quite the impression. "Now, what do we truly know about The Wraith?" He asked those assembled. "We know what he is capable of, but do we really know anything about who he is?"

"He's proud." Anakin muttered.

"Indeed he is, General. And with good reason. Many Separatists wish to beat you so thoroughly and soundly, but he is the only one who has." Thrawn replied. Anakin let out a short puff of breath, hating to be reminded of his now-infamous defeat by Wraith's hand. "But apart from personality, the Republic knows nothing about Wraith's background. However, the clues are there and the indicators are quite plain, as I shall soon detail for all of you." Moving on, Thrawn proceeded to use a nearby holoprojector to display a series of images of The Wraith, all pulled from helmet recorders. "From what has been witnessed on various battlefields, we know that Wraith functions as a single unit, independent from any primary Separatist force. He acts as a commando, a soldier specially trained in close-quarters combat and relied upon to carry out the most important of missions. He is a troubleshooter, someone the Separatists call upon to give them a winning edge whenever they start to lose to the Republic. He is also a specialist, someone the Separatists can trust with far more elite missions of grave importance. These statements are based upon his actions as seen in battlefields across the galaxy. The role of troubleshooter was witnessed on both Geonosis and Muunilinst, the specialist role was observed during his mission to Honoghr and the commando role is most notably his more common assignment, as seen more frequently than the other two." Thrawn explained. "Each of these incidents where Wraith was confirmed to have appeared each have their own clues as to his identity. You can observe his use of hit and run tactics, his preference for close quarters engagements over shooting from a distance, his ability to strategize and execute tactics in addition to fulfilling orders. In short, Wraith is what some might call the 'perfect soldier'. He can do it all."

"So he's their... what, final solution?" Cody wondered.

"What he is, Commander, is a response." Thrawn replied. "Wraith was commissioned in an effort to 'show up' the Republic, as it were. The Republic commissioned an army of genetically identical soliders all wrought from the same source: a deadly bounty hunter with a reputation for being unrivalled. Wraith was made to do what an army of Clones seemingly cannot: win a war." His statement made the Clones frown a little. They didn't like being shown up by the Separatists. It only fueled their desire to win even more. "What you need a squad of ten individually trained, highly skilled, specialist Clones to accomplish, Wraith can complete by himself. His advantage over Clone troopers lies in the fact he is a single-minded individual who thinks and acts without the need of others." Rex cocked his head.

"And this is a benefit?" He wondered. That kind of thinking was completely counter to how Clones worked. Thrawn turned to regard him.

"He has no General to report to, no allies to protect, no sense of loyalty to any one person on the battlefield. He serves only his directive and, by extension, the will of the Separatists. To him, Captain, this is a benefit." He explained. "Where Clones think of themselves as a family, willing to fight and die for each other and their Generals, Wraith only has to think of his own well being. And so far it has served him well." Thrawn paused for a moment as he allowed that information to rest with his audience, giving them time to digest what such a policy meant to someone like Wraith. "Now I would like to take a moment to explore Wraith's weaponry, you will see it belies much about his nature as a soldier." The images on the screen disappeared and were replaced with ones showing Wraith in action, taken from a distance. Thrawn zoomed in on Wraith and took a moment to highlight the weapons in his hands. "In terms of ranged weaponry, Wraith has been witnessed using, on multiple occasions, a pair of DE-20 heavy blaster pistols. These appear to be his preferred firearms as they are holstered along his hips, much like any other soldier's go-to weapon. However, he has also been spotted wielding a pair of KD-30 Dissuader slugthrower pistols. These are a far more unique kind of weapon, as slugthrower pistols are hardly used by anyone. Evidently someone deemed them to be a good idea for him to wield, but the question remains 'why'?" Thrawn looked to his listeners, quietly observing them before continuing, "Why would such an elite soldier be given a pair of outdated weapons like these?" The Chiss waited for an answer. But when none came, he set his gaze on Rex. "Tell me Captain, what do you know about slugthrowers?" Rex straightened up as he recalled whatever knowledge he had on ballistic weaponry.

"Well, for starters, they're a much more archaic weapon. Not really any use against modern day armor." He explained.

"And yet Wraith has been observed gunning down Clones in droves with these 'archaic weapons'." Thrawn interjected. Rex paused as he thought of an answer.

"I suppose he could be using acid-tipped slugs. Those appear to be effective type of anti-personnel ammunition-"

"Precisely Captain." Thrawn nodded. "Wraith has been outfitted with such weapons for one purpose: to make a statement."

"What kind of statement?" Bultar wondered, speaking up for the first time.

"The reason, Master Jedi, is twofold. The first being that Wraith is capable of using any means to achieve victory." Thrawn explained. "And the second is to spread fear. Fear is Wraith's most valuable ally. His reputation proceeds him, everyone knows he's decimated entire armies, slaughtered Jedi without breaking a sweat and held his own against in the most adverse situations. But to leave behind the bodies of his victims, their corpses riddled with not scorch marks but bullet holes, is to make that fear a visceral reality." Thrawn paused again. "The sight of blood is a powerful tool. Wraith knows this and he likes to use it to his advantage. In a day and age where blast wounds are clean and precise, made so because of a desire for cleanliness, a ragged cut, a stream of blood, a dripping wound is enough to make any witness afraid. What the galaxy has been trying to do away with, he is freely exploiting for the sake of creating fear and panic." The Republic had to admit that Thrawn had a point. Blaster wounds left simple, glowing scorch marks behind and lightsabers were equally as clean. Wounds were cauterized as soon as they were made. Blood was not a common result... and even the strongest of Jedi could grow squeamish over the sight of a pool of red fluid and a series of innards lying within it. It now seemed quite clear why Wraith had such a bloodthirsty penchant. Bloodied corpses weren't just his calling card, they were his way of spreading fear. "You may also note how his weapons are all viable over a short range, and he lacks anything to aid him from a distance, such as a DC-15x or any other make of sniper rifle." Thrawn carried on. "Instead he carries an BR8 series carbine, a weapon powerful enough to gun down a whole line of Clones in a matter of seconds."

"This is all well and good, Commander," Anakin interjected, "but you told General Kenobi and I that you had a way to combat Wraith."

"All in due time, General Skywalker." Thrawn courteously replied. "At the moment I am simply helping you understand your enemy. While I know you prefer instant action over talk, you can often miss the most important clues in the heat of rash action. This is an opponent you cannot best through sheer luck and a show of force, you must be able to think before you act."

"What I've been saying for years." Obi-Wan jabbed, giving Anakin a slight nudge. The Knight rolled his eyes in response.

"What should be learned from Wraith's arsenal is that it is designed to work with him in his way. This is why he fights as aggressively as he does, he wants the Republic to fight on his terms. Terms, he knows, he can win under. Wraith will do whatever he can to turn the tide of battle in his favour and once that happens, defeat is sure to follow. As a troubleshooter, it is his job to enter a fight on the brink of defeat and turn it into a victory. Now, with a description like that, much is riding on him to perform with excellence and his tactics reflect this." Thrawn stated. "Wraith is the kind of soldier who adapts to a situation within mere moments, becoming one with his new environment so he can fight his way through it. But, if we were to plan well in advance of his arrival, he may not be able to think fast enough to escape a trap that has been sequentially ordered." The Republic affiliates quickly made mental notes of that one key fact, hoping they may be able to use it one day. Thrawn was quick to move on though, ready to discuss his next piece of research. "Having said that, Wraith's mindset, purpose and tactics all working together at one time certainly make him a formidable foe. But his skills are unparalleled, exercising a combination of strength, speed, agility and intelligence that not even the famed Mandalorian warriors are capable of. Wraith fights with purpose and intention, that much we can plainly see in the way he fights. But it is how he fights that one can learn much about the way he can train." He explained. "Of course, it is common-knowledge he can engage in hand-to-hand combat, but these are no random punches and kicks he throws out. They are choreographed, planned out according to meticulous calculation and executed with the intent of having them be the downfall of his chosen victim." Thrawn stated, using rather descriptive language. "Although it was no doubt painful, your bout with him on Tibrin was most fascinating, General Skywalker." He noted. Anakin shrugged, not really wanting to remember the moment as Thrawn moved on. "As I've stated before, Wraith appears to have a personal preference for close-quarters combat. He demonstrates a mastery of a variety of martial arts, including: Echani, Teras Kasi, Stava, Rek'dul, K'tara, k'Jtari, Hijkata, Tae-Jitsu and Thrar'kor." With each listed martial art, an image of Wraith executing a different move appeared on the screen, providing solid evidence to back up what Thrawn was claiming. "Many of these he used against you, General. More specifically the anti-Jedi Teras Kasi. It does appear to be a particular favourite of his."

"That would make sense, given his mandate." Mace mused aloud. "If he wants to destroy a Jedi then he'll use the most efficient means to do it." Thrawn nodded as he acknowledged the Jedi's words.

"Now you see how he works, General Windu." He said, praising the Jedi's description. "It would be common for someone to know at least one martial art. Even among the Jedi there are those such as you, General Koon, who are known practitioners of Teras Kasi." The Kel Dor Master nodded. He was known throughout the Order for being one of the few who majored in the practice of this particular martial art. "But to know and practice nearly ten different forms of combat, this suggests that either someone has commanded he learn all of these or that Wraith himself is infatuated with the martial arts." Thrawn continued. "And evidence heavily indicates the former."

"And why is that?" Obi-Wan wondered.

"With notoriety like his, do you really need to question it, General Kenobi? No one pursues such things unless they have some directive in mind. You do not train with a lightsaber unless you wish to become a Jedi." Thrawn promptly replied, defending his claim. "It is plainly obvious that Wraith was engineered with one objective in mind: to kill and destroy the Republic wherever it may be found. And his superiors commanded that he be trained to do just that." While his point was perfectly clear, something was still confusing Anakin.

"Well, if that's the case, then why doesn't he just do it?" He asked. Feeling the war had lasted for quite a while, it made no sense for someone capable of bringing it to an end to not do so.

"That, General Skywalker, is where things get interesting." Thrawn informed him. "Wraith is like a blaster, destructive energy unleashed at a moment's notice. But someone else is holding him and pulling the trigger." He stated, taking those present by surprise. The confused looks on the faces of the Clones indicated to Thrawn that he needed to elaborate. "Take, for example, the first reports from Malastare. Why do you suppose Wraith withdrew after killing only a few forward scouts? Why not engage the enemy right away?" He asked them. No one responded, not knowing how to. "Again, take the reports from Muunilinst. Why destroy only a convoy of tanks and a single supply depot when he clearly has the means to wipe out the entire force present? It seems obvious that someone is giving him orders and he is obeying them. This in turn suggests that Wraith is very loyal to whomever controls him. With such power and promise, it would be easy for him to destroy an entire army. But he doesn't, because he respects whomever it is that gives him his orders and only retreats because he was told to." Thrawn explained.

"If you don't mind me saying so, Commander, much of this sounds like pure supposition." Bultar commented. Thrawn turned to regard the holographic render of the female Jedi.

"They say actions speak louder than words, Master Jedi. And when so many have come before us and taken note of such things in separate, isolated incidents, you need only draw a single line before it connects with another point." Thrawn described to her. "So little information about The Wraith can be presented to us as fact, sometimes it does require supposition in order to reach the truth of the matter."

"So, how do we beat him? These battles are often waged in an up-close-and-personal way, Commander. How are we supposed to challenge someone who excels in this way?" Obi-Wan asked.

"With your current strategy, you cannot." Thrawn replied in a straightforward manner. "As I've said, Wraith excels in close-range combat. But he does not engage in anything long-range, as his arsenal would attest. He is fond of using blades and short-range ballistic weaponry, both of which are only viable within a set distance. Only in isolated incidents has he proven his ability to snipe from afar, proving it is not his preferred form of attack." The Chiss continued, highlighting how formulaic Wraith really was. "The key point that can be taken from this is that any Republic force cannot counter The Wraith head-on. They should instead use ranged weaponry, possibly a strafing run or a bombardment, and use such tactics to keep their distance from him. And in denying him a fight on his terms, he may grow frustrated and may might make mistakes because of it. You will have to rethink the way you fight if you wish to beat him, General."

"So we need more cannons." Anakin mused thoughtfully.

"Or rocket troopers." Mace added. "We'll have to start setting up ordinance contingency plans." The Jedi nodded in agreement, Anakin starting to wonder how he could possibly equip the ARC troopers under his command with necessary tools to deal with Wraith.

"While explosive firepower may be the best option, you will have to be very careful how and when you use it." Thrawn cautioned them. "Given how he has survived one orbital strike already, it would be logical to assume his handlers are already making adjustments to allow him the ability to survive another one." Cody made a grim expression.

"A constantly evolving enemy." He whispered to Wolffe. "Not my preferred kind."

"Having said that, I would like to take a moment to discuss the appearance of your foe." Thrawn continued. The screen beside him change to a single full-body image of The Wraith. The Chiss commander turned to zoomed in on Wraith's upper body. "Take a look at the design of his helmet, the cut of his duster, the style of his armament. None of them are regulation-grade Separatist equipment." He stated, pointing out each observation. "They have been custom made, specially designed explicitly for use by Wraith. Look at his chest, notice how much thicker the jacket seems in comparison to the rest of the body. His armor is not always visible, but it is there." He explained. The Jedi physically present leaned forward in fascination, quite interested in the information presented to them. "This style of hiding equipment and armor in plain sight indicates more than just simple storage. It is a common style found in members of the Far Outsider species. Their armor is their clothes, it is always present and always ready." Although this was a species the Jedi were unfamiliar with, Thrawn had been busy in the uncharted regions of the galaxy and had come across this species several times. It seemed apparent to him that someone else knew who they were and was incorporating elements of their society into his design.

"You mean to say Wraith has adopted aspects from numerous different species?" Plo asked, curious to see if there could be a noticeable pattern.

"The evidence is quite plain, General Koon." Thrawn affirmed. "His brute strength indicates this is a greatly valued trait, much like the Cilare people. His tireless nature and peak physical capacity are very reminiscent of the Kage species. Some of his martial arts skills are exclusive to certain species like the Noghri and the Followers of Palawa. His fluid abilities and potential to move and think very quickly appear to reflect the efficiency of the Sluissi and Chortose species." He listed. Pausing for a moment to examine his notes, Thrawn held up two fingers as he continued. "Wraith has two modes: normal and battle. 'Normal' Wraith has his blades retracted, his weapons holstered. 'Battle' Wraith has blades drawn, weapons in hand, ready to strike... and he can switch between the two at a moment's notice. The design of his attire and the design of his weapons have been specifically made around an economy of time. He is meant to be fluid, wasting little time on any one opponent, treating battle like a dance. This is a very unique trait, something seen in only the galaxy's greatest warriors. He thinks as he moves, something commonly found in those who are very goal-oriented." Thrawn paused to adjust the image of Wraith, zooming in on his forearms. "These gauntlets are most complex pieces of equipment." He mused. "Wraith has been shown to deploy a pair of blades, having them extend from the wrist and over his hand. He also seems to be able to pull throwing knives and explosives from out of nowhere."

"Any ideas where he keeps those?" Ahsoka wondered. "Because, well, you can't just make something from nothing."

"An astute observation, Commander Tano." Thrawn praised her, although deeming her question quite simple. "In studying recovered footage I made note of something interesting. Have a look," The holoscreen faded to black and was replaced by a single clip of Wraith retracting his arm blade before tossing an explosive at a nearby tank. Obi-Wan recognized the surroundings as being somewhere on Muunilinst. The clip ended almost as soon as it had begun.

"I think I missed something." Anakin commented, speaking what everyone else was thinking.

"Indeed, General. The movement is so quick and simple it is nearly impossible to see." Thrawn replied. "I magnified the recording and slowed the footage during my research. Carefully observe the motions of his hand." Replaying the clip again, the Jedi and Clones watched as Wraith repeated the action. This time, something was quite obvious. Wraith flicked his hand down and the blade retracted seconds later, then he jerked his hand to the side and a disc suddenly appeared in his hand. The movement was so inconspicuous, no wonder no one noticed the first time.

"He moves his hand." Wolffe observed. "And his tools cooperate with his motions."

"Precisely." Thrawn nodded. "While his gauntlets may be simple in design, I propose they may in fact store Wraith's explosives and throwing knives within them and that a complex trigger system is tied around his hand." He explained. "Given just how delicate that system must be, to be able to fluidly control those movements within a mere few seconds indicates that Wraith possesses great precision and a calculating mindset. A combination that has proven to be very deadly." The Jedi took this in and began forming their own opinions of such abilities. Master Windu, beginning to see how Thrawn approached things, was the first to speak up.

"Given how nothing like this seems to exist, what does this gauntlet say about its maker, Commander?" Thrawn turned to him and tilted his head a little, the right corner of his mouth barely forming a small smile.

"I'm glad you thought of such a thing, General Windu. What this says is that someone has been observing Wraith's actions and has been purposefully crafting advanced equipment for his use. Whomever this person is must have great skill in engineering and mechanics, in order to fabricate such a set of tools."

"So Wraith's got specialists working for him." Anakin grimly muttered, now believing his enemy had significant help when it came to repairs and maintenance.

"He must have a whole team." Obi-Wan added. "Someone for health, someone for equipment, someone for training... clearly the Separatists are putting much faith and stock in their creation."

"Should they not? So far he has done nothing short of provide results." Thrawn countered. "Every victory for Wraith is positive reinforcement towards his continued existence. Perhaps, and this may be simple supposition, but it may be that the reason why Wraith fights so viciously is because his life depends upon it. Any one failure could be the end of him." While the Jedi and Clones interpreted that to be a good thing, Ahsoka felt something altogether different. She recalled the vision she had experienced and remembered the harsh pain inflicted upon Wraith and the Sith Lord's efforts to force him to forget about her. That's when Ahsoka remembered how he had seemingly allowed her to escape from Gwori, after the destruction of Apex Company.

Was his letting her go deemed a failure? Had Count Dooku stood by because he deemed such torture necessary?

Maybe Thrawn was right. Maybe the only reason why Wraith acted like such a monster was because he had no choice.

How awful...

In that moment, Ahsoka felt pity for Wraith and wondered for a fleeting moment if he could be redeemed.

Thrawn had moved on, image shifting higher until it focused on his helmet. A now infamous visage that was becoming both known and feared across the Republic.

"Notice the sloping lines on the very top of his helmet, the way they connect from front to back. It would be very easy to simply leave his helmet plain, but someone took time to sculpt these into his helmet. They serve a simple aesthetic purpose, nothing productive or technical. This type of design is commonly found among the sculptures of the Pau'an species, as it reflects their own biological appearance." While most of the Republic affiliates deemed this a bit of a stretch, knowing the Pau'ans preferred administration to anything related to war, Ahsoka suddenly remembered her vision with a gasp.

"I saw a Pau'an in my vision!" She exclaimed. "Master Windu, Master Kenobi! There was a Pau'an standing by Count Dooku while that Sith Lord was torturing Wraith. I remember him plain as day!"

"Yes... that's right." Obi-Wan mused thoughtfully. "Maybe such an observation is not so far-fetched."

"Wait a minute, I get the feeling there's something I need to know about." Anakin interjected, eyeing Ahsoka curiously. Thrawn said nothing but was also intrigued.

"It was several weeks ago, Master. I had this vision where I could see Wraith getting tortured by an unknown Sith Lord. I could feel his fear and his pain, it was enormous! He was actually suffering at the hands of... well... whoever it was. But off to the side I saw Count Dooku and this random Pau'an, just standing there like they were watching." Anakin cocked an eyebrow.

"And you didn't think to tell me?" He wondered.

"She told the Council first, Anakin." Mace stated. "The material of Ahsoka's vision was put on a 'need to know' basis. Quite frankly it seemed obvious that we can't yet afford to worry about another threat." Anakin was prepared to argue otherwise, but remembered they were in the presence of an outsider and decided to keep his mouth shut... for now.

"Tell me Commander Tano, what did this Pau'an look like?" Thrawn asked, deeming it his time to speak up.

"Well, you know, like a Pau'an. Only he was much shorter, I think Dooku was taller than him... I didn't get a real good look." Ahsoka replied, remembering what she could. The moment had been quite brief.

"So he is shorter than average. That is something rare." Thrawn mused, holding his chin in his hands. Normally Pau'ans towered over even the average human, to see even a single member of the species the same height or shorter than a human was considered a rarity.

"Yeah, I thought so too." Ahsoka nodded. Thrawn's calculating mind was quick to determine this Pau'an was of significance to the identity of The Wraith. Figuring out who he was may become a top priority.

"Then there, is where I suggest you start." He stated. "It is obvious Dooku holds Wraith's leash, but someone is responsible for his preparations. No ordinary man is capable of such feats, not even Jedi. He must have someone behind him. It seems this Pau'an plays some role in the functionality of your quarry. Perhaps he is his outfitter or he is possibly his trainer. Either way, your investigation should start, not with who's in front of you, but rather with who is behind him." As Thrawn prepared to wrap up, Plo Koon and Wolffe's attention was drawn away from the briefing and the two disappeared from the holocom. "To conclude I would like to offer you three simple tactics for the next time you encounter The Wraith: firstly, do not engage him head-on under any circumstances. You would be wise to pull back and retreat, attacking him would only be wasting Clones. You cannot strongarm him into submission, but you can outwit him. I know some of you prefer to not back down from a fight," he noted, eyeing Anakin out of the corner of his gaze, "but Clones who live are Clones who can fight again another day. Secondly, should you encounter The Wraith, be sure to use explosive ordinance against him. His susceptibility to long-range attacks could very well be his downfall." Anakin was certain to memorize that. "Lastly, anticipate his presence and plan for his arrival. Try to entrap him rather than attack him. He may be capable of rapid adaptation, but he may not be able to adapt fast enough to a well-planned ambush. Remember these things and victory might just be yours the next time you encounter The Wraith." Taking a quick breath, Thrawn concluded his briefing. "This is all I have to say and I would like to thank you for your time. You are dismissed as you see fit." He informed them. The Clones took that as their cue to stand and leave as the Jedi moved to converse with Thrawn a little further.

"Commander, I would like to make sure this information is passed on to the Supreme Chancellor. This is a perfectly detailed study that should be made known to all Republic Army officials." Obi-Wan informed, him believing many more people needed to hear what Thrawn had to say about Wraith. The Chiss commander nodded as he thanked the Jedi.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, General Kenobi. I have been intent on submitting my findings to Chancellor Palpatine. But the recommendation of an army General certainly wouldn't hurt." Mace was next to speak up.

"I certinaly hope you plan on sticking around for a bit, Commander. The Republic could use a man of your talents here in the midst of the Clone Wars." Anakin had to agree.

"Your strategies certainly seem viable. You'd definitely be helping us bring the war to an end." He added.

"I have given the matter some thought, General Windu," Thrawn replied, "and the presence of The Wraith both interests me and concerns me. I believe I will remain with you until he has been dealt with. I do so only out of a desire to see his power kept away from my people." He stated, casting a glance at Anakin.

At that moment, Master Plo returned to the holocom.

"It seems the time has come to test your suggestions, Commander." He mused. The grim tone in his voice suggested something was afoot. "I have confirmed sightings from my scouts," he continued, "The Wraith has arrived on Saleucami."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Will the Republic put Thrawn's knowledge to good use? Will Wraith meet his match on Saleucami? Stay tuned for the next upload to find out!**


	35. Torment

**Author's Note: I just learned that 'montrals' actually refer to the upper horns of a Togruta while the rest of the head tails are still called lekku, just like Twi'leks. Never knew that until now! This has nothing to do with the chapter btw, just a fun fact I thought I'd share.**

* * *

-Chapter 18: Torment-

Location: Saleucami

"A conflicted mind results in poor efficiency."

While the Republic was learning about The Wraith from Commander Thrawn, the Separatist commando had flown from Aefao to the world of Saleucami. He was in a fighting mood, ready to continue the action he'd been missing out on for the past month. In his mind, Aefao had been a success. Despite the fact he had a mysterious voice in his head, which was quite irritating, Wraith had been able to rack up quite a few kills, aiding in crippling the invading Republic forces and loosening their grip on the Separatist world. But he wasn't ready to stop just yet. He was hungry for more kills.

And nothing, not even a voice in his head, could stop him.

The Republic had been able to wrest control of the backwater world from the Separatists and was in the process of bolstering their defenses as well as eliminating the handful of CIS forces that were still stationed on the planet.

Wraith was here to make sure they did not go without a fight.

The desert planet was nowhere near an ideal place to live, yet it seemed like there were a few who had managed to make a living amidst the swamps and dry ground. Separatist forces had no problem constructing defenses and building a base from which droids could be deployed, but apart from the location, Saleucami was nothing special and was also of very little material value. If anything, the only good thing about Saleucami was its location in the galaxy. And that was why it had become a hotly contested battleground.

Wraith touched down just outside the base. From his aerial point of view, Wraith could see that it had been constructed near a cliff and had expanded outwards across a plateau. But he could also see the Republic camp just a few miles away and it soon became evident that they had the advantage. Part of the cliff had collapsed and taken a portion of the base with it, resulting in a rubble strewn slope that had no doubt been created thanks to tank or cannon rounds. With the base having already been partly destroyed, the Republic had a perfect angle from which they could see their enemy's every move.

Not a very tactically safe war zone... but Wraith had little choice in the matter.

His orders, coming straight from Count Dooku, were to aid Separatist forces in holding their ground until reinforcements could arrive. Relatively simple and easy in terms of objectives. As long as Clones were still their weak and powerless selves, Wraith should have no problem.

He exited his shuttle and was greeted moments later by a droid commander, who led him to a holotable displaying a map of their surroundings.

"Count Dooku told me you needed to know our situation. Well, it's not pretty." The droid was saying. "We lost part of our supply depot when the Republic assaulted our flank. Fortunately, we managed to hold them off but we took too many losses."

" _They're probably getting ready to deliver the death blow._ " Wraith mused, crossing his arms.

"Our scouts reported a lot of activity in their camp, recently." The commander continued. "They appear to equipping their Clones with heavy weaponry." Wraith processed that information, determining the Republic wanted to rip the proverbial carpet out from under them, before exterminating whoever was left.

They needed a firm defense.

" _We need to fortify near the collapsed portion, that's where we're weakest. Deploy sentries to keep watch and erect barricades at different locations along the slope. We can use the rubble to our advantage._ " Wraith described, detailing his plan and pointing to various sections of the holomap.

"What good will that do us?" The droid wondered, feeling the situation to be quite hopeless.

" _Right now its a race against time. The Republic wants us dead but reinforcements are on the way. We just have to last a little longer. The more time we can buy with a strong defence, the better._ " The commando explained. Then, he had a thought. " _Do we have any offensive armaments? Cannons, tanks, anything?_ " The more powerful weapons they could use to defend themselves, the more time they could probably buy.

"No sir. They were all destroyed." The droid negatively replied.

So much for that idea.

" _No matter. We can make this work._ " Wraith muttered. The commando studied the landscape carefully, examining the flat plateau that the Republic was camped on. No real cover could be found between the remnants of the cliff and their base. He'd have to move fast and be deliberate in his movements. He lacked the significant cover he'd had on Aefao. This would be a different kind of fight...

"Well, well, well," a feminine voice drew him from his musings, "long time no see soldier." Wraith looked up and around, seeking the owner of the voice. When he did, it didn't take him long to recognize the pale-skinned individual clad in an orange jumpsuit.

" _Aurra Sing. A pleasant surprise._ " He greeted the bounty hunter. " _What are you doing here on such a remote planet?_ " He asked, curious as to her involvement. Dooku hadn't told him about her presence.

"Your bosses are paying me good to help keep their stuff in one piece." She explained. "They want me to help keep the Clones at bay."

" _Indeed. Then it would appear our goals align once more._ " It was a welcome change to be working with a familiar face, one that could be counted upon to succeed.

"Yeah, been a while since we pulled that stunt on Alderaan." Aurra mused. Wraith deemed her right. That felt like an eternity ago. "This is definitely going to be a change from sneaking around."

" _Secrecy's out the window. It's total war now._ " Wraith replied, knowing his revelation had changed the way he worked.

Suddenly, as he was recalling his brutal face-to-face tactics, a sudden pain shot through his mind. It was enough to make him flinch and groan as a throbbing ache beat against his skull. He quickly deduced it to be some kind of mild migraine, given the continuous pain.

Since when did he get headaches?

Aurra took noticed as he clutched his helmet.

"You feeling alright?" She asked.

" _I've been better._ " Wraith replied. Deeming this to be unrelated to the voice in his head, Wraith decided to tell her about his recent experience. " _I took an orbital blast from a cruiser. Still getting back on my feet._ "

"Woah." Aurra breathed, clearly amazed by the fact Wraith was even here, next to her. "Something like that could easily kill pretty well anyone." This was true.

" _Lucky for me, I'm not 'anyone'._ " Wraith mused, shaking his head. He had been engineered to be better, to be the best. If he could take an orbital blast, he could handle a simple headache. Surely there were some painkillers tucked into his jacket, somewhere. " _Any idea whose leading our opponents?_ " He wondered.

"Not really. I've seen some Clones with dark blue markings, but no sign of a Jedi." Aurra reported. "I only arrived recently." Although her knowledge was limited, her information combined with Wraith's knowledge was able to give him an idea who the Republic had sent to Saleucami.

" _I've seen dark blue markings on members of the Wolf Pack._ " He stated. " _And if Wolffe is here, then Plo Koon should also be here. Guess we're dealing with the 104th Battalion then._ " Quickly recalling what information he knew about the Kel Dor Jedi, Wraith determined his biggest worry would be the Clones.

But even they weren't worth worrying about.

" _Do me a favor and check on what kind of supplies we have available. I'm going to scout the rubble on that slope, see where the best points of defence are._ " He told her.

"Sure thing." Aurra nodded. "If you need anything, hon, don't hesitate to let me know." She encouraged him. Wraith nodded before they went their separate ways, him towards the edge and her deeper into the base. Wraith began to consider the different barricades they would need. Maybe even some kind of bunker as well...

 _I think I remember her... Alderaan, right?_ The voice suddenly asked him, appearing from out of nowhere. Taken aback, Wraith gathered himself with a sigh.

" _Yeah._ "

 _I can't believe you murdered those guards, and that Gungan, in cold blood._ The voice mused, reflecting on his mission to the Republic world.

" _Not now, Voice!_ " Wraith quietly growled, bringing an abrupt end to the conversation. He was not in the mood to discuss morality.

 _Just saying..._

" _And you won't stop saying._ " The commando grumbled before deciding to carry on and not arouse suspicion.

It was time to get to work.

* * *

 _Later that day..._

The sun was setting, dipping low in the horizon as it slowly disappeared behind the Republic camp. Plo Koon, Ahsoka and Bultar Swan had finished the debrief with Commander Thrawn and were busy making preparations, now that they knew The Wraith was here on Saleucami. Master Plo had deemed it wise that he equip a good portion of his Clones with explosive devices, deciding to test Thrawn's suggested tactics. As this was happening, the three Jedi stood around a holotable with Commander Wolffe, discussing their strategy for the upcoming fight.

"Since our assault on the cliff side worked so well last time, we should continue to use explosive arms. Especially now since The Wraith is present." The Jedi Master was saying.

"We've noticed the droids building defensive barricades and what appears to be an impromptu bunker, using rubble from the parts of the base we destroyed." Wolffe added. "Wouldn't surprise me if that was Wraith's idea."

"He appears to be trying to fortify their weak points." Bultar noted. The black-haired human female Jedi was a little older than Ahsoka and had once been the apprentice of Plo Koon. She had graduated to knighthood shortly before the start of the Clone Wars and was now leading armies side by side with those who had trained her. Both her and Plo advocated for the use of heavy weaponry in order to try and defeat The Wraith.

But Ahsoka had other thoughts.

She was as close to Master Plo as Bultar was, given he was the one who found her on Shili and brought her to the Temple all those years ago. But her ideas differed greatly from what Plo and Bultar had in mind. Of everything Commander Thrawn had said during his briefing, there was one point that Ahsoka simply couldn't shake from her mind. It was the idea that Wraith fought because his life depended on it. A single screw-up could result in the death of him. While the others were intent on his defeat, Ahsoka was thinking about the possibility of rescuing The Wraith.

As absurd as that may sound, Ahsoka was starting to become convinced that The Wraith was not who he appeared. Deep down, maybe Wraith was just a normal guy who was desperate for help, desperate to be free of torment and pain. Since his sighting here on Saleucami, Ahsoka had been putting together a plan of her own.

She was going to try and talk with him.

As the two other Jedi continued to talk, Ahsoka stayed silent as she studied the holomap before her. She may be able to sneak into the base, given its poor defences. Or she could wait and try to find him on his own before she made her presence known.

"You seem distracted Ahsoka," Master Plo's voice interrupted her thoughts, "is everything alright?" Ahsoka gave her head a shake as she came back to reality.

"I'm sorry Master. I was just thinking about what Commander Thrawn had to say." She lied.

"How so?" The Kel Dor asked. Ahsoka took a breath as she came up with something doubtful to say.

"What if his plans don't work? What if Wraith doesn't work the way Thrawn thinks he does?" She replied, questioning the information the Chiss officer had supplied them with. "I mean, we've given our Clones rockets, but what if they aren't effective?"

"For now, Thrawn's theories and suggestions are just that: theories and suggestions." Plo responded. "It will be us who test them and confirm whether they work or not. Your suspicions are justified, Ahsoka. But do not let them control your actions."

"I sense fear surrounding you, Padawan Tano." Bultar added. "Do not let your emotions dictate your actions, young one." Ahsoka gave the slightest of eye-rolls. But deep down, she knew Bultar was right. Ahsoka was afraid... of Wraith getting destroyed before he could possibly be saved.

"Come, we must prepare ourselves for tomorrow." Plo determined, not wishing for any hostilities between Bultar and Ahsoka. Wolffe donned his helmet and headed out first, intent on checking on his men as the three Jedi followed him out. But while Wolffe, Plo and Bultar moved further into the camp, Ahsoka turned and headed for the perimeter, the partially collapsed cliffs looming in the distance.

She was convinced it was time for her to enact her plan.

The darkening skies would provide excellent cover. Nights on Saleucami were often pitch black with only the light of the stars to illuminate the area. Although her eyes would need some time to adjust to the dark, Ahsoka's head tails provided her with a form of echolocation, meaning she could hear someone long before they appeared before her. She knew Wraith possessed scanning technology that gave him a similar level of heightened awareness and she could only hope he was willing to speak with her.

Given his apparent attraction to her, that may not be a problem.

As she neared the very edge of the camp, it appeared that fortune as in fact on her side. She could see Wraith stepping over piles of rubble, making his way across the slope as he checked their new defensive positions, red optics blazing brightly amidst the darkened environment. She carefully tracked his movements. Ahsoka did her best to keep tabs on him while staying out of sight.

If she could see him, then he could also see her.

The darkness helped her and his attention appeared to be drawn elsewhere. Quickly scanning her surroundings, Ahsoka took stock of the landscape that stood between her and her target. There were a good several hundred yards between the two bases, she would have plenty of distance to cover. Those yards were pretty empty, nothing but flat dirt and the odd tuft of grass. A few sparse trees dotted the almost barren landscape, providing little to no cover for anyone to use.

No doubt the others were thinking of Wraith when they noticed this.

Ahsoka turned back and watched as Wraith disappeared into a bunker, optics vanishing from view. Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka quickly looked around the cliffs for any droid scouts. There were none... for the moment.

Making sure no one else was watching her, Ahsoka broke into a sprint as she made her way towards the Separatist defenses.

* * *

Turns out the painkillers were in a pouch near the rear of his belt. Looks like he did carry a few 'just in case' measures. Even though he was supposed to be invincible, Scipio was still looking out for him.

What a guy.

Wraith's headache had dissipated not long after consuming the pills. This was good, he could go back to work without interruption. And given the odds these battle droids faced, he would need every ounce of brainpower to see them through. Now was not the time for setbacks.

He was securing the perimeter, double-checking the newly erected defenses along the slope. The barricades weren't nearly as good as he would've liked, but given their limited resources, they would have to do. The makeshift bunker wasn't too terrible and would definitely provide a moment of reprieve from the firefighting. It was as tall as he was, granted he did have to slouch to enter. A series of large base components had formed a kind of blast shield near the entrance, also constructed by the droids, as a method of not only building yet another barricade but also as a form of protection upon entering.

If there was any one place to feel secure, this just might be it.

It wasn't perfect. Holes dotted the walls and it was far from invulnerable. But it would do in a pinch.

" _Not bad._ " Wraith mused as he looked around. " _Not great. But not bad either._ "

 _Definitely a fixer-upper._ The voice added in agreement. Wraith sighed.

" _And here I thought I would be free of you._ "

 _What? Don't like the company?_ The voice wondered. _You are something of a loner, I kinda figured you wouldn't mind someone to talk to._

" _I'd prefer a physical person, not some disembodied voice who hates how I work._ " Wraith stated, hoping some remark would be enough to shut it up.

 _So, what're you gonna do when the fight comes?_ What a bizarre question. If the voice had been around long enough to witness the way he worked, it should know what he was going to do.

" _What else? Thin the herd, slaughter some Clones, reduce Plo's numbers to the point where he doesn't have enough manpower to take us over. I'll just do what I do best._ " Wraith replied, as though he were stating a fact. Killing Clones was practically second nature to him.

 _No, I refuse to let you hurt anyone. This has gone on long enough._ The voice replied, almost as if it too were stating a fact.

That annoyed Wraith greatly.

" _You can't stop me!_ " He scoffed.

 _And why not?_ The voice shot back. _What makes you so invincible?_

" _Because you are nothing more than a figment of my still-healing mind. You have no power over me._ " Wraith stated. He was convinced that if someone happened to walk in on him, it would sound like he was talking to himself, engaged in a heated one-way conversation. They'd probably think he was crazy.

Maybe he was crazy.

 _No, you're not crazy. I'm the real deal._ The voice answered his musings. Wraith was startled.

" _Stop that!_ " He snapped.

 _Stop what?_

" _Reading my thoughts and emotions. Sometimes I don't want my questions answered!_ "

 _I take that back, maybe you are crazy. Who asks questions and doesn't expect an answer or two?_ The voice replied. So this figment of his mind had a personality of its own. And a sarcastic one at that.

Great. Just great.

" _Who are you?_ " The commando demanded, growing agitated. " _You sound like you're your own entity and yet I'm convinced I'm just hearing things._ "

 _So you want some answers now? You're not just wondering for the sake of wondering?_ The voice asked. Wraith gave an exasperated sigh.

" _Yes._ " He growled.

 _I'm someone who belongs in this head._ The voice informed him. _You could say I'm the original owner of this body._ Wraith was shocked.

" _That's... That's impossible!_ " As long as he'd been around, he had been the only one to ever inhabit this body. " _I belong in this body! You're... You're just a hallucination!_ " He exclaimed.

 _Am I?_ The voice countered. At that exact moment, a harsh and searing pain filled Wraith's mind, driving him to his knees. _And what was that you said about me having no power over you?_ The migraine was unbearable, it felt as though his entire being was trying to be forced out by an unseen presence. It was like his earlier headache, only infinitely more painful. Wraith roared as he fought against the pain and tried to regain control of his mind. _I belong here. You do not._ The voice firmly commanded. _And I don't like my body being used to commit such atrocities!_ Wraith continued to struggle, sweat forming across his body and beginning to soak the interior of his helmet. He summoned all of his mental fortitude to push back, the serum coursing through his veins providing additional support in the form of a total adrenaline rush.

As long as he could control the rest of his body, he could control his mind.

" _Leave. Me. BE!_ " The commando shouted as he forced his own presence back into his mind. Like a breath of fresh air, Wraith suddenly felt alone. The second presence had disappeared and taken the pain with it. Dropping to his hands, Wraith calmed himself, taking a few desperately needed breaths.

That was a little too intense.

This voice was becoming more and more hazardous to his mental health. If it possessed such a hold on his mind so it could cause him such pain, then it clearly had taken root in his head.

And Wraith had a feeling its roots ran very deep.

Climbing to his feet, Wraith decided he needed to send a message to Scipio as soon as he could. But before he could take action of any kind his scanners suddenly alerted him to a presence nearing the bunker.

He'd been so engaged he'd forgotten about his surroundings. What a rookie-level error!

Hearing footsteps approaching the opening to his left, Wraith triggered his arm blades and whirled about, ready to face whomever it was.

But to his pleasant surprise, Ahsoka Tano stepped into his view.

" _Oh. It's you._ " He stated simply, retracting his arm blades and deeming her not a threat. She froze upon hearing him, but her expression denoted confusion.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" She wondered, thinking he thought little of her potential.

" _It means... It... It means..._ " Wraith mumbled, losing his train of thought. Ahsoka cocked her head, giving him another confused look.

He wasn't acting normal.

" _It means something positive._ " He finally managed to say. Wraith gave his head a shake, feeling like his mind had been a little gummed up after his recent bout with... insanity. Taking a quick second to evaluate Ahsoka's appearance, he quickly observed she was not in a combat-ready stance, nor were her lightsabers drawn. She actually appeared nervous, a sign that indicated she was up to something. Ahsoka too quickly evaluated Wraith. Usually he had a business-like manner, all work and nothing else. The fact he was openly conversing with her, as if they weren't on opposite sides, was a very startling development.

He was not acting like his normal self.

"Are you alright?" She asked, hesitantly drawing a little closer. As much as he wanted to say 'no', Wraith decided against it. The Republic could not know he had a weakness.

" _I'm perfectly fine._ " He replied. Ahsoka had a feeling he wasn't, but chose to say nothing. He stepped a little closer to her, making Ahsoka visibly nervous. She knew this was a dangerous game she was playing... but she had to try. He sized her up, tilting his head from side to side as he mulled over her presence.

Ahsoka swallowed nervously. His silence was rather unnerving.

 _Hey, that's Skywalker's Padawan. What's she doing here?_ The voice wondered, suddenly returning. _I know, I know, your thoughts exactly._ Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Wraith deemed it high-time he got some answers.

" _What are you doing here? Is Skywalker here?_ " He asked.

"No. I'm with Master Plo." Ahsoka told him, remaining very wary of his moves.

" _Plo Koon... I see. I thought you always tagged along with Skywalker wherever he went..._ " Wraith mused.

"Things change from time to time." Ahsoka replied. Wraith nodded, understanding the Jedi weren't nearly as straightforward an organization as he first thought. It appeared Padawan-sharing was an acceptable practice.

 _A strange practice, but a practice nonetheless, am I right?_ The voice mused.

" _Now... what are you really doing here?_ " Wraith questioned. " _Are you a forward scout? Did Koon send you to survey our defenses?_ " Ahsoka felt like she was being interrogated.

 _Calm down, alright? You don't want to scare her away._

" _I'll do the thinking around here._ " Wraith shot back, suddenly speaking out loud. Ahsoka looked thoroughly confused by the seemingly off-hand remark made to no one in particular.

"I... I came by myself. He doesn't know where I am." She quickly informed him. This set Wraith on edge, his mood changing from relaxed to cautious.

" _You purposefully sought me out by yourself?_ " He stated in surprise. " _Tread carefully, little one. You are in a very dangerous situation right now._ "

 _Hey! Be nice to her!_ The voice reprimanded him. Wraith rolled his eyes... again.

"I'm not here to fight, okay? I just want to talk." Ahsoka replied.

" _Talk? With me?_ " Wraith was surprised. Since when had anyone wanted to just sit down and talk with him? He was beginning to appreciate Ahsoka's presence... despite the fact he had a job to do. " _What about?_ " He softly wondered. Ahsoka took his change of tone as a good sign.

"I saw what that Sith Lord was doing to you." She explained. "The way he was torturing you and hurting you." Upon hearing her words, Wraith's head snapped upright.

That was an isolated moment, away from all prying eyes. How in the world did she know about that?

" _How do you know about this?_ "

"I... I had a vision." She said. That made sense, but Wraith was still wondering 'why'. It simply didn't make sense to him.

 _I'm confused as well. Aren't visions supposed to be about the future?_ The voice questioned.

"Wraith, we can help you. We can help you escape from the Separatists and from the torture they put you through." Ahsoka continued.

" _Are you trying to save me?_ " He asked in a scoffing tone. " _Do you really think I want to leave the Separatists? You'd be a fool to think that._ " He growled.

 _She's not a fool! She's trying to help you!_ The voice in his mind told him.

" _Would you shut up already?!_ " Wraith snapped. " _Your constant chatter is driving me crazy!_ "

 _Well excuse me!_ The voice shot back. Wraith sighed, growing more and more exhausted by the hidden back-and-forth banter that only he could hear.

Ahsoka looked confused.

"I didn't say anything." She said.

" _Yes you did, you asked me to betray the Separatists!_ " Wraith growled, regarding her again. " _But I wasn't talking to you._ " Ahsoka looked even more confused.

"Then who are you talking to?" She asked. Wraith said nothing, turning away and grumbling to himself. Ahsoka interpreted his lack of response as a sign that Wraith was nowhere near as 'fine' as he first told her he was. "I'm guessing that Sith Lord really did a number on your head." She mused. Wraith sighed in annoyance, feeling more than a little exasperated.

He couldn't carry on two conversations at once.

" _Look. I want you to know that you will receive no harm from me. I fancy you far more than the other Jedi, so much so that I would never want to do you harm. But now is not the time for a conversation of this magnitude._ " He explained. Ahsoka nodded in understanding. " _I can't seem to trust even myself these days. Ever since Skywalker tried to blow me to pieces with a little death from above my mind has been acting up. You must leave me be before I lose my calm and do something we'll both regret._ " He told her. " _I'm not saying this out of desire, simply out of necessity._ "

"Does that mean you'll be open to talking again?" Ahsoka asked hopefully. Wraith had a feeling she wanted to pursue this matter of him switching sides.

That was something he was confident he would never do.

 _I'm open to that!_ The voice affirmed. Like it actually had a say in his affairs.

" _As long as we talk about something else._ " He replied. " _I will not defect to the Republic, for I serve the Separatists wholeheartedly._ " He told her in an even voice.

 _Oh come on!_

Ahsoka was speechless. It made no sense for anyone to willingly return to such horrible conditions. Why would he want to?

"You would go back to that torture? But why?"

" _Because I choose to._ " Wraith stated. " _It is for my benefit. It will only serve to make me stronger._ "

 _Yeah, now I'm convinced you're crazy._ The voice muttered. Wraith chose to ignore it, his emotions calming down.

" _Now please, go._ " He told Ahsoka. Seeing there was no further reasoning with him, Ahsoka relented and moved to leave. But she paused at the bunker's exit.

"You know, at first I thought I hated you. After you beat up my master I thought all I wanted was for you to suffer too. But now I feel... kinda sorry for you." She admitted. "You're not beyond help, Wraith." The soft tone of her voice was welcome and appreciated. It soothed Wraith's mind, making him feel like someone cared about him as a person... not just about what he could do. But he said nothing in reply and Ahsoka disappeared without another word, leaving Wraith alone once more.

Well, not quite alone...

 _Did you really have to make her leave?_ The voice's tone sounded displeased, as if Wraith had done the exact opposite of what it had in mind.

" _Yes, because I'm still dealing with you._ " Wraith grumbled. " _Under normal circumstances I'd invite her conversation willingly. But right now, I can't deal with both you and a Jedi... especially when the fate of these droids rests on my shoulders._ "

 _Too bad. She seems nice._ The voice mused.

" _On that, we can agree._ " Wraith admitted. At least they had something in common. " _Now if you would just get lost..._ " He growled under his breath.

 _I heard that!_

" _Do I look like I care?!_ "

* * *

 _The next morning..._

Wraith didn't sleep much.

Despite feeling exhausted after dealing with this voice, Wraith simply could not fall asleep. His head was busy, too busy to simply rest. He was concerned about the outcome of this fight, how well the droids would fare against a full Republic assault. He questioned their defences, wondering if there was something else they could do to protect themselves.

But above all, he was worried about his own performance. This voice was starting to take a toll on his mind and as a result, Wraith was worried his ability to fight and conquer would be affected. It appeared to show up sporadically, having left him alone all night. But would it appear when he least needed it to? The droids were counting on him, the Separatists were counting on him. The fate of Saleucami was in his hands.

Here, on this day, his actions would determine if the planet fell or stayed in their control. And he could not afford to be interrupted by anything.

He took time to reflect on what Ahsoka had said to him. How she took pity on him. But for what? She believed he was a tool, being used for someone else's gain and to be discarded at a moment's notice.

But that was not the case.

He was a tool, more like an instrument, one cared for and kept in pristine condition so it could perform to the best of its abilities. Wraith was meant to serve... and he was okay with that. But with service came respect and respect, prestige. Through his servitude, Wraith believed he could become a leader of the Separatists one day.

That part of Sidious' reprogramming had stayed and taken root.

But the quandary that was Ahsoka still remained. Wraith liked her, that much was true. She had a spark, like him, the spark of someone who was far from average. There was something special about her that Wraith simply couldn't shake, nor did he want to. She was nowhere near the same kind of person the other Jedi were, all monotonous and boring and arrogant. She was a special kind of girl. His opposite. She was light, he was dark.

Maybe that's why he liked her so much.

Could she be his friend? Sure. Would he leave the Separatists for her? Probably not. If anything, he wanted her to join him, to help him change the galaxy for the better.

If only she could see things the way he did.

Dawn arrived sooner than he would've liked. Knowing that the approaching day would hold events that would be a true test of his abilities and his health, Wraith took some time attune his mind with with his situation and his surroundings. The more prepared he was, the better he would be able to function... even without sleep. Donning his helmet, the commando stepped out of the base and into the early morning light.

* * *

Ahsoka didn't sleep much either. She was too busy thinking about Wraith.

And not in _that_ way!

She wondered why he would turn down her offer when he was clearly capable of thinking for himself. Was the threat against his life that bad? She was convinced that his actions were not his own, that Wraith was either being forced to work for the Separatists or had maybe been brainwashed by them. She hoped that maybe, after a little persistence and encouragement, she could coax out the real him and ultimately free him from the grip of Count Dooku and that other Sith Lord. But after the last conversation they had shared, it appeared like it would be some time before Wraith was open to switching sides. The other problem she had was how she was going to go about this while everyone else was intent on blowing Wraith to pieces. She felt like she had made progress, or at least he was open to conversing with her. Ahsoka felt like she could use his infatuation with her to her advantage, but that would be next to impossible to accomplish when everyone else she knew was busy trying to bring about his downfall instead of his redemption. She had a feeling no one would be willing to listen to her point of view, not even Anakin.

As she was mulling over these problems, Ahsoka couldn't help but wonder what was going on with herself. At first, she hated Wraith, especially after he had killed people she knew and beaten Anakin bloody. But now she felt sorry for his situation.

So why the sudden position shift?

She certainly didn't like him, especially not in a romantic way. He was all armor and guns, very cold and cruel. And yet it seemed like that was only a small part of who he was, like she had only seen one side of him. Ahsoka was curious to learn more about Wraith and dive beneath the surface, beneath the more superficial elements Thrawn had discovered. The Chiss commander had only noted what he was like as a warrior. Ahsoka wanted to learn what he was like as a person.

Maybe Wraith didn't need more enemies or superiors. Maybe he just needed a friend.

But until she could convince him otherwise, until the day when she could escort him back to Republic lines as a friend instead of an enemy, there was still a war going on... and they were still on opposite sides.

Stretching her arms and yawning, Ahsoka rose from her bunk and readied herself for the events of that day...

* * *

Although it was only relatively late in the morning, the sun over Saleucami beat down on the Clone forces assembled across the plateau as though it were at its peak during the afternoon. Koon and Wolffe had deployed their troops in formation right along the perimeter of their camp. Structured in such a way that their rocket troopers were positioned behind the front lines, they believed they had a perfectly viable strategy. Their goals this day were twofold: destroy the remaining Separatist forces and see if Thrawn's strategies proved effective against The Wraith.

Both of which depended upon their performances this day.

Battle droids stood along the rubble-strewn slope, strategically positioned behind newly erected barricades and pieces of debris. If all went well, they would be able to hold their own and survive until the promised reinforcements arrived.

Although droids weren't meant to think or feel, many of them believed they would not live long enough to see the fulfillment of that promise.

From the cliffside, Wraith and Aurra surveyed their opponents. The near-human hunter whistled as she took stock of the numerous Clones below them.

"Koon really seems to have it out for us." She mused.

" _Either that, or he's afraid of us._ " Wraith noted. Aurra chuckled, finding the remark amusing. " _I'm going to need you to provide cover for me. This herd needs thinning._ " He stated. " _And there's plenty of targets to pick from._ " Aurra nodded, knowing the slugthrower rifle hoisted over her shoulder was going to be used quite regularly today.

"And you?" She wondered.

" _I'll draw their fire, do what I can. The less they're focused on the base, the better._ " He replied. " _But I'm counting on you to eliminate as many of those rockets as you can._ " He added, knowing they would be their biggest concern.

"I'm on it." Turning to face Wraith, Aurra paused to observe his focused gaze on the Republic lines. "Are you ready?" She wondered. Wraith said nothing immediately as his shoulders heaved with a deep breath. It was time for him to act.

" _I'm always ready._ " He replied. Taking a single step forward, Wraith jumped off the cliff...

From the Republic lines, Koon, Bultar, Ahsoka and Wolffe watched as Wraith crashed down before them, dust and dirt kicked up from his landing. Standing tall, the towering Separatist commando sized up his opponents through his optics, ensuring he kept them all in his blood red gaze.

"He certainly possesses a commanding presence." Koon noted.

"Some might even call it 'terrifying'." Bultar added, finding the broad and darkened form of their foe a little unnerving. Koon couldn't help but agree with his apprentice.

"Thrawn's initial reports appear to be correct. This gives me hope the rest of his report is also true." The Kel Dor mused.

"General, should we open fire now?" Wolffe asked, thinking now was the best time for them to attack.

"Let's wait and see what he does, Commander." Plo replied, wanting for Wraith to make a move they could quickly respond to. "We know our plan so let's do our best to keep it from him. We want him to react, not act." Wolffe nodded.

"Standing by, sir." As she took in the sight of Wraith off in the distance, Ahsoka couldn't help but hope for a fleeting second that he might walk up to them and surrender, wishing to talk and maybe defect.

But it seemed like that would be a long way off... she had a lot of work to do before Wraith would even think of joining the Republic.

Walking forward with long strides, Wraith neared his opponents, hoping all eyes were on him. The more of their attention he could control, the more they would be focused on him and hopefully leave the droids out of this.

The success of his mission depended on their survival.

Stopping halfway between both armies, Wraith looked directly at the trio of Jedi standing before the first line of Clones. Koon he could destroy, as with the other female. But he would keep Ahsoka alive.

He had different intentions for her.

The Kel Dor master raised his hand and the Clones around him took aim at Wraith. But the commando remained unfazed.

" _Your offensive ends here, Koon!_ " Wraith called to him. " _You will not destroy the Separatists so easily!_ "

"You think you alone will be enough to stop us all?" Plo asked.

" _I have been in similar situations many times before, Jedi. Each time I have emerged victorious,_ " Wraith proudly stated, " _and I will emerge victorious again._ "

"They say pride goes before the fall." Plo replied. "My men are ready for you."

" _And I am ready for them. This land will be watered with Clone blood by the time I'm finished!_ " Wraith called back. " _Maybe even Jedi blood as well._ " He mused. " _Do your worst Koon... you know I will do the same._ " Plo crossed his arms, nodding as he accepted Wraith's challenge. Despite the presence of the Separatist commando, the Jedi had a job to do. He had been instructed to fulfill a task and he would do it without a doubt. Wraith engaged his arm blades, spoiling to spill blood as he sized up the troops in front of him.

"Wolffe, now!" Koon suddenly ordered.

"Rocket troopers, engage!" The commander shouted. The Clones with blasters raised took a knee as the rocket troopers behind him targeted Wraith with their launchers. Wraith froze in place as he suddenly realized that innumerable armed RPS-6 launchers were pointed directly at him and ready to fire.

" _Great._ " He mumbled as he suddenly realized what Koon intended to do with all these rocket troopers. Those rockets weren't meant for the droid base...

They were meant for him.

But, if they missed him, they would more than likely strike the droid defenses behind him. Wraith knew they could not withstand such an intense barrage.

Taking this realization to heart, Wraith quickly dashed to his right, blades disappearing back into his arms as he went on the defensive. The sound of multiple projectiles being fired and whistling through the air resounded in his audio receptors. Wraith knew he had seconds before they potentially impact and, assuming they were your average ballistic projectiles, Wraith needed to simply duck to avoid getting blown apart. Throwing himself down on the ground, Wraith covered his head as explosive projectiles whizzed past overhead. Waiting for a few seconds, resounding explosions rocked the area as the rockets impacted with the cliff. Rubble and debris rained down on the ground and kicked up a mighty cloud of dust.

It may be a good thing they were targeting him. The base, and the droids, would survive much longer if the Republic was so focused on him.

Now it was just a matter of how long he could survive.

Inwardly, Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief when the rockets missed. She'd prefer it if she could talk with a whole person... not just fragments of one.

"Well that didn't work." Wolffe muttered in disappointment, watching as Wraith picked himself up.

"Second wave, prepare smart missiles and engage tracking systems!" Koon ordered. "He can run, but he cannot hide!" The RPS-6 troopers took a knee and allowed the second row of rocket troopers to take aim. As he was dusting himself off, Wraith looked up and immediately recognized the PLX-1 portable missile launchers. If what Koon ordered was true, then these troopers packed a significantly harder punch than the previous ones. Not only that, but now they could follow him.

He needed a new solution... now.

Fortunately, he had friends in high places.

" _Aurra, light 'em up!_ " He commanded. The bounty hunter was already waiting, rifle trained on the Clone nearest to Wolffe.

"All droids, open fire on the Republic lines." He ordered through her own comms. The battle droids were quick to respond as they picked their targets and attacked. Aurra herself was quick to down a pair of Clones with well-aimed rounds from her rifle. The Clones were quick to respond and turned their attention away from Wraith and towards the droids, opening fire on the cliffs. They assumed their battle formations as Wolffe took control of the men with a nod from Master Plo, knowing the Jedi had bigger issues at hand. The Jedi looked up in mild surprise as a firefight suddenly erupted around them. They had seen Aurra before, but had completely forgotten about her when the fight with Wraith began.

And now she was making her presence known, and it was causing them trouble.

The Jedi ignited their lightsabers and moved to defend their Clones, working hard to deflect the incoming blaster fire. Wraith quickly decided to add to the chaos and dropped to one knee as he drew his carbine and took aim at the Kel Dor. The staccato of rounds from his carbine were added to the fray as Plo Koon suddenly found himself deflecting more and more rounds.

"Master Plo!" Bultar shouted above the noise. "We need to push Wraith back. He is our biggest concern."

"Agreed, Bultar." Plo replied. The two quickly summoned the Force and pushed The Wraith away, sending the commando sprawling across the ground.

That was annoying.

With a growl, Wraith pushed himself up and stowed his rifle away. Launching some explosive discs into his hands, the soldier sent them skittering across the ground near the feet of the Jedi.

He didn't need to wound them, just distract them.

The devices went off a split second later, leaving Plo and Bultar no time to react. A shower of dust and dirt obscured their sight and they quickly summoned the Force to clear the air. But as soon as they did, Wraith entered their vision, dropping down from above with an arm blade extended. His foot connected with the Jedi's chest and knocked him down, giving Plo no time to react as Wraith prepared to plunge his blade through his head. Bultar was too far away, the Clones were powerless... this Jedi would die today.

At least, that's what he initially thought.

His arm refused to move. No matter how hard Wraith tried to thrust it forward and impale his blade in Plo Koon's head, his limb simply refused to budge. At first, he thought the voice was responsible, that it had somehow taken control of his body.

But, recognizing something in the corner of his vision, Wraith slowly turned to see Ahsoka with her arm outstretched.

She was holding him at bay with the Force.

" _What are you doing?_ " He asked with a growl, feeling both irritated that he could not score a kill and concerned that it was she who had denied him this.

"I won't let you hurt them!" Ahsoka cried, using the Force to push Wraith away. The commando stumbled a little but quickly regained his footing, looking up to see Ahsoka rush over and step between him and Koon, lightsabers drawn.

" _I warned you last night,_ " he rumbled, triggering his second blade, " _don't make me do something we'll both regret._ " The words 'last night' sparked suspicion within Bultar.

"Padawan, what is he talking about?" She demanded of Ahsoka. But the Togruta ignored her, focusing all of her attention on Wraith.

"I know you have a job to do... but so do I." She replied, sounding almost regretful that things had come to this. "And I won't let you kill my friends either!" She stated. Wraith slowly assumed a defensive stance, leveling both blades in her direction.

" _I won't hurt you... but I will fight you._ " He calmly told her. Beckoning her forward with one hand, Wraith was determined to fight defensively... he would not wound Ahsoka. Ever.

But he was not so certain she would be so willing to leave him unscathed.

Ahsoka lunged forward, spinning around and whipping her blades towards Wraith in a whirlwind strike. Raising his blades and angling his arms, her lightsabers scraped across his armor, sending sparks flying. It occurred to Wraith that this was his first ever fight with Ahsoka, as he countered her follow-up attacks, intently focused on maintaining a strong defense. She struck hard and quick, Wraith couldn't help but notice her skill in the art of dual-wielding was so masterful it was almost flawless. It appeared to be Jar'Kai or Niman, something similar to the variation he practiced.

Given his blades were mounted and not held, Wraith and Scipio had worked closely in studying the Yovshin swordsmen and the Royale Macheteros, blending both Jar'Kai and Niman styles together and customizing it to best fit his style. Essentially inventing their own form of combat, Wraith knew this was a style no one could predict.

And yet Ahsoka was doing a very good job at giving him a run for his credits. She might have even more skill than he first realized.

Just another reason to like her...

Ahsoka knew she had to defend Master Plo, if only to keep up appearances. Regardless of how she felt about Wraith, she did have a job to do. As a commander in the Republic army, it was her duty to fight the Separatists. As a Jedi, it was also her duty to combat those who were the enemies of peace and representatives of tyranny.

And Wraith was both of those.

Her sabers came crashing into his blades, which were crossed together to form a tight block. He was easily a head or two taller than her and yet his agility and fluid movements was incredible.

"You don't have to do this! You can help us bring peace to the galaxy!" She urged him, trying hard to shake him free of his bondage even in the midst of this fight.

" _There will be peace.. Separatist peace._ " He rumbled. Throwing his arms apart, Wraith pushed Ahsoka away before he brought his right blade crashing down, burying it in the ground between her legs. Ahsoka leapt back, back-flipping nearer to the Republic lines.

"Ahsoka! Return to us!" Plo called to her. The young Padawan did as she was told and turned around in retreat. "Missile troopers, fire at will!" The Kel Dor commanded. Wraith promptly deactivated his blades and started running, knowing he needed both time and distance in order to avoid these projectiles. The telltale whistling in the air indicated he only had a few seconds left before impact. Rolling out of the way with a grunt, a pair of missiles suddenly exploded in the ground next to him, showering Wraith with dirt and dust while the concussive blast sent him sprawling across the ground. Rising to his feet, Wraith barely had a moment to leap away before another missile slammed into the ground right where his feet had been. Again the concussive explosion sent him hurtling through the air, blown away by the sudden impact. But Wraith managed to take control of his flight and landed in a crouched position, sliding to a halt as clouds of dust were kicked up around him.

 _Turn back! Retreat and fight another day!_ The voice suddenly commanded as he recovered.

So it was back. Back to torment him again.

Not now. This was not the time.

" _Zip it! Gotta avoid these missiles._ " Wraith retorted, more concerned with avoiding an explosion than he was with listening to this voice. Another missile detonated not far behind him and Wraith was forced to make another leap as a missile exploded right behind him, sending him flying once more. Dirt and dust showered his back as heat and flames licked at his retreating body as he rolled to a halt and instantly picked himself back up. He had a feeling there would be some scorch marks to clean off his back.

 _That was too close._ The voice muttered.

" _Could you tell me something useful for once?!_ " Wraith snapped. Not expecting a reply, Wraith turned and opened fire with his slugthrowers, scoring a series of head-shots and downing a few more Clones. Aurra had successfully dealt with most of the rocket troopers, but these missile troopers were still a problem. The Republic seemed more prepared for him than usual. Normally, his attacks were swift and sudden, able to cripple the Republic before they even had a chance to realize what was happening.

Now they seemed ready for him.

This would not do. It was time for him to take this fight to them.

" _Cowards!_ " Wraith shouted to the Jedi. " _You hide behind ordinance. Out of all of you, only Ahsoka has what it takes to be a true warrior!_ " He openly mocked them, hoping to incite some kind of reaction.

"You would have us fight on your terms?" Plo replied. "We know how you work Wraith. You would prefer we fight you one on one... and die in the process." Beneath his mask, Wraith arched an eyebrow, finding it most both odd and unnerving that the Jedi were on to his tactics.

" _Then you know I find the Republic repulsive and your Clones even more so._ " Wraith shot back. " _They are too pathetic and too weak to even compare to me!_ " Deciding it was time to ramp things up, the commando began stalking towards the Republic lines, ignoring the periodic rounds that ricocheted off his armor. The Clones were too busy attacking the droids to be focused on him. He could use this moment to strike deeply and thin their lines. Commander Wolffe recognized the immediate danger Wraith posed and chose to act.

"Boost, Sinker, form a defensive line and hold him off while we prep a few more rockets!" He ordered two members of the Wolfpack, an elite team of Clones that directly served alongside Wolffe himself.

"Copy that sir." Boost affirmed as the two Clones quickly dashed a few paces in front of their lines before kneeling and taking aim at the advancing commando.

"Ready?" Sinker wondered.

"Let's light him up!" Boost replied, pulling the trigger. Opening fire simultaneously, blue bolts of energy streaked through the air, only to collide with Wraith's raised gauntlets. He kept moving forward at a slow and steady pace, hoping he could keep the attention of these two long enough for him to draw closer.

" _Try aiming!_ " Wraith cackled. " _Maybe you'll actually hit me._ "

"Aim for the legs, we might be able to pierce the armor!" Boost suggested, adjusting the angle of his shots. But before he could even squeeze the trigger, Wraith charged ahead, snapping up his arm and firing a grapple as he did. The projectile speared itself in Boost's weapon and Wraith promptly wrenched it out of the Clones hands before launching himself forward to tackle the trooper. Sinker was quick to roll out of the way but Boost was left alone to challenge The Wraith. The Clone was quick to use Wraith's momentum against him and throw the Separatist aside, buying himself enough time to get back to his feet. Ignoring the blasts pelting his back, Wraith rushed ahead, spoiling for a good fight. Boost knew he only had a few seconds to strike back and decided to make the most of them by striking first. Lashing out with a kick, his foot was quickly batted away by Wraith, leading the Clone to try for a punch instead.

A move Wraith had been anticipating.

 _Don't do it Wraith!_ The voice in his head shouted, knowing full well what his plans were. But the commando ignored it as he moved to counter Boost's attack, catching a right hook and forcing his arm out of the way so he could sink a wrist blade into the Clone's shoulder. Boost cried out in pain but was silenced seconds later as Wraith shoved his other wrist blade into the Clone's head. _I said don't!_ The voice cried as Boost's dead body hit the ground, blood flowing from the two fatal wounds.

" _I don't care._ " Wraith huffed under his breath, blades retracting as he awaited his next victim. It came in the form of Sinker, who rushed the soldier from behind. Turning about and standing his ground, Wraith quickly calculated an easy maneuver to take out the Clone and simply waited for the opportunity to present itself.

"Suck lasers, Seppie!" Sinker cried, blasting Wraith with a barrage of rounds from his weapon. The rounds pinged off his armor as the Separatist allowed Sinker to draw even closer. Once he was within distance, Wraith charged forward and plowed his shoulder into the Clone, knocking the wind from Sinker's lungs and laying him flat on his back. Pouncing on his downed foe, Wraith drew back his arm and extended his blade.

" _Eat blade, Clone!_ " He thundered before plunging his blade into Sinker's helmet, stabbing clean through his face and head, the tip buried in the ground.

 _No no no! I told you to stop!_ The voice groaned, pained by the fact another Clone had died.

" _You don't control me!_ " Wraith growled, pulling back his arm and blade disappearing back into his gauntlet. By now, the droid defensive combined with Aurra's covering fire and Wraith's own assault were proving to be a significant challenge for the 104th Battalion. Plo Koon, Bultar and Ahsoka were doing all they could to stand their ground and make some gains, but the indomitable force that was The Wraith was continually hampering their efforts.

Their mission was to bring down the Separatist base and, if possible, use Thrawn's tactics to ward off Wraith. But so far he had been able to adapt and avoid everything they threw his way.

This battle was not going nearly as well as they would've liked.

Commander Wolffe knew this and he knew that his forces needed a break. They needed to complete their mission, but they couldn't as long as Wraith was present. His duty was to his men and if he needed to sacrifice himself to give them an opportunity, then so be it.

He remembered Thrawn's words as he decided to put his plan into motion, _Clones who live are Clones who can fight another day._

"Comet, I need your help!" He ordered. "We've got to protect the others from Wraith."

"Right behind you sir!" The Clone acknowledged and immediately moved to obey. The two Clones maneuvered their way to the front lines where Plo spotted them.

"Wolffe, Comet, do not engage!" The Kel Dor commanded them.

"With all due respect sir, we can't let him get near our forces! What happened to Boost and Sinker could happen to the rest of us. Better a few Clones die and the rest live to fight another day." Wolffe replied, knowing full well a forward assault on Wraith would likely result in his death. But he was doing for his men and for his general.

"If anything General, we'll buy you some time to strategize." Comet added, prepared to follow his commander to certain death. The two Clones stepped forward, blasters ready and pointed directly at their foe. Wraith stood alone as blaster bolts zipped by, wildly flying all around them. The bloodied bodies of Boost and Sinker lay nearby, testament to his deadly nature. Wraith smirked upon seeing Comet and Wolffe advancing upon him.

It was time to put an end to the Wolfpack once and for all.

Wraith chuckled menacingly as his blades extended once more.

" _Time to die, Clones._ " He mused, more than ready to spill more blood.

 _No!_ The voice shouted in his mind. _I won't let you kill anyone else!_

" _Try and stop me!_ " Wraith countered as he prepared to strike. He instantly regretted his challenge when searing pain shot through his head. Only this time, it was far more severe and intense than before.

 _No more bloodshed! You're done, Wraith!_ His blades disappeared as Wraith clutched his head, all thoughts dissipating as they were replaced with relentless pain. He couldn't move, he couldn't think, he couldn't act, not as long as this searing torment was present. Wolffe and Comet paused in their motions, sharing confused glances as they wondered what was wrong with their quarry. Should they take advantage of the situation? Or wait and see what would happen?

The firefight seemed to slow as Separatist and Republic forces alike watched Wraith sink to his knees, clutching his head. Growling in both frustration and pain, the Separatist commando fought to regain control of his thoughts from this incessant voice in his head.

" _No...! I... won't... let you...!_ " He rasped.

 _I'm gonna take back what's mine, permanently!_ The voice shot back. Wraith was practically curled up now, incapable of any kind of thought or action as pain consumed him. It lit up his nerves like fire as someone, or something, tried to push him out of his own head. The pain Wraith was feeling was wrought from a battle for control. This voice was making its presence known and its power felt.

It truly did belong, if it could control his body like this.

The Jedi watched with a fixture of fascination and curiosity as Wraith grappled with himself, obviously dealing with some kind of illness or pain. Of them all, Ahsoka was intrigued the most. Having spoken with him just hours ago, Ahsoka had a feeling there was something wrong with him. Given his odd outbursts, seemingly random moments of one-sided conversation last night and based upon what she was currently witnessing, Ahsoka knew for a fact that Wraith was suffering from an affliction of the mind.

In short, he was hallucinating... or going crazy.

Part of her wanted to take this opportunity to help him, to bring him back to their side with the promise of treatment. Another part of her assumed he might be an even bigger threat, now that he was mentally unstable.

Unfortunately, the latter thoughts were about to be justified.

" _Get... Out..._ " Wraith growled, desperately clinging to what little control he had left. Finally summoning what was left of his sanity, Wraith threw his head back with a roar. " _GET OUT OF MY HEAD!_ " He screamed to the skies, desperate to be free of this constant torture. The outburst was startling and made the onlookers a little fearful.

An angry Wraith could be the death of all of them.

Wolffe was quick to order Comet into retreat, deciding their maneuver was not worth it. Retreating back to their lines, they turned about to see Wraith fall to his hands and knees, shoulders heaving as he gasped for air.

"What the heck is wrong with him, sir?" Comet wondered.

"I don't know." Wolffe honestly replied. "But this may end up working out in our favor." He added. As the Clones returned, Ahsoka watched with a level of worry at Wraith's labored movements. She had a feeling he was struggling with something, but to see it take a toll on him this badly was rather alarming. With every passing minute, Ahsoka was growing more and more worried about missing out on a chance to talk further with Wraith. But she still had to act like his enemy. For the sake of the mission, she had to fight against him as hard as Bultar and Master Plo were. Despite the potential consequences that would come about, thanks to Wraith's slip about their meeting last night, Ahsoka was determined to try again at some point in the future.

That is, if Wraith had a future after this fight.

Moving to General Koon's side, Wolffe had a plan in mind and was prepared to share it. "General, now might be a good time to cut loose with our rockets."

"Agreed, Wolffe." Koon nodded. "Rocket troopers, target The Wraith and prepare to fire!" He commanded. Said troopers quickly got into position, a few Clones collecting the weapons of their fallen brothers and joining their ranks. Upon hearing the words of Koon, Wraith felt a spike of adrenaline surge through him. He needed to act. Now.

Rising to one knee, Wraith drew his carbine from behind him and swiftly gunned down all the rocket troopers in a single fluid motion. Despite his issues, the sudden moment of clarity provided him his expert aim once more, only to fail him as soon as the troopers fell dead. Falling over and resting against his upright carbine, Wraith panted for air as he reached for his helmet.

" _Aurra..._ " he gasped into his comms, " _Get me... outta here..._ " Aurra took his ragged words as a cry for help and chose to act instantly.

"All droids, provide covering fire for Wraith, I'm getting him out of there!" She ordered, slinging her rifle over her shoulder.

"You heard her, blast them!" The nearest droid commander stated as the droids renewed their attack. The hail of red bolts provided Aurra with enough time to scale down the cliff and sprint to Wraith's side, just as the Clones decided to retaliate and focus their firepower on the droid defenses. Drawing her own sidearm, Aurra fired a few shots at the Clones as she helped Wraith to his feet. Seeing their more vulnerable situation, Wolffe decided now would be a good time to act.

"Sir, Wraith is exposed, we should strike now!" He pressed General Koon.

"Negative, Commander." Koon replied, deflecting incoming fire with his lightsaber. "We still have a job to do. Since Wraith appears to be out of commission, let's see if we can't capitalize on this moment."

"Aye, sir." Wolffe nodded with a salute. Turning back to his men he started giving orders. "Man those launchers! Target the clankers! Missile troopers, take down that cliff side!" Clones began dashing to forward positions as RPS-6's and PLX-1's were hoisted over shoulders and sights were trained downrange at the Separatist lines. "Fire at will!" Wolffe ordered and a flurry of ordinance exploded forward seconds later. Hearing the telltale whistling of inbound projectiles, Aurra forced Wraith down as the rockets and missiles whizzed past overhead and slammed into the debris-strewn cliff side, exploding droids and barriers with each concussive blast. Bits of dirt and debris was kicked up into the air, showering down upon the two retreating battlefield commanders. Aurra looked up to see only a scarce few battle droids remaining, the rest having been destroyed and ripped apart by the explosions. Wraith saw them too and a single thought passed through his mind.

" _Those were meant for me._ " He muttered. The droids shouldn't have to suffer those which were designed for him. Finding Aurra's grip tightening around his arm, he allowed her to help him up.

"We're in trouble now." She grimly mused.

" _Yeah..._ " Wraith grumbled, knowing this setback was his fault.

The Republic troopers were quite pleased with this new development, some of them whooping and slapping each other on the back.

"Advance!" Plo ordered. "This day might yet be ours!" The Clones were quick to pack up and begin moving forward, intent on removing the Separatists from Saleucami for good.

Meanwhile, Wraith and Aurra had scaled the slope and made their way back into the heart of the base.

"I need all available droids to defend those cliffs." Aurra commanded the nearest droid commander. "We can't let the Clones get any closer."

"Roger roger." The droid moved to obey without another word. Aurra then moved to a nearby crate and set Wraith down on it. The commando sighed deeply as the racket of battle was left behind and silence filled his mind. Such blessed and irreplaceable silence, free of voices, free of pain. It was just what he needed... even though he couldn't afford it.

"Your head in one piece now?" Aurra wondered, looking directly into his optics.

" _Just barely._ " He rumbled, giving his head a light shake. Aurra stood as she began to think, pondering any possible ways to help fix him up. Wraith too began to think, realizing he was foolish to have kept this voice to himself. If Aurra knew his affliction, maybe she could help him better. " _Aurra... there's something wrong with me._ " He admitted, believing it was time she knew the truth about his situation. " _I-_ "

"Save it." She interrupted him. "I get it, there's something wrong with you head. But we've got work to do and we need you in this fight."

" _Don't have to remind me._ " He sighed. Wraith knew he needed to get back out there. But given he was constantly plagued by this voice, which was slowly driving him to insanity, the circumstances were proving to only increase the difficulty of his task.

"How can I help?" She softly wondered, genuinely trying to help him.

" _I'm having trouble functioning in this condition. I'm not sure if I'll be much help... not until I get my strength back._ " He explained. Remembering just how intense that pain was and how quickly it drove him to his knees and rendered him non-functional, Wraith doubted he could survive by himself. He needed and edge. Aurra was thinking the same thing and suddenly developed a plan.

"I've got an idea." Zipping open a pouch on her thigh, Aurra withdrew a small silver device moments later. A device Wraith recognized instantly.

" _Is that-?_ " He wondered.

"A stimshot. Should give you the boost you need. Might even fend off whatever's in your head." Aurra replied as she handed it to him. Wraith nodded, believing she was on to something.

" _Remind me to pack some next time I'm out and about._ " Wraith mused as he took the pneumatic dispenser and promptly injected its contents into his thigh. Stimshots were known for providing the body with an immense surge of energy, acting like fourteen hours of sleep and four square meals all at once, providing complete bodily revitalization. The effects were immediate and Wraith suddenly felt a jolt rush through his body. Something even more powerful than an adrenaline rush and even more revitalizing than an electrolyte injection.

These stimshots really were something else.

"Feeling better?" Aurra asked.

" _Oh yeah._ " Wraith growled positively. Discarding the empty dispenser, Wraith stood up and rolled his shoulders, breathing deeply as his body felt completely refreshed. " _I think it's high time I make up for my failures._ " He mused.

"You haven't failed these droids. Not yet. But I wouldn't push yourself just yet. The more you exert your body, the sooner the stimshot will wear off." She cautioned him, knowing full well the stimshots had a limit and were not a permanent solution.

" _Aurra, Count Dooku has entrusted me with the restoration of Saleucami to the Separatists. And so long as I have breath in my lungs, I will not fail him._ " He countered. " _I just have to last long enough until our reinforcements arrive. And that shouldn't be far off._ " He added, hopeful that more troops would be here long before the stimshot wore off. As much as he enjoyed the clarity it brought, he accepted the fact it was on loan and insanity was not far behind. He needed to make the most of his time and fulfill his mission.

"Okay. I'll cover you." Aurra nodded in acceptance. "But if you start having trouble again, call me. You hear?" She stated, tapping his chest.

" _Will do._ " Wraith nodded, reaching for his pistols.

Meanwhile, the Republic forces had reached the base of the cliffs and were currently firing upwards at the few droids defending the top. Their advance was slow as they carefully made their way up the rubble-strewn slope, stepping over the remains of droids and defensive barricades. To the Jedi it seemed like victory was within their grasp...

And then Wraith showed up.

Charging over the ridge with blasters drawn, Wraith began squeezing his triggers as fast as he could, raining down blaster fire much to the surprise of the Clones. He killed them in droves, unloading a steady stream of fire as he fought to regain his superiority. Ahsoka was aghast by his actions. Thinking she was close to getting through to him, this sudden assault forced her to realize Wraith was still his same old violent self.

She had a long way to go before he would even think about joining them.

Clearing out the Clones near the base of the cliff, Wraith stowed his blasters and deployed his blades. Charging ahead and lunging forward with a roar the commando proceeded to tear through anyone who was close enough. Blood splattered the ground and showered the area as Wraith hacked and slashed at anything that moved, Clones screaming as their bodies were rent and torn apart. The Jedi were very surprised by his sudden resurgence. The foe they once thought mentally crippled and incapacitated was now full of strength and raging power, able to cut down an army with the strength of a legion.

Now the fight had really begun.

As Wraith waded into Plo Koon's men, knee-deep in bodies and blood, Aurra and the droids continued their assault from behind. Though their numbers were few and were not in the same well-equipped state as the Clones, they had the power of The Wraith on their side... and that was a power few could contest with.

The Jedi were quick to order their troops back, retreat was all they could do now. The surprising power and ferocity of their foe was enough to completely overwhelm them. If they stayed their current course, they would not have enough men to try again.

"Where did this newfound strength come from?" Bultar wondered aloud. "First he was on his knees, gasping for air, now he's tearing through our men like they are blades of grass!"

"Unfortunately, the answer may forever elude us both." Plo replied. "But we have bigger problems at hand. Our men will not last against such ruthlessness." Bultar knew her old master was correct. The men needed to retreat. If any were to survive, failure appeared to be their only option. Plo seemed to read her thoughts. "This is not a failure, my old apprentice." He reassured her. "This is simply knowing when to fight and when to live to fight another day."

"I understand Master." Bultar nodded. With that, Plo ordered the withdrawal and the Clones and Jedi were quick to backtrack, leaving the bloodied bodies of their fallen behind. Wraith paused in his stride, allowing his blades to retract as he sized up the fleeing armies.

"Looks we've got them on the run." Aurra noted over the comms.

" _Time to make sure they keep their distance._ " Wraith replied, deciding to give chase. " _Keep tabs on them. Make sure they don't pull some kind of stunt._ " He commanded. Breaking into a jog, Wraith calmly followed after his fleeing opponents, intent on causing some more death.

But as he did, a loud droning suddenly echoed around the area. It was a sound loud enough to make even the retreating Republic forces stop and look for the source. Sliding to a halt, Wraith too looked up to see what the disturbance was.

In came in the form of a pair of C-9979 landing craft, launched from Munificent-class frigate. They were on their way down and were heading straight for the Separatist base.

Reinforcements had arrived.

Looks like he had found his second wind just in time. He had held off the Republic long enough to maintain a Separatist presence that could be bolstered. Turning back to the remaining Republic forces, Wraith put away his blades and prepared to speak to them.

" _I would flee if I were you._ " He called specifically to the Jedi. " _Legions of fresh droids are here and you do not have the manpower to hold your own. Leave now and we may consider showing mercy._ " He stated, but triggered a blood-stained blade once more. " _Although I highly doubt that._ " He chuckled. They were now faced with a terrible situation: their offensive had been a failure. Saleucami would not be theirs this day. Plo Koon lacked the troops to continue the fight, many of which had been felled by Wraith's hand. It appeared the chaotic nature of their opponent had bested them. He was simply too unpredictable for Thrawn's tactics to be proven successful.

If anything, they had suffered a military setback. But they had gleaned some knowledge from the encounter in the process.

"All troops, fall back." The Kel Dor ordered, signalling for a full retreat. Although disheartened, the Clones knew they had no choice. Wraith turned back to see the Republic heeding his advice and leaving the Separatists behind them. But as they did, his gaze locked with Ahsoka's. A moment of silence passed as they watched each other before Plo called for her to come with them. Her gaze was soft and mournful, almost as if she were saying "you didn't have to do this." As she turned and left, Wraith too turned around and looked back at the cliffs, spying Aurra along the ridge. She shot him a thumbs up and a grin, her way of saying "nice work." With a nod, Wraith proceeded to make his way back to the base.

* * *

Despite its destroyed condition, the Separatist base was once again full of battle droids. Milling about as they set to work on fortifying their position, both B1 and B2 variants could be spotted everywhere. Armored Assault Tanks stood stationary around the base, forming a rather formidable line of defense. Off to the side, Aurra and Wraith watched as the Separatist troops began to rebuild.

"Looks like our work here is done." Aurra mused. "Glad you managed to pull through."

" _Admittedly, I was concerned about the outcome for a moment. You had a brilliant idea, injecting me with a stimshot._ " Wraith admitted.

"Thanks." Aurra nodded in acceptance. "Now tell me what's wrong with you." With a sigh, Wraith began to explain every detail.

" _I've been hearing a voice in my head, like there's someone else in there. It started back on Aefao, that was the first time I heard it. It was telling me to act different of how I normally do, trying to get me to spare Clones. But this is the first time it's caused me such pain. I can't say as I've ever had a migraine before... especially one that serious._ " This was true. Although pain was not foreign to him, cerebral pain was something he had never experienced.

"That's strange. Usually when people start hearing voices it's because they're slowly going insane." Aurra mused.

" _That's what I thought. But the voice sounds like it has a personality unto itself. It's my total opposite._ " Wraith added, including his own observations. Aurra didn't take very long to think over his predicament before coming up with a solution.

"You need help. You need to go back to Doctor Scipio and get your head examined. He'll probably know what to do." She told him.

" _Yeah, you're right._ " He agreed. But before he could continue, a tactical droid arrived before them.

"Commander Wraith, you have an incoming message from Count Dooku." It informed the pair in a monotone voice. After sharing curious glances, Wraith ordered it connect him. Holding up a holocomm, a small image of the Sith Lord appeared moments later.

"Wraith, Aurra, I understand your efforts were quite successful in defending our position."

" _It was, but the Republic seemed rather prepared for us. We had some difficulty holding any one position for too long, but we managed in the end._ "

"I see." Dooku mused thoughtfully. "Rest assured Aurra, you will be paid in full for your services." He informed the bounty hunter. "As for you Wraith, we require your assistance once more." Cocking his head, Wraith prepared to listen in as Aurra grew worried. "You are aware of the war on Mygeeto?" Count Dooku wondered.

" _I've heard it's one of the fiercest battlefields in the Clone Wars._ "

"Indeed. And right now the battle tips in favor of the Republic. Due to their sudden advances one of our generals has been trapped behind enemy lines along with a small squad of droids. He is a Neimodian by the name of Kir Losan and he has vital tactical information that needs to be kept out of the Republic's hands. Should they get it, we may lose Mygeeto altogether."

" _I smell a search and rescue mission coming up._ "

"Your mission is to travel to Mygeeto and escort General Losan to a waiting cruiser in the system. You will leave immediately." Wraith nodded in understanding as Count Dooku relayed his orders. But Aurra grew concerned with the immediacy of the mission.

"Count Dooku, I don't think this is a good idea." She tried to interject, but the Separatist leader shot her down quite quickly.

"Aurra, you are not being paid for your input but for your services." He curtly told her. "You have no say in the execution of this mission." Wraith stepped in, swiftly coming to Aurra's defence.

" _With all due respect sir, her input is perfectly valid. She has our best interests in mind._ " He stated. Dooku regarded the soldier with an inquisitive gaze for a moment as he considered his words.

"Perhaps. But right now this mission is of higher importance than what anyone has to say. You will do as we ask, understood?"

" _Completely, my lord. I will leave immediately._ " Wraith affirmatively replied, much to Aurra's displeasure. Dooku gave a quick nod before ending the communication. The tactical droid was dismissed as Aurra looked to the commando, knowing his troubled mind needed immediate attention... not immediate re-deployment.

"Wraith, in your condition, you can't possibly take this assignment! You need help." She urged him.

" _I know. I know._ " He quietly replied. " _But, sometimes, the good of the cause has to come before my personal good._ " He added. He knew the mission had to come first. He served the Separatists and, if he really wanted to avoid another confrontation with Darth Sidious, he needed to fulfill his duties. But given his current situation and how increasingly prepared the Republic was for his arrival, it seemed like this next mission would be far more challenging than anything he'd ever attempted.

If anything, he really had his work cut out for him.

" _I grab this officer, get off world, deliver him and then I can go get some help._ " He explained, making it sound so easy. " _Should be no problem._ " Seeing just how intent he was on going ahead with this mission, Aurra knew there was nothing she could do to deter him any further.

"If you're sure." She relented. "I'm just looking out for your best interests, hon." She said, gently touching his arm. Wraith nodded in understanding.

" _I know. And I thank you._ " He added, trying to convey the fact that he really was grateful. Reaching into another pouch in her jumpsuit, Aurra withdrew four more pneumatic dispensers.

"Take these. If they worked here then they should help you in the future." She told him, handing off the last of her stimshots. Wraith accepted them gladly and tucked them into his jacket.

" _I'd best be going now. I sincerely hope we'll meet again, Aurra._ "

"And next time, you'll hopefully be feeling better." She responded, silently encouraging him to get some help. Soon. Wraith nodded and walked off, making his way back to his ship. Taking some time to mull over the events of the past couple days, Wraith started wondering about the origin of this voice in his head. Given how different it was from his own personality, and yet sounded so much like his regular voice, for a fleeting moment the idea that it was once him or related to him passed through his head. At least these stimshots kept it at bay, he was not in the mood for one of those back-and-forth conversations.

Aurra, on the other hand, was still very concerned for Wraith's safety. Despite her job as a bounty hunter and mercenary, she had a very motherly nature that was quite obvious from time to time. And right now those instincts were kicking in something fierce. The problem was, Wraith was not under her care, nor was he kid by any means. She couldn't directly look after him or take him under her care, she could only watch from afar. The least she could do was offer some suggestions, but it seemed like Count Dooku was in no mood for such things.

She had to wonder why...

Aurra watched as Wraith climbed back into his shuttle, a simple Aka'jor-class transport, and continued to watch as it lifted off and disappeared into the clouds above Saleucami.

* * *

 _Aboard the Resolute..._

Anakin Skywalker was busy listening in to Plo Koon's report from Saleucami, with Admiral Yularen and Commander Thrawn listening in as well.

"Our offensive here on Saleucami has been drastically hindered by the presence of Separatist reinforcements. I doubt we have the necessary manpower for a prolonged engagement." The Kel Dor was saying, after having recapped their encounter with Wraith. It was something Thrawn found most intriguing.

"However unfortunate, you seemed to have learned much about our common enemy, General." Thrawn mused. "If I could trouble you for a detailed report for me to study, it would be very much appreciated."

"I think that can be arranged. When we have time, of course." Koon nodded. "Right now, we need to figure out what the fate of Saleucami will be."

"I fear any hope for a swift victory has been dashed, General. The Republic simply does not have enough troops in the sector to combat the new Separatist reinforcements there." Yularen stated in a disheartened voice.

"Great. Just what we needed... to lose another planet." Anakin grumbled. The presence of The Wraith here in the Outer Rim was proving to be very counterproductive to their efforts. Something he would like to change as soon as possible.

"These are hotly contested zones, General. This wouldn't be the first time control of Saleucami has shifted." Yularen reminded him, trying to both cheer him up and be optimistic.

"Yeah, but the problem this time is that there's an unstoppable super commando running amok." Anakin replied. "Wraith's becoming such an issue these days." He sighed.

"We may yet have another opportunity to challenge his superiority." Koon interjected. "Our orbital forces detected a small ship leaving the atmosphere and managed to get a lock on its coordinates before it jumped into hyperspace. It's headed for Mygeeto." This information intrigued everyone present. Anakin and Yularen took notice because their fleets were closest to the planet in question and Thrawn took notice because they had actually managed to identify the craft.

"Tell me General Koon, what kind of ship was it?" The Chiss inquired.

"It is an Aka'jor-class shuttle. Significantly smaller than most ships in the Separatist fleet and very unique, given the kinds of ships they have available." Plo reported. Thrawn recognized the make of the craft and found it curious.

"A MandalMotors craft. Mandalorian in design and versatile in uses. Very interesting." He mused. "Gentlemen, I believe we have determined the kind of craft Wraith uses to travel from world to world."

"Not sure how that helps us, Commander." Anakin

"It is something to keep in mind for the future. Whenever you see a seemingly out of place Mandalorian shuttle, you know your foe is present." Thrawn calmly replied. After a moment of consideration, he spoke again, "It seems like a good idea that we should join General Windu's forces on Mygeeto, along with General Kenobi and General Koon. If Wraith was incapable of performing to his full extent on Saleucami, as General Koon reports, he'll be sure to bring his all to our forces there." The idea that Wraith could 'bring his all' sounded too synonymous with 'disaster' to Anakin.

"Which means we need to ready our defences." He realized. Master Windu's forces were still fighting the Separatist forces on Mygeeto, they were in no condition to repel the powerful force that was The Wraith. In no mood to lose yet another planet to the Separatists, Anakin immediately understood what their next course of action needed to be. "Rex, inform the men, we're going back to Mygeeto!"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Will Wraith be able to survive this next encounter? Will the voice in his head be his undoing? Will the Jedi finally overcome their foe? Find out next time!**

 **On that note... I'm going to take a break for a little while. This semester has run me ragged and I need some time to breath and get my writing back into gear. This chapter was rather difficult to write and I can only chalk that up to my current circumstances.**

 **Don't get me wrong, I do not plan on disappearing for months on end! I have plenty of ideas that I want to get typed down. But I think I just need a moment to get back into my groove, back to a point where my sentences don't sound so stale.**

 **I hope you all can understand. Until next time!**


	36. In Need of Clarity

**Author's Note: I'm back! Did you miss me? I hope so. After a particularly grueling end to the semester, I'm back in the writer's seat and ready to give y'all some chapters this summer... and maybe celebrate this story's one-year anniversary...!**

 **Also, a few cosmetic updates: the title of this story has changed, from 'Wraith Rising' to 'Rise of The Wraith'. Why, you ask? Well, if all goes as planned, you'll see why in the future. Also, new story cover! I like the red styling of the Clone Wars logo, gives off some real sinister vibes... just the kind of tone for this story.**

 **Enough of that, now for another chapter!**

* * *

-Chapter 19: In Need of Clarity-

Location: Mygeeto

"The unstable are the most dangerous."

The blue tunnel of hyperspace swallowed his ship as it was sent hurtling towards his newest destination. It occurred to him he had not set foot in his base for some time, something he normally did after completing any mission.

Such was the life of an elite soldier: always on call.

Although, with this nagging voice in his mind, part of him wished he could return to his base, even for only a moment. But he had his orders, and those orders involved him traveling to yet another world.

To his knowledge, there was nothing truly special about the planet in question. No major resources to fight over, no people worth rescuing, no factories to control. So why was it considered a member of the "Triad of Evil" as Chancellor Palpatine so eloquently phrased it? Like its counterparts, Saleucami and Felucia, several major members of the Confederacy had bases and headquarters stationed on each of these worlds. Saleucami fell under the sway of the Techno Union, Felucia boasted the headquarters of the Commerce Guild and Mygeeto had fallen under the rule of the Banking Clan many years prior, becoming thought of as a sister-planet to Muunilinst by the local Muuns. This fact resulted in some of the fiercest and costliest fighting in the Clone Wars taking place on these three worlds alone. Some might call these planets notorious, others might say they were synonymous with hardship.

But to Wraith, they were just another mission.

The particular planet he was traveling to, Mygeeto, was an ice-covered world. Jagged crystalline structures covered the frozen world amidst towering cities built by the Muuns many years prior. Apart from these single aspects of civilization, Mygeeto was a wasteland of cold and barren icy rock. It was inhospitable and frigid, nowhere near the ideal place to live. Suffice to say, the environment was better fitted for droids than it was for organics, given the extreme temperatures.

But Wraith was no average organic.

His body had been specially engineered to handle extreme environments, granting him an immunity to cold-related illness like frostbite and hypothermia that had been built up over time. His tech would not allow him to suffer either. His jacket possessed a great deal of thermal insulation to protect him from the most frigid of temperatures and the treads of his boots were capable of clinging to even the slipperiest of surfaces. Heck, he could climb a vertical slope made of ice without any specialized equipment apart from the boots he now wore! He knew this from experience. This wasn't his first trip to Mygeeto and, given its prominence as a major battlefield, he had a feeling it wouldn't be his last. He had been here once before, trying to break a stalemate between Republic and Separatist forces only to be interrupted and summoned to beat the living daylights out of Anakin Skywalker. A fun distraction for sure, but he had returned to Mygeeto and broken the stalemate, helping Separatist forces claim new ground and maintain a stronger hold over the planet.

But now it seemed like this had been undone, as a general needed rescuing. He was by no means worried about his upcoming assignment, nor was he concerned about the odds he faced.

His only worry was this voice. Irritating and disruptive, it had proven its power over him on Saleucami which was of great concern. He could not allow another incident like that to take place, especially not now when he would be traveling behind enemy lines. Fortunately, it seemed like stimshots were the key to keeping it at bay. The one he had already injected himself with would be wearing off soon enough and he had four more to work with.

But this was by no means a permanent solution. He had to return to Scipio as soon as possible.

Breathing deeply as he accepted his situation, Wraith leaned back in his seat and started to plan for his upcoming assignment as he continued to fly through hyperspace.

* * *

 _On the surface of Mygeeto..._

The Republic cruiser Resolute and its equal, Vigilance, arrived in Mygeeto's airspace to meet a sizeable Republic fleet awaiting them. Jedi Master Kid-Adi-Mundi and Master Mace Windu were already on the planet and were doing their best to push back the Separatists.

And if Wraith was headed here, they would be needing all the help they could get.

Resolute and Vigilance were the first to arrive, ahead of the transport carrying Master Plo. Anakin Skywalker had no plans in sitting this out and ordered Rex to assemble Torrent Company and to be prepared for eventual arrival of The Wraith. Standing on the bridge, Anakin was wrapping up a few last-minute preparations before heading planetside.

"Obi-Wan just called, he's on his way down. Master Plo, Bultar and Ahsoka aren't far off." He was saying, informing the bridge crew of the impending arrivals. "I trust you'll be able to handle things up here Admiral?" The Knight asked of Yularen.

"No need to worry General. Your fleet shall remain as you leave it." Yularen positively affirmed. This wasn't the first time he'd taken charge of space operations while Anakin was on the ground. With a nod, Skywalker turned to Thrawn.

"Care to join us on the ground, Commander?" He offered.

"Thank you for the offer General, but I believe I will remain here with Admiral Yularen." The Chiss quietly replied. "I wish to take in the incoming reports and observe the Separatists' strategies."

"You mean how they retreat?" Anakin responded with a smirk, knowing the Republic currently had the droids on the run.

"On the contrary. A fighting force is most formidable when it is cornered and wounded. I am curious to see how they will strike back against you." Thrawn stated. "Their military capabilities are far more impressive than what you give them credit for General." Anakin raised an eyebrow as Thrawn's statement sank in. That sounded a bit too much like someone cheering on the opposite side for his taste.

"I thought you were on our side."

"What I am is an observer. And presently I wish to observe both sides of this fight." Thrawn responded. "In fact, I believe the Republic could learn much from Separatist tactics, given how advanced processors and algorithms devise their strategies and not fallible organic brains." Now that was a harsh blow. To commend the Separatist droids over the Republic's strategists was something that pushed Anakin from friendly to defensive.

"If you admire the Separatists so much, why didn't you join them?" He curtly wondered.

"Because, General Skywalker, the Separatists have no law whereas the Republic is law. And I very much prefer order over chaos." Thrawn coolly stated.

"Well if that's all..." Anakin muttered with a slight roll of his eyes.

"It's not perfect order... but it is a start." Thrawn quietly added, mulling over the current political situation and seeing room for much improvement within the Republic's current form of government. Hearing no response from Anakin, Thrawn simply added, "Now I believe you have a flight to catch, General Skywalker." Taking this statement as a prompt end to the conversation, Anakin turned on heel and made his way towards the bridge exit, giving Thrawn one final glare over his shoulder as he did.

Suffice to say, his opinion of Thrawn had quickly soured.

Down in the hangar bay, Rex and the heavily armed Torrent Company stood waiting next to a gunship, patiently anticipating Anakin's arrival before they could depart. The Clone Captain spotted his General as he appeared, matching towards the gunship at a rather brisk clip. Noting Anakin's grim expression, Rex could tell something was up.

"Everything alright, General?" He asked.

"Just finished having a chat with the visiting officer. Turns out Thrawn prefers Separatist tactics over ours." Anakin grumbled. "He thinks we could 'learn a lot' from those fraggin' droids." Rex looked surprised, finding it odd Thrawn would say such things. He did know the Republic were the good guys, right? That he should focused on helping them rather than applauding the Seppies?

"I suppose we'll just have to prove him wrong then, sir." Rex replied, trying to be positive.

"We better." Anakin muttered, stepping into the gunship.

A short trip later, Anakin and Torrent Company arrived on the surface of Mygeeto alongside Obi-Wan and members of the 212th Battalion. They were greeted by Masters Mace Windu and Ki-Adi-Mundi, Generals of the 187th Legion and the Galactic Marines, respectively. Out of them all, Master Mundi had been here the longest, fighting hard to detain the strong Separatist presence. The Cerean Jedi had forged a good relationship with the commander of the Galactic Marines, CC-1138 or Bacara, and the two worked hard to push the Separatists back and, hopefully soon, out of Mygeeto.

The two arriving Jedi stepped out into the crisp afternoon air, inhaling sharply as a cold breeze hit them. Mygeeto wasn't known for being a warm planet and they were now figuring out just how cold it really was.

"I think I'm glad I opted to join you on Aefao first, where it's less chilly." Obi-Wan joked with a brief shiver. He could see his breath coming out in puffs, thanks to the less-than-hot environment.

"And yet here we are anyways." Anakin mused. For all he knew, they would've been on their way home right now if it weren't for The Wraith.

"Regardless, we appreciate the assistance." Master Mundi stated as he greeted them.

"We figured you had enough men, so we only brought a few of our best." Anakin responded as he quickly glanced over his shoulder to see Rex and Torrent Company exiting the shuttle.

"I take it Master Koon is still on his way?" Mace wondered, having not been in contact with the Kel Dor master.

"Indeed. He couldn't afford to bring any additional manpower, given the conflict on Saleucami is no longer in our favor." Obi-Wan reported. Mace nodded in understanding.

"While we're waiting for him, we should plan our course of action, before Wraith arrives." He continued. "I'd very much prefer it if we could act upon Wraith's arrival instead of reacting to it."

"Thrawn thinks that he'll want to bring his all against us, since he seemed rather hindered on Saleucami." Anakin stated, believing Thrawn to be right despite his current feelings about him.

"Surely he's not coming to simply wreak havoc. There must be a reason he's coming here." Ki-Adi commented, placing his hands on his hips. Anakin had to disagree, spreading chaos seemed to be Wraith's MO.

"He has come here once before, right after the events of Tibrin. That was when he put us in the mess Master Mundi and I just finished straightening out." Mace added.

"Boom. Retaliation. He wants to undo what you've done, just like Aefao." Anakin suggested, believing he saw a pattern.

"Such 'tit for tat' actions doesn't seem like him, or else he'd be on many other worlds right now." Obi-Wan interjected with a shake of his head. "This will be the third planet in a row he's visited. Clearly he's being sent to each of these worlds to fulfill some purpose." The Jedi paused to start thinking. While Anakin was quite set on his opinion of the matter, the others wish to start thinking outside the box. "Well, if I could think like our resident visiting officer for a moment," Obi-Wan mused, thoughtfully stroking his beard, "we should look for some goal, some purpose for Wraith to be here."

"You mean aside from destroying the entire one eighty-seventh?" Anakin wondered, throwing his friend a glance. To him, it was obvious why Wraith was here. He had dispatched their forces on Aefao, dispatched their forces on Saleucami... or at least tried to, and how he wanted to dispatch their forces here on Mygeeto. He wanted to ease the pressure the Republic was putting on the Separatists and give them a numbers advantage so they could strike back.

However, that wasn't what Obi-Wan was thinking.

"He couldn't possibly be here for that. There's too many of us."

"I wouldn't put it past him to try." Anakin replied, crossing his arms. As far as he was concerned, Wraith was nothing more than a bloodthirsty monster. Someone who killed for the sake of killing.

"Master Windu, Master Mundi, is there some objective either of you have yet to accomplish?" Obi-Wan queried, turning to the two Jedi who knew the situation best. Mace shook his head, nothing coming to mind at the moment.

"There is one thing," Ki-Adi noted, speaking up, "Commander Bacara and his men have cornered Separatist General Kir Losan inside one of the cities we recently took control of. He's locked down in a tower that is very well defended, our troops can't seem to get through to him."

"That could be what Wraith's coming here for. Rescuing a Separatist General would be right up his alley." Obi-Wan nodded as he started to see an opportunity.

"If that's the case, we need to double our efforts to detain General Losan and capture him as soon as possible." Mace determined. "I recall Commander Thrawn saying that we may be able to frustrate The Wraith into submission. Removing his objective before he even arrives would do just that."

"Sounds like a plan. I guess." Anakin replied with a shrug. "I'll let Rex and the men know we'll be moving out." He decided. But before he could, a Clone trooper, sporting the purple markings of the 187th Legion, walked up to Mace and saluted.

"General Windu. We've received an incoming transmission from General Koon, he's just exited hyperspace and is on his way down." He reported. That was good news indeed. Soon there would be seven Jedi on Mygeeto, more than enough to create a headache for The Wraith.

"Thank you trooper." Mace nodded. "Continue to ready your men, Skywalker. We will inform Master Koon of our plans when he arrives." Anakin nodded and moved to do so, Obi-Wan also going to explain things to Cody and his men.

It did not take long for Plo Koon's Jedi shuttle to touch down and the Jedi trio of him, Bultar and Ahsoka departed, also promptly greeted by Mace and Ki-Adi. Anakin was quick to spot his apprentice as he was mapping out the terrain with Rex. And there was something he wanted to discuss with her...

Prior to arriving on Mygeeto, and over a private communication, Plo had informed Anakin that Ahsoka had made a rather... risky move during her time on Mygeeto. Refusing to elaborate further, Master Plo simply suggested to Anakin that he talk with his apprentice about the matter and offer some correction, given he was her master.

With his curiosity having been at ridiculously high levels for the past while, Anakin was ready to find out more. Finishing up the quick debrief with Rex, Anakin turned back to Ahsoka and started waving until he got her attention.

"Ahsoka, over here!" Anakin called her over. The orange Togruta was quick to jog over to where he was standing.

"What's up Master?" She wondered, slowing to a halt. "Been a while."

"Yes it has Snips. Glad to see you're still in one piece." Anakin joked before getting down to business. "Master Plo was telling me you did something a little... ill-advised, shall we say, while you were with him on Saleucami. Care to explain?" His question made Ahsoka's eyes widen in fearful surprise. She didn't think that Master Plo had gone and told Anakin about what she had done. Knowing his desire for avenge his losses and to put Wraith down for good, she had a feeling that only telling him the truth would result in some unnecessary emotional stability. She quickly decided to respond with a safe answer.

"I... I snuck into the Separatist camp the night before the battle. W-Without telling anyone." She explained, quickly deciding to leave out the part that had been accidentally revealed to Master Plo.

"So you performed your own infiltration mission." Anakin mused. He could tell from her reaction that was the innocent part of the story, or a straight up lie. It was obvious there was more going on here. "As much as I'd like to say I appreciate the initiative, something tells me you went there for another reason." He mused. Ahsoka didn't reply, nervously shifting her balance from foot to foot. Anakin's voice suddenly turned stern. "Don't lie to me, Ahsoka." He commanded her. Ahsoka swallowed nervously, fearing Anakin might explode.

"Did... Did Master Plo tell you anything?" She hesitantly wondered.

"Not really, just that I should ask you." He replied, crossing his arms. Ahsoka could feel the weight of his gaze on her, practically boring through her as he awaited the truth. For a second, Ahsoka tried to come up with something other than the truth to tell him, hoping to avoid any consequences Anakin might want to give her after he found out. But deep down, she realized she had to do the right thing. She couldn't lie to her master. Despite the potential consequences, she had to tell him the truth. With a sigh, Ahsoka continued.

"I went to talk with The Wraith." She admitted. Anakin's immediate reaction was exactly as she had anticipated.

"You did what?!" He exclaimed, mostly shocked but also a little upset.

"Please just let me explain Master!" Ahsoka quickly interjected, hoping to soften the situation a little. "I remember Commander Thrawn saying that he may fight so viciously because he has no choice, that the vision I experienced was just a snapshot of what would become of him should he not perform to their standards." She explained, hoping to justify her reasoning. "I just wanted to see if this was true and if he would be willing to join us." Finished, Ahsoka paused and anxiously waited to see what Anakin had to say. Skywalker mulled over what she had to say, his brow creasing as he weighed the variables of this situation in his head.

"And?" He finally said. "What did he say?" Ahsoka's let out a breath of relief, considering Anakin hadn't immediately reacted to her explanation.

"He said he was open to talking again, but was also adamant he would never leave the Separatists." Ahsoka answered. Anakin grunted in response, deeming that just the kind of thing Wraith would say. "But if I could just try again-"

"That's where I'm going to stop you Snips." Anakin interrupted her. "Wraith only understands one thing: violence. He's not someone you can reason with. Remember what he did to me?" He asked. Ahsoka slowly nodded, remembering how she felt in that moment as she watched him be beaten beyond recognition. "You were only able to get that close to him because he's apparently got a crush on you... or something like that." Anakin continued, feeling very concerned with the idea that Wrath had a thing for his apprentice. "If you were any other Jedi, he would've killed you on the spot. I wouldn't push your luck with him Ahsoka. Wraith is no different from Dooku and Grievous and Durge and everybody else the Separatists send our way. So we have to treat him the exact same way we treat the others: as despots and war criminals." Ahsoka could tell Anakin was firm in his answer and was ready to deny her any further attempts to try and save Wraith. She was really disheartened by his response, it seemed like out of all the Jedi she was the only one who wanted to try and redeem him instead of eliminate him. All she wanted to do was try and see the bright side of this situation. Anakin could sense her disappointment and figured he'd better say something reassuring. "I know you're compassionate and I know you want to help people. But I think you need to start considering the fact that Thrawn may be wrong about Wraith being forced to do these things and that he may be right about Wraith having been specifically engineered with our destruction in mind." With that, Anakin started to walk over to where the other Jedi were meeting. "Now let's go. And don't go sneaking off again, understood?"

"Understood Master." Ahsoka nodded as she quickly fell in line beside him. Although she verbally accepted Anakin's wishes, Ahsoka was determined to try and try again to save Wraith from the Separatists and bring him to the light. Her task would be a lot harder though, now that Anakin was aware of her efforts and had voiced his displeasure with them. He really seemed adamant that Wraith be dealt with like other Separatist leaders and not be given a shot at redemption.

Hopefully he wasn't just carrying a grudge. That was not the Jedi way...

* * *

It had been something of a pain to bypass all the Republic cruisers in orbit over Mygeeto, but a simple jamming transmission was enough to hide his signature long enough for him to sneak his way down to the planet's surface. His shuttle was buffeted by cold winds in the upper atmosphere, giving him a slight taste of the environment to come. The grey, billowy clouds gave way to a sprawling landscape made of ice and rock, towering buildings from a far off civilization silhouetted in the distance.

He had a feeling he would be traveling there soon.

Wraith aimed to set his craft down at the nearest possible Separatist base to the front lines, choosing to use his time wisely as the Republic was already here. The Separatist base was your typical affair; full of bustling droids, surrounded by vehicles... but also in much better shape than the one on Saleucami. Wraith set his craft down next to a pair of Vulture droid fighters on a nearby landing pad. Upon exiting, and getting a lungful of crisp air, he was greeted by a single battle droid commander and two other B1 droids.

" _I take it you're the one in charge?_ " Wraith wondered as his boots stepped onto the permacrete ground.

"Yes sir. Count Dooku told us you were coming and to give you any assistance you may require." The droid responded.

" _That won't be necessary._ " This was true. Wraith had been trained to not be a burden on others, able to hold his own in any situation.

Well... almost any.

" _Tell me the situation. What has become of General Losan?_ " He continued, stepping forward. The droid commander moved to walk beside him.

"The General was in the upper levels of a central spire within the city, I think it was his bunker or personal stronghold of some kind. When we were overrun by the Galactic Marines, we were forced to retreat so quickly he was left behind in the confusion." The droid explained. "Now the Republic has complete control over the city and there's no way we can retake it, now that they're fortified."

" _Could Losan still be there?_ " Wraith wondered, beginning to plot out his course of action.

"Probably. Between you and me, General Losan's something of a coward. He doesn't like to be out in the open when there's fighting going on." The droid confided.

" _Understood._ " Given the Neimodian's less-than-bold nature, it seemed like he would stay where it was safest and not bother moving. This would mean that Wraith only had one destination to visit. But getting into the city and getting out of the city would be far more challenging. " _I need a map of the city. Do you have one?_ "

"Right here." The droid replied, stopping in place and withdrawing a holo-display from behind him. Moments later a blue image of the city in question appeared in great detail before Wraith. "The city was built next to the slope of a cliff that ends in nothing but ice. There's one bridge in but it's pretty hard to use with all the sleet."

" _Good to know._ " Wraith mused, eying the thick walls surrounding the foundation of the city. Perhaps he could use the walls to his advantage. With the Republic focused on their internal problems, they would not be looking for another invader. With luck, Wraith would be able to put his climbing abilities to the test and avoid the Republic altogether.

Not that he wanted to avoid them, that is. Any chance to publicly humiliate the Republic was a good opportunity. There was always the potential that the republic had posted guards along the walls. They would be something to look for.

"General Losan is located at the top of the spire located to the south of the central tower." The droid added, a red blip suddenly appearing in the stated location. "I trust you can find your way there."

" _It's pretty obvious._ " Wraith mused, glancing at the city off in the distance. " _I should get going. I need to find Losan before the Republic does._ " The droid powered down the holomap as Wraith turned to leave.

"Right. You go get 'em!" The commander applauded. One of the droids walked over to him.

"Uh, sir. Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked.

"Oh yeah! That's right!" The droid commander suddenly recalled a package that had been delivered to them not long ago. "Go get the package." He ordered.

"Roger roger." Wraith stopped in his tracks as he heard the conversation behind him. He turned around as the battle droid commander stepped up to him.

"Something was delivered here before you arrived. Apparently it's designated specifically for you." Wraith cocked his head as the droid's words registered with him. That seemed odd.

" _Any idea who it's from?_ " He wondered.

"There was a signature on a holotape. Does the name 'Scipio' ring a bell?" The droid asked.

Yes. It most certainly did.

"It does." Wraith simply replied, wondering what the good doctor could've had delivered. Minutes later, a droid returned with a small crate in its arms.

"Here we are." He announced, presenting it to Wraith.

"Did you bring the holotape?"

"Of course I did!" Ignoring the two, Wraith flipped on the typed note and read Scipio's words in his head.

 _So, your third assignment in a row. I hope you're happy. When I heard you were traveling back to Mygeeto I made arrangements to have this delivered to you. It should come in handy, given your surroundings.  
Best of luck. And do come back soon. You're overdue for a checkup._

Wraith chuckled. He could hear Scipio's voice in his head as he read over those words. It sounded just like something he would say.

And boy was he ever in need of a checkup. Especially his head.

Tucking the holotape into his jacket, Wraith lifted the lid off the crate and found a new jacket folded away inside. Unlike his current attire, this one was coloured grey, white and black, the shades of urban camouflage. And given the kind of environment around him, Scipio was right, this was perfect.

" _You always know what's best, Doc._ " Wraith mused. Slipping off his jacket and donning his new one, Wraith quickly rolled his shoulders to help break in the new material.

"Not bad." One of the droids noted. Wraith folded his own jacket a couple times before passing it over to the droid commander.

" _Toss that in my shuttle for me. I'm off to find General Losan._ " He commanded before turning on heel and beginning to walk off.

"Need a speeder?" The droid called to him.

" _No. I'm fine._ " Wraith simply replied. As he reached into his new jacket and withdrew one of the dispensers Aurra had given him. Hoping to stave off this voice for as long as he could, Wraith injected himself with the stimshot and promptly discarded the tool. Besides, it was almost time for the one currently in his system to start wearing off.

He had three shots left. He needed to use them wisely, space them out as much as he could in order to prolong the silence. Time could not be wasted.

Breaking into a sprint, Wraith took off towards the city at his top speed, bounding across the terrain like a hungry predator hot on the scent of its prey.

* * *

While he didn't know the city's name, he also didn't really care. All he knew was it was his objective and that was enough. What was once a silhouette in the distance slowly grew larger and larger the closer he got to it, until the walls of the city were towering above him. It felt like many hours had passed since he left the base. But with his speed and stamina being twice that of any other being, it must've only been half and hour.

Perhaps he needed to ask Scipio to install a chronometer in his HUD.

A single permacrete road led towards the gates and was littered with the bodies of destroyed droids and wrecked tanks, all indicators of the hasty retreat that was made. The road was exposed, offering no form of shelter on either side and was slick with ice and sleet, formed from the ashes and extreme cold due to the fires of battle. It stretched across a chasm filled with massive crystals made of frozen ice. Before Wraith lay the open entrance to the city, surrounded by large walls built into the side of the cliff the city was perched on. It appeared the droid's were quite accurate with their information.

Although he was a ways away, Wraith was still worried about the possibility of sentries being posted on the walls. If he was spotted, his mission would become significantly harder.

Ducking behind the ruins of tanks, Wraith paused as he mapped out the walls of this city through his optics. They seemed to be made from either durasteel or permacrete and would hopefully hold his weight. So far there were no Clones in the immediate area, which was good, but he also hadn't spied any on the walls. He'd been too preoccupied with hiding himself to thoroughly check. That could be easily amended and he soon did so by switching his optics to thermal and scanning the top of the walls. In an environment so cold, heat signatures would be easy to detect. Poking his head around the edge of the tank, Wraith checked back and forth, looking for any sign of movement or heat.

There was none. No Clones were in the area.

" _Odd._ " He mused. " _You'd think they'd be on a total lockdown right now._ " Shutting off his scanners, Wraith quickly dashed to the wall, wanting to say unseen despite the lack of immediate threats. He assumed the lack of Clones was due to the fact the city had not yet been completely taken. It wouldn't be, until General Losan had been dealt with.

And if that was the case, then every Clone in the city would be trying to break into his stronghold. Which meant Wraith would have to approach this as stealthily as he could and not raise any alarms whatsoever.

A cloaking device would've come in very handy right now.

Looking up, Wraith immediately spied the tower where Losan was hiding. It was plain in design but shimmered in the dim light, durasteel body twinkling despite the ashen surroundings. It was identical to others surrounding a central tower, which was much thicker and far bigger by comparison. The city was shaped like a circle, unlike most of the others on Mygeeto, with the tallest buildings in the center. It reminded Wraith of the construction of the Ryloth capitol of Lessu, another world he had visited once long ago. He had to wonder what the Muuns were thinking when this one was constructed, given how most other cities on Mygeeto were sprawling and less clustered like this one was.

Regardless, these were the circumstances and he would abide by them.

The wall was definitely made from permacrete and was easily several inches, possibly even several feet, thick, and stood well over twenty feet high, at best guess. Triggering the shorter blades under his hands, Wraith dug them in and began to climb. Ascending the wall until he was significantly high off the ground, Wraith began to maneuver his way to the side, blades sinking deep into the permacrete and creating a strong foundation to hold his weight... not to mention leaving behind a trail of puncture marks. His plan was fairly straightforward. His grapples had a certain limit when it came to their reach so he needed to draw closer, if only to conserve the pneumatic systems. That tower was several hundred feet up and Losan was at the very top. Despite his jacket, he could be easily spotted if a Clone looked the right way. He had to be quick but also efficient about this. " _Better take advantage of the quiet. Use their distraction for my gain._ " He muttered. Once he was directly before the tower, Wraith scaled up the wall until he arrived at its edge. He laid eyes on a footpath that had been carved into the top, no doubt as an easy access route for defenders to travel. Retracting his blades and holding on tight, Wraith stretched his right arm above his head and took aim at the tower. Flicking a single finger down, the grapple exploded out from over his wrist, arcing through the air until it snagged the side of the tower with a 'chink'. The pneumatic retrieval system kicked in seconds later and Wraith was pulled from his perch at a very high speed. He was grateful Scipio had designed such a sturdy system, or else the amount of strain put on the cable would not have been enough to hold him. Whizzing through the air, Wraith was pulled several dozen feet up from the wall until he slowed to a halt right at his grapple's point of impact. Triggering his wrist blade once more, Wraith dug in and decided to hold his position to evaluate his new angle. Ash and snow floated down around him and a crisp breeze whipped the tails of his jacket around. His optics took in the entirety of his surroundings, coming to an understanding that this city was significantly smaller than others around Mygeeto.

But as he was surveying the area, a quiet sound resonated in his mind.

 _Ugh... What... What hit me?_

No! How? How could the voice be here? How could it speak? He was still on a stimshot! What was happening?

Now was not the time for distractions. Now was not the time for this! Reaching into his jacket, Wraith quickly drew another dispenser.

 _Wait, where am I?_ The voice wondered. It was obviously coherent enough to recognize its surroundings.

" _Nowhere important._ " Wraith growled. " _Now shut up!_ " He commanded, injecting himself with another stimshot. A sudden rush of energy filled his body as it took effect. But he didn't need it, he only needed the quiet.

He was now down to two. This was not good. He needed to get Losan out of here now. Filled with a sudden sense of urgency, Wraith planned his next move.

Discarding the now-empty device and precariously balancing on his feet, Wraith quickly snapped up both arms and fired his twin tethers towards the top of the tower. As soon as they were taught, Wraith took off like a rocket, his body just inches away from the durasteel surface. Whipping through the air at an incredible speed, Wraith waited until he had arrived at his grapples before throwing his arms down and forcing himself to fly another few feet higher. There was the edge of a window just above him. That would be his point of entry. Quickly flinging his hands forward, Wraith grabbed hold of the ledge and pulled himself through. Rolling across the floor and coming to a crouch, Wraith looked up from his position to find the room he was in was empty.

Well-furnished and luxurious, but empty.

Quickly rising to his feet, Wraith pinged his scanners and quickly detected a heat signature in an adjoining room. He could also hear voices. From beyond a closed door, numerous different voices conversed back and forth.

"What are we going to do? What are we going to do?" One of them was muttering.

"You needn't worry, General. The doors to this compound have trilithium locks and a five-step unlock sequence. The Republic will not be breaching them any time soon." A second, monotone voice replied. That sounded like a tactical droid.

"They will find a way! I have heard too many stories of their exploits, they always find a way to win." The voice retorted.

"Not always." Deeming General Losan the one sounding seemingly hopeless, Wraith decided it was high time he got him out of here. Opening the door and stepping into the room, Wraith made his presence known.

" _General Losan?_ " His question made the short pudgy Neimodian jump in fright. Whirling about, Losan was most surprised to face a tall, armored man whom he did not recall sharing his bunker with. Wraith quickly sized up Kir and deemed him to be an average Neimodian. Wearing the common blue robes of a Neimodian official and the wartime decor of a military leader, he definitely matched the description of the General he was rescuing.

"How did you get in here?!" Losan cried. But his surprise wore off as soon as he recognized the man before him. "You...! You are The Wraith!" The commando nodded.

" _I am. And I am here to rescue you on orders from Count Dooku._ " He explained.

"Excellent! Most excellent!" A now-joyous Losan applauded him. "Now that is what I call service!" Wraith rolled his eyes, having momentarily forgotten just how pompous Neimodian's could be. "How do you intend to do this?" Kir asked.

" _For that, I'm in need of your tactical droid._ " Wraith replied. He turned to the standard issue unit. " _Tell me the situation. What are we currently facing?_ " He asked.

"The Republic has a squad of Galactic Marines attempting to break into this bunker. They have been trying for the past several hours." The droid reported.

"And they will be in here with us before we know it! We must act quickly!" Losan eagerly chimed in.

" _Calm yourself._ " Wraith quieted him before turning back to the droid. " _Give me a map of the city._ " The droid did so, a projector near the top of its head displaying a nice big map for Wraith to study.

"Recent reports indicate the Republic has this tower and the outlying areas completely surrounded. They have nearly completed their capture of the city." The droid stated. Wraith took in their location as he examined the area in which he had recently crossed. His grapples had been able to pull him from the wall up to the side of the tower, a distance of several hundred feet. There were several buildings and roads he had completely bypassed on his own, something that could not be repeated again if he had a passenger. He would need another way to smuggle Losan out of the city.

Something easier said than done, given the size of his passenger.

Not to mention the fact that time was not on his side. The voice in his head could return at any minute and if it plagued him now, failure was sure to follow suit.

Closing his eyes, Wraith paused to examine the map in his mind and map out as many routes as he could. His calculating mind There had to be some way of doing this. With the Republic everywhere, this would not be an easy task.

Perhaps the best thing to do would be to return the same way he entered the city. Surely he could retrace his steps back to the entrance and call for some reinforcements, if need be.

Maybe stealth was officially out of the question.

As long as none of the Clones raised the alarm, they would be fine... hopefully.

" _We'll leave the same way I came here._ " He finally said, returning to the present. " _It'll be tricky and a little dangerous, but it's our best bet right now._ " Losan did not seem too keen on the words 'tricky' and 'dangerous' but was willing to try, as long as he was with Wraith. " _General, prepare yourself to leave._ " Wraith commanded. Turning to the droid, he continued. " _Contact our eastern base and call for a strike team to meet us at the east road, we'll need cover fire. Should the Republic break in, tell them nothing and hold them off for as long as you can. Keep them guessing._ " The droid nodded in acceptance with his order. Turning around, Wraith returned to the room he had entered, Losan following right behind him.

"What do you have in mind Wraith?" He timidly questioned.

" _First we're going to drop down to street-level. Then I'll do my best to sneak you past Republic forces where we'll make our escape out of the city and hopefully into Separatist hands._ " Wraith explained. Losan fell silent as Wraith looked out the window he had entered and triggered his thermal scanners. Sure enough, just as the droid had stated, there were a plethora of new heat signatures he hadn't spied before.

Clones. Dozens of them.

"And? If we do not?" Losan wondered, interrupting his thoughts. Wraith powered down his scanners.

" _I'm working on a backup plan._ " He mused, firing his grapple into the window ledge. In reality, he wasn't. But, should the need arise, he would rely on his tactical mindset to see them through. Using his boot to firmly plant the prongs in the permacrete, Losan could tell where this was going.

"Wait, you mean to tell me we're dropping down from the window? From this height? In this weather?" He questioned. "I don't think that's a good idea." Wraith quickly recalled what the droid commander had to say about Losan being something of a coward and avoiding less-than pleasant situations.

He had no time for such misgivings.

" _With all due respect General, you're going to have to suck it up. We're in dire straights right now and I will get you out of here by any means necessary._ " He stated. Losan was shocked by his firm words.

"But... B-But I..." The Neimodian stammered, not expecting such forward treatment. Usually his needs were always catered to.

" _No buts. Now hold on._ " Wraith cut him off as he grabbed the General's arm and jumped out the window.

* * *

 _Down below..._

The group of seven Jedi were quickly working their way through the recently conquered city. By starting from the western entrance, they slowly worked their way east, destroying any remaining droids as they and their Clones performed a thorough clean sweep in an effort to cut off any aid that General Losan might find. While they covered the southern half of the city, Rex and Cody took their men to the north, all of them moving like a well-oiled machine.

If only they had looked up and seen the wild rescue attempt taking place...

* * *

After brief fit of screaming, which Wraith had been forced to silence with his hand and an awkward shift in position, the commando and the general made it to the ground. Hidden in an alley at the base of the tower, General Losan was most unsettled by the sudden rush of activity and the ash raining down around them.

"Was that drop really necessary?!" The Neimodian demanded.

" _I told you I would do whatever it took to rescue you._ " Wraith curtly replied as he pinged his scanners. With a sigh, Losan dusted off his robes.

"Now what do we do?"

" _You are going to keep to the shadows, keep quiet and follow me._ " Wraith replied as he drew his carbine and armed it. " _I am going to deal with any Clones who get in our way._ " As he focused on his scanners, trying to determine where the Clones were along their escape route, Losan warily eyed Wraith's rifle.

"But won't you draw attention to yourself if you use that thing?" He wondered. "Blasters are quite loud, you know." Wraith glanced back at him before stowing his weapon behind him once more.

" _Just making sure it was ready._ " He muttered. " _Now follow me._ " Their first target just around the corner and down the street, taking the form of a single Clone. The purple markings on his armor suggested to Wraith he was a member of the 187th Legion, those led by Mace Windu. Wraith slowly crept up behind the white clad trooper, who was busy scanning the street before him, completely distracted from who was behind him. Striking with sudden swiftness, Wraith grabbed the Clone's helmet and viciously twisted his head, snapping his neck. Losan swallowed queasily as he watched the dead body hit the ground.

"Well that was... particularly unpleasant."

" _Such is war._ " Wraith growled, not caring in the slightest. The two moved on, Losan gingerly stepping around the body. His scans suggested the Clones were spread out in a strategic manner, matching urban sweeping patterns Wraith had studied. This meant no alley would be safe and every corner had to be thoroughly checked before they ventured anywhere. The streets were also slick with sleet, Wraith's boots crushing it to fragments beneath his feet, leaving a very obvious trail behind.

These streets were not optimal for being stealthy.

Perhaps they would have to rethink this plan, divert their course to someplace less-occupied by Clone forces. Wraith and Losan moved ahead until they were forced to duck into an alley to avoid an incoming patrol, only to discover a pair of Clones already in the alley. Drawing his knives, Wraith quickly stabbed both in the neck, blood dripping from the wounds as they fell forward onto their faces.

 _Wha...? What the...? Hey! Stop! Enough killing!_ The voice suddenly commanded him. Sheathing his knives as quickly as possible, Wraith grabbed another dispenser from his jacket and injected himself without a second thought.

This was getting ridiculous.

It appeared this voice was growing immune to the effects of the stimshots. It had returned much sooner, compared to previous uses. While the outcome was good for his body, it seemed that his constant reliance on them had helped the voice in his head adapt to them as well, resulting in blissful silence for only a short period of time instead of hours on end.

This was not good.

Losan was watching his actions as Wraith injected himself with the contents of the pneumatic dispenser, curious as to what he was doing and why, but also unnerved by them.

"Are you alright?" He wondered, worried his guardian was in trouble. Wraith casually tossed the dispenser aside.

" _I'll be fine._ " He muttered, not wishing to dwell on the matter. The sooner he finished this task, the better.

* * *

"Bacara, have you managed to breach General Losan's compound yet?" Ki-Adi asked his commander via holocom.

"Negative, General. We're doing our best but it seems we can't blow through the door. We're working on a solution, though. It appears there's a series of electronic locks keeping us out, we're gonna try and overload them. I'll be sure to report in once we try." The Clone reported.

"Understood Commander." Mundi nodded as the communication ended. He looked up to his fellow Jedi, knowing they heard every word.

"Well, on the bright side, Losan will have nowhere to go." Anakin replied. "We've got this whole city locked down."

"And yet there's still been no sign of The Wraith." Mace added, sounding very concerned. "This is worrying. You would think he'd had made an attempt of some kind by now." The other Jedi shared his sentiment.

"Cody and Rex have reported no signs of Separatist activity, apart from a few droids. It would seemingly appear that Wraith is nowhere to be found." Obi-Wan stated, no believing himself in the slightest.

"That is exactly what he would want us to think." Plo mused. "Lull us into a sense of security before he struck, taking advantage of our disadvantage."

"Let's double-back and secure the eastern gate, make sure not a single escape route is open... for either of them." Windu suggested. The Jedi agreed and moved to do so.

* * *

One Clone fell dead with a throwing knife through the back of his helmet while his partner was promptly downed with a punch to the throat and a quick twist of the neck. Wraith's sixth and seventh kills were nothing fancy, but they did accomplish the task of keeping his and General Losan's escape a secret.

They were nearly to the gate. Freedom was within reach.

Wraith couldn't be happier. Losan was nothing short of a pessimistic whiner, one who needed to be constantly silenced so the commando could do his job. It honestly surprised Wraith that none of the Clones had detected them by now.

Maybe they were even dumber than he first imagined.

" _The gate's not far, less than one hundred meters._ " Wraith reported from a crouched position as his scanners surveyed the area. " _We'll approach from the side, use these buildings as cover._ "

"Well, it's about time." Losan muttered, looking forward to getting away from this place. Wraith said nothing and continued to stalk forward, using the foundational wall beside them as cover as he warily eyed his scanners for any movement above or behind them.

The end was so close, he could afford for nothing to go wrong now.

The meters passed seemingly within record timing, bringing Wraith and Losan to the edge of the gate. As they did, Wraith's scanners picked up voices. Stopping and crouching, motioning for the Neimodian to follow suit, Wraith carefully examined the data filling his audio receptors.

He recognized each voice as it spoke, each belonging to a foe he'd encountered before or studied prior to this moment. He knew exactly who his opponents were without even seeing them.

" _Jedi._ " Wraith growled. Triggering his thermal imaging, Wraith found them standing just a few feet from the gate, firmly between the two Separatists and freedom.

"Jedi?!" Losan gasped. "We're doomed! They'll find us and capture us! I know it!" He lamented. But Wraith wasn't about to give up so easily.

He counted seven Jedi, all by themselves. No Clones around. Finally... something for him to enjoy.

Pulling Losan back into the shadows of the buildings, Wraith indicated with one finger for him to be silent.

" _Remain hidden at all costs. Understood?_ " He whispered. Losan nodded in reply. Accepting his answer, Wraith made to step out into the light as he developed a plan to take his opponents by surprise. Losan saw his movements and grew fearful once again.

"Wait! What are you doing? Don't leave me! I'm coming with you!" He exclaimed. But Wraith stopped and motioned for him to stay put.

" _Stand back General, I'll handle this pack of fools. The Jedi won't take us this day._ " He stated. " _I know what I'm doing._ " Turning back towards the gate, Wraith drew the last dispenser from his jacket and injected its contents into his thigh.

Now was not the time for any distractions.

* * *

Assembled before the eastern gate and having briefly surveyed the destroyed Separatist forces scattered across the road before them, the group of Jedi stood along the road leading into the city, forming a rather formidable blockade.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm getting cold." Ahsoka muttered, rubbing her arms and wishing she had brought a robe of some kind.

"Sorry Snips, we gotta make sure Wraith doesn't show up and surprise us." Anakin told her, hearing her comment.

"I know, I know." Ahsoka sighed, preferring to be indoors right now. Glancing over the side of the road, Ahsoka looked down at the massive ice crystals below. "That's a long way down." She whistled.

"Anakin, Cody's checked in and there's still no sign of Wraith." Obi-Wan reported. "Anything from Rex?"

"Nothing." Anakin shook his head. "Master Plo, are you sure Wraith was coming here? We haven't seen anything resembling his work and we all know he loves to leave his signature behind." He wondered.

"I can confirm the scans, Anakin." Koon replied. "It puzzles me too that we have not heard from or seen our quarry."

But at that moment, Ki-Adi received a very unfortunate report.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news. I've received word from Commander Bacara that General Losan has suddenly disappeared. The Marines have successfully broken into the compound and they can't seem to find a trace of him. Only a tactical droid was left behind." He explained. The Jedi crowded around the Cerean master, equally shocked by the report.

"That doesn't make any sense. We've locked down all possible escape routes, combed the city with our Clones... how could somebody have made it past us?" Obi-Wan asked, feeling quite flabbergasted. "There was nowhere for him to go!"

"There's something strange going on here. And I get the feeling we need to investigate... now." Anakin stated.

"Perhaps we should head back to the tower and rendezvous with Commander Bacara." Bultar suggested. "Maybe we can-" Suddenly, the sound of metal bouncing across the ground caught their attention, moments before a small disc-shaped objected skittered to a halt in the midst of them.

After a pair of beeps, the explosive detonated.

It was more flash and smoke than anything, but carried enough concussive force to knock everybody backwards and a few off their feet. Anakin was quick to recover, coughing as he waved away smoke from his face. But before he even had a chance to wonder what that was, a boot was driven into his ribs which knocked him to the ground. Groaning in pain, Anakin fell to his back and shook his head, clutching his bruised side. A heavy metal boot was suddenly pressed against his throat and Anakin looked up to see a familiar pair of blazing red optics.

" _Did you miss me, Skywalker?_ " Wraith wondered rhetorically. Anakin tried to grunt a response, but Wraith increased his pressure on his throat, placing the Jedi in a dangerous position.

One wrong move and his windpipe, maybe even his spine, would be crushed.

" _I'm guessing you really wished you'd checked to see if I was dead back on Cono._ " Wraith mused. Checking on the still recovering Jedi, Wraith whipped a pair of throwing knives that speared Ki-Adi in the leg. The Cerean Jedi cried out in pain as blood began to soak through his robes. " _If you'd bothered to check, instead of relying on the falsehood of your so-called tactics,_ " he continued, gaze shifting back to Anakin, " _you wouldn't be in this position._ "

"I was... wondering... when you'd... show..." Anakin rasped, despite the weight on his throat.

" _Which brings me back to my business here._ " Wraith replied, removing his foot from Anakin's neck, only to stomp down on his chest. " _You all are in my way. Obstacles needing to be cleared. So either stand aside, or face destruction._ " He stated, loud enough for them all to hear.

"You know we won't do that." Mace replied as he crawled his feet, lightsaber hilt already in hand. Several of the others were already prepared for battle, cautiously waiting for Anakin to be out of harm's way.

" _Destruction it is then._ " Dashing towards the Jedi, Wraith leapt forward and struck with a whirlwind kick, striking everyone around him with equal force. The Jedi who were struck were surprised by his move, something that generally required a great deal of skill and agility. It was clear Wraith was back in top fighting form, seemingly not hindered in the slightest after Anakin's orbital bombardment. The suddenness of his attack was enough to throw all of them off-balance.

But that didn't mean they weren't ready for a fight.

Plo was the first to strike, the Kel Dor swinging his lightsaber around and into Wraith's raised left hand. The commando struck back with a quick but hard blow to the chest, knocking the Jedi away. Ahsoka followed up as she launched herself towards Wraith, spinning around and sending both blades crashing into Wraith's armored arm. But he was quick to roll back, allowing the momentum of the blow to carry Ahsoka across his body so he could send her flying by snapping out his arm and pushing her away. Obi-Wan jumped in to strike, not wanting to give Wraith any breathing room. Crossing his arms, Kenobi's blue blade crashed into Wraith's defence, sparks erupting as the elder Jedi fought to push Wraith back. " _The cold is sapping your strength, taking a toll on your mind and body._ " Wraith told the grim-faced Jedi. " _But I don't feel a thing._ " Suddenly grabbing Obi-Wan by the arms, Wraith proceeded to turn and throw the Jedi over his shoulder, effectively knocking Obi-Wan flat on his back. His scanners detected movement behind him and Wraith turned with gauntlet raised just in time to block an overhead strike from Bultar's lightsaber. " _I can take you all on and not break a sweat. But you'll all succumb to the elements soon enough._ " He rumbled. Pushing her blade aside, Wraith landed two kicks to her hip and ribs before following up with an overhead left cross that knocked Bultar to the ground with a crack. " _I just need to keep you all going until you're exhausted... and frozen._ " Turning around, the duo of Anakin and Mace rushed in to engage their foe, lightsabers ignited and humming through the air. Wraith cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders as he limbered up, ready to show these Jedi, once more, who the boss was around here.

But in the time before engaging him, Anakin and Mace had put together a plan to outsmart The Wraith.

Drawing their arms back, the seemed prepared to strike, just like the others. Wraith raised his arms to block but received a most unexpected shock as the two Jedi stretched their arms forward and blasted Wraith back and off the road with the Force. The Separatist flew wildly out of control before disappearing as he fell off the road and disappeared from view.

"Well, that seemed to work." Anakin stated, slightly surprised that worked.

"Indeed. But, we should make sure he has fallen." Mace replied, deciding Wraith had cheated defeat more than once for them to simply accept what their eyes saw.

But just as the Jedi were venturing closer to the side, Wraith, having used his momentum and grapples to swing under the road, flew up from behind them and landed a hard dropkick square in the middle of Anakin's back, putting him flat on his face. Before Mace could even act, Wraith jumped up and landed a roundhouse kick on the back of the Jedi's head, knocking him flat on the ground too.

" _A bold move._ " Wraith commented, rolling his shoulders. " _But even your Force cannot stop me._ " The other Jedi were watching Anakin and Mace's assault and they took careful note of how effective the Force truly was.

"But it does work against you." Ki-Adi muttered. Although he was wounded, he could still participate in this fight. Flexing his hand a burst of Force energy knocked Wraith flat on his back. Growling in irritation, Wraith whipped yet another throwing blade at the Cerean, impaling his outstretched hand. Mundi cried out as he clutched his bloody hand, Obi-Wan moving to his side instantly. Wraith attempted to sit up but was immediately set upon by Bultar and Plo, the two Jedi trying to strike him with their lightsabers.

But Wraith would not be downed so easily.

Barring Bultar's attack, Wraith struck with a quick punch across her face, knocking her away. Snapping his arm back, Wraith's elbow connected with Plo's face, stunning the Kel Dor long enough for Wraith to grab his head and smash it into the ground. Leaping to his feet, Wraith turned to find Ahsoka barrelling towards him. Leaping forward, Wraith cleared her by many feet, rolling across the ground as he landed. Finding her target had avoided her, Ahsoka slid to a halt and instead moved to help Master Plo. Anakin and Mace, still reeling from Wraith's heavy blows, scurried to help Ki-Adi.

Wraith couldn't help but feel pleased with himself as he took in the seven downed Jedi before him.

"We need to call Bacara... and Rex and Cody. We need every available Clone right here, right now." Ki-Adi mused as his allies helped him.

" _Please, by all means, bring on your expendable soldiers. You can watch as I lay waste to them all._ " The commando jeered, taunting the fallen Jedi. Standing as tall and rolling his shoulders again, Wraith couldn't help but feel powerful as his foes were enveloped in his shadow.

Suffice to say, Wraith was very menacing individual. The width of his shoulders and chest were already twice that of the average Jedi, who were quite physically fit thanks to the Force, but he he was also practically towering over them.

Anakin Skywalker, for example, was a fairly average male, around 6 foot and 1 inch in height. Wraith was a mighty 6 foot, 4 inches, a whole three inches taller than Anakin and a good four inches taller than the 6 foot tall Clones. And considering how others like Obi-Wan were only 5 feet, 9 inches and Ahsoka being just 5 feet and 2 inches, Wraith was practically a giant, being nearly a head taller than all of them.

With this massive size, combined with his devastating abilities and clearly superior skills, Wraith was the walking definition of dangerous.

The Jedi knew this well. All too well.

"We can't afford to lose them." Obi-Wan countered. "He'll cut them to pieces, shoot them before they even have a chance to attack. All they'll be is cannon-fodder." Anakin jumped in at that moment.

"We have to do something! We're not letting him and Losan get away!" He firmly stated, determined to not let his adversary get the better of them again.

But as they conversed, with Wraith hearing every word and just ready to lunge into battle at a moment's notice, the super commando began to hear another voice.

 _Ugh... Good grief, you really gotta stop pumping your body fully of stimshots. That can't be healthy for you._

" _Not now, voice. I'm working._ " Wraith curtly muttered in irritation.

 _Looks to me like you're just standing there looking smug. Is that your definition of working?_ Wraith growled in response and said no more, desperate to keep this secret away from the Jedi. _You know you can't keep this up forever. And when I break free, I'll tell them all about it._ Wraith found that statement absurd, believing he would always remain in control. By now the Jedi had crawled to their feet and were preparing for another assault. Wraith was prepared to trigger his arm blades but a sudden thought stopped him.

Maybe he could change things up a bit.

" _Time to mix things up._ " Snapping up his arms and firing his grapples, each tether shot through the air and snagged hold of both Anakin and Obi-Wan's lightsabers. With a quick jerk of his arms, Wraith whipped the weapons from the Jedi and pulled them into his hands. Grapples disappearing back into his gauntlets, Wraith sized up his startled opponents as he gripped the hilts tightly.

The Jedi were quite terrified of the prospect of Wraith using lightsabers against them. But Anakin did his best to try an ease the tension.

"I'd relax if I were you guys, he probably doesn't know how to use them." He mused aloud. "He's all arm blades, no style like us."

" _Every time you open your mouth you sound dumber and dumber, Skywalker._ " Wraith hissed as he snapped on both lightsabers and assumed an attack stance. " _Needn't be a Jedi to know how the most deadly weapon in the galaxy works._ " He shot back. Ahsoka was one of the first to recognize his position, given just often she herself used it in her own dual-wielding training.

The Wraith knew Jar'Kai.

Seeing this as a common ground she could use to her advantage, Ahsoka leapt forward with both lightsabers drawn, ready to strike. But Wraith moved first and brought both sabers crashing down towards her, an attack she blocked with crossed blades.

" _Why you?_ " He growled. " _Why must you attack me so?_ "

"Because out of everyone here, I know Jar'Kai, just like you do." She replied.

" _It pains me to fight you._ " He rumbled, rebuffing her. " _But I am curious to see more of your skills._ " Assuming a defensive posture, Wraith beckoned her forward with one finger. " _Show me what you've got!_ " Steeling her nerves, Ahsoka calmed her mind as she fulfilled Wraith's wishes by leaping forward and executing a series of rapid slashes. The commando blocked each one, Ahsoka's green and yellow blades glancing off his blue sabers. Not pausing in her steps, Ahsoka leapt up high before bringing her crossed blades down in a hard blow, which Wraith found quite impressive and even a little hard to hold off. " _Not bad._ " As Ahsoka backflipped away, Wraith spun his sabers to hold them upside down before lunging ahead at the young girl. Ahsoka quickly blocked his strike before Wraith struck with back to back slashes, forcing Ahsoka back with each heavy strike. " _Not bad at all._ " He mused. " _You fight as well as I do._ "

"Your... Your Jar'Kai is strong... Too strong!" Ahsoka replied, doing her best to fend off his blades. "You fight with anger. A lot of it! You need balance..."

" _Anger is strength, my dear Ahsoka._ " Wraith retorted. " _It gives me power, allows me to dominate. I need nothing else._ "

 _Geez, are you for real?!_ The voice in his head wondered.

"Ahsoka! Get down!" Anakin cried, startling them both. Heeding her master's call, Ahsoka ducked before rolling out of the way just as Ki-Adi, who had cleansed his pain through the Force, leapt in from above with his own lightsaber drawn. But Wraith, calculating his angle, anticipated the Cerean's move and countered with a well-aimed kick to the Jedi's wounded leg before pushing him away with another kick. Adrenaline was pumping hard through his body as watched Ki-Adi land hard on his side and grimace in pain.

But in that moment of revelry, he realized he still had a job to do.

This fight was getting out of hand. He needed to create an exit for Losan. In the heat of battle, he had forgotten his true mission.

" _Time to put an end to this._ " He muttered, devising a way to shatter the Jedi's defenses in order to create a way of escape for them both. But his planning was promptly interrupted.

 _No unnecessary means, Wraith! Don't do anything I wouldn't do!_ The voice commanded.

" _You keep up this incessant chatter,_ " Wraith growled, " _and I will cause irreparable damage._ "

 _Is that so? Am I driving you mad? Am I making you angry?_ The voice shot back.

" _Yes..._ " Wraith growled as his focus returned to the fight at hand. He would plow through these Jedi to create an exit, a simple job that required all the strength and agility he had. The Jedi weren't about to give up, though, and Mace, Bultar and Plo quickly rushed in to attack Wraith simultaneously. With Anakin and Obi-Wan tending to Mundi, not daring to even try to get their weapons back, and Ahsoka thoroughly winded, these three alone remained the biggest threats to his goal. But they were growing quite aggressive in their attacks, striking him numerous times over and forcing Wraith to go on the defensive. Lightsabers struck his armor and his blades again and again, the Jedi working hard to try and wear him down. Wraith was starting to feel confused, dazed even, struggling to fight back against such Force-enhanced strikes. He felt helpless...

And he hated to feel helpless.

With the blows to his defence increasing in consistency and the voice continuing to agitate him, Wraith's emotions began to reach their peak. The driving forces of anger and hate began to reach the point of boiling over.

He was getting quite tired of this non-stop assault. And he would do something about it.

This assault triggered a small spark of something locked away deep within him. A symptom of a far greater issue that lay beneath the surface. A dark secret of the anger that fuelled him was this much closer to coming into the light...

With a loud growl, Wraith spun about as his blades lashed out at the attacking Jedi, forcing them back. As anger began to fuel his moves and flow through his body, Wraith felt a rush of energy fill him as he looked to destroy the first Jedi that came into view.

And poor Bultar Swan fit the bill.

Wraith attacked her with rapid strikes, pounding away at whatever defence she could muster. But his anger was too great, granting him such strength that not even a Force-enhanced being could withstand. Swinging his blades around in a quick cross-cut, Wraith managed to cleanly remove Bultar's hands. The girl cried out as her limbs were severed, much to the shock of the other Jedi. Staggering back, a petrified Bultar looked up at the savage mask of her foe, desperate to try and survive even without her hands. With a roar, Wraith lashed out with another cross-slice, cutting her to pieces without hesitation. Plo Koon looked on in shock as his former apprentice was brutally killed. Such hostility and bloodshed was enough to make even him queasy, especially considering he had just seen someone close to him be viciously murdered. Wraith turned around to face the horrified Jedi, shoulders heaving as adrenaline flowed through his veins and pure anger saturated his mind.

In that moment, the Jedi saw something that deeply frightened them. They saw, not a man, but a thing who relished in death, who thrived on violence, who craved bloodshed. They saw something eager to kill, to maim, to slaughter... to destroy.

He wasn't normal. He wasn't natural. He was violence personified, wrapped in muscle and sinew and encased in unbreakable metal. The Wrath was not a man.

The Wraith was a beast.

Sizing up the disturbed Jedi before him, Wraith rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck.

" _You can't stop me... no one can!_ " He thundered. " _You will all fall before me!_ "

"Pride goes before the fall." Anakin muttered. Quickly shaking off the shock of Bultar's death, Anakin summoned the Force and ripped both his and Obi-Wan's lightsabers from Wraith's hands. Wraith's anger wore off instantly as he suddenly realized he had been disarmed.

" _No matter._ " He rumbled. " _I don't need your trinkets to cut you to pieces._ " But Anakin went unfazed and promptly snapped out his hand, pushing Wraith onto his back with the Force.

He had been watching, learning from his opponent just as Thrawn had suggested. And he realized that, for all his thick armor and heavy-handed attacks, Wraith was still as susceptible to the Force as anyone else was. And Anakin would use that to his advantage.

Wraith launched himself back to his feet, growling as he sought to cause Anakin great pain for his attack. But the Jedi promptly blasted him again with another Force push, this time sending Wraith off the road entirely. But Anakin suspended the commando in mid-air, completely entrapping Wraith with the Force, holding him at his mercy.

"Going down?" Anakin cheekily wondered with a smirk before dropping his hand and sending Wraith plummeting into the ravine below. The commando dropped like a rock, shattering multiple crystals on his way down before slamming into the ground. Bits and pieces of ice rained down around him as he struggled to rise, the fall hard enough to rattle even his armored frame. The Jedi gathered by the edge, wounded but triumphant, and looked down upon their foe. While hopeful they had finally defeated their foe, the slowly stirring Wraith made them think otherwise.

"He's still in one piece, likely able to crawl out of there." Obi-Wan grimly mused.

"Then let's make sure he doesn't." Anakin stated. Summoning the Force once more, the Jedi ripped free one of the bigger crystals and slowly floated it overtop the downed commando. Wraith looked up as a shadow enveloped him to see a crystal being levitated above him. Cocking his head as he slowly understood his situation, he had no time to react as the giant piece of ice suddenly started to fall.

The Jedi wished to see him buried... or crushed.

" _No-!_ " His cry was cut short as the crystal dropped on top of him, silencing his outburst. Shattering into millions of tiny pieces, Wraith was effectively trapped under a mountain of crystalline shards.

The Jedi were certain he would not rise again.

Breathing hard and heavy, most of them nursing bruises from his assault, the Jedi were finally glad the immediate threat had passed.

"Well, I think I can speak for all of us when I say, I'm glad that's over." Ki-Adi sighed.

"Agreed. Now, to find General Losan and put an end to this day." Mace determined. The Jedi agreed, happy that they were actually winning a fight involving The Wraith but also saddened by the heavy cost that came with it.

"Poor Bultar." Ahsoka whispered, finding it hard to believe the ally she had just been working with was now dead. She could feel Master Plo was saddened in the same way, similar emotions rippling through the Force. "I'm so sorry, Master Plo."

"She is one with the Force now, Ahsoka." The Kel Dor calmly replied, putting his grief behind him. "Besides, there was nothing any of us could have done. May her memory rest with the knowledge that we have finally defeated our foe."

It didn't take them long to find the cowering Separatist General hiding near the edge of the gate. And upon seeing the Jedi advance towards him and The Wraith nowhere to be seen, the pudgy Neimodian attempted to flee only to be trapped by the Force. Ki-Adi was more than happy to say,

"General Losan, you are under arrest for crimes against the Republic."

* * *

Beneath the mountain of rubble that buried his body, Wraith had been knocked unconscious by the hard blow to his body. Lying quiet and remaining perfectly still, the super-commando slipped into a state of oblivion, his consciousness awakening within the ethereal recesses of his mind...

 _Wraith came to with a groan, a faint pounding still reverberating off the walls of his skull. A shadowy mist surrounded him, veiling his surroundings behind impenetrable blackness. Slowly rising to his feet, Wraith had to wonder if this was truly what his psyche looked like or if it was merely a reflection of his perception of such astral matters._

 _He knew the quality of a sharp mind. But also the dangers of a darkened and cloudy one._

 _Glancing around it appeared Wraith was alone. But what was he doing here? He had never been in a position like this before. He'd always deemed such strange, almost spiritual, things irrelevant, preferring tactile experience over ethereal suggestions._

 _But he soon discovered he was far from alone._

 _The mists began to part, gaining his attention, and a shadowy silhouette stepped into his view. After a few more paces, Wraith could clearly make out the identity of this person._

 _They looked exactly like him. The real him, what he looked like without armor and his helmet._

 _"So you're the voice that plagues me." He surmised._

 _"What I am is the being who belongs here. Unlike you." The other retorted._

 _"A lofty claim." Wraith muttered as he took a few steps closer to the mysterious persona that had plagued him on Aefao, Saleucami and here on Mygeeto. "How do I know you're not some form of insanity, trying to disturb me further by taking my form?"_

 _"Would insanity possess the components of an individual personality?" The other retorted._

 _"Clearly you've never heard of dissociative identity disorder. Having split personalities means no two are the same." Wraith shot back._

 _"Then you wish to see how genuine I am." The other said. "When compared to someone as superficial as you, I supposed I do appear to be the real deal."_

 _What an insult!_

 _Wraith growled and lunged forward, ready to do away with this plague once and for all._

 _"Let's see if you're all you claim to be!" Wraith shouted, striking with a lunge kick._

 _But, to his utter shock, the being before him calmly raised his arm and took the full force of the kick, not phased or hurt in the slightest._

 _"What?" The genuinely surprised soldier landed on his feet and froze in shock, moments before his equal turned the odds against him and struck with a hard blow to the midsection._

 _"I know your every thought, I see your every move before you even make it. What you've learned, I've learned." He told the downed Wraith._

 _"Impossible..." Wraith breathed, trying to put the pieces together in his mind and figure out just how good this persona was. Jumping to his feet, Wraith struck with a pair of jabs that the other parried. Then the personality performed a low sweep that knocked Wraith off his feet, landing him on his back once more._

 _"No. Possible." The being stated. Shock and surprise wore off quickly, replaced with irritation and anger. Wraith jumped to his feet and lashed out with as many strikes as he could think of, executing assault after assault in an effort to down his shadow. But the other personality calmly and effectively blocked and parried each strike with seemingly ridiculous ease. The deftness of his moves and the sheer superiority of his deflections served to increase Wraith's hatred of this being, wanting nothing more than to totally obliterate it. Another blocked punch resulted in the being grabbing his arm and twisting it. "You strike without true cause, merely lashing out for the sake of lashing out." It reprimanded him, shoving him away with a kick to the side. Wraith boiled over._

 _"You dare to lecture me?!" He thundered. "You are nothing but a voice, I am perfection incarnate!" Rushing headlong towards his opponent, Wraith only found himself on the receiving end of a knee to the jaw before the other jumped up and threw a mighty punch that knocked Wraith to the ground._

 _"Don't seem so perfect now." It muttered. Forcing himself off the ground with a growl, Wraith's anger once again reached its peak._

 _Only this time, he found good cause for it._

 _It suddenly occurred to him that this was not a matter of who truly belonged, but of who could hold their position the longest. And right now, Wraith was in control of his head... he had the upper hand._

 _Which meant he had the power to do as he pleased._

 _He allowed his anger to swell and expound, growing so great it surpassed common hatred to the point of utter rage. It felt like a newfound power was coursing through him. The most primal of all his faculties was now on his side, ready to support him and help him overcome his opposite. It appeared the other could also feel the strong emotional sensations filling his mind._

 _"What is this...? This... anger?" He asked, astonished by the overwhelming amount of negative emotions surging through the atmosphere._

 _"My anger." Wraith growled, crawling to his feet and bringing himself to full height. "My fury, my hatred, it's all coming to a head... because of you!" With a mighty bellow that shook the confines of his mind, Wraith grew empowered by the rage coursing through his body. His double looked surprised, even scared. Never before had such terrifying potential ever been seen before. Wraith's emotions had reached a boiling point._

 _And now he was erupting._

 _The other personality had no time to move as Wraith lunged forward and tackled him with a mighty bear-hug. Literally hefting the other off the ground, Wraith slammed the persona onto its back before crawling atop and pinning it to the ground. He started throwing punch after punch, heavy blows coming one after another, fuelled by an unstoppable rage and a desire to destroy. What were once calculated strikes were now becoming frenzied hits, bashing his opponent with blow after blow. A kind of blood began to soak his hands and splatter his body, apparently drawn from his opponent as Wraith beat him senseless. The bludgeoning continued for many minutes until Wraith's rage abated and his opponent was quite silent. With shoulders heaving, Wraith waited to see if the other would move._

 _He did. Slightly._

 _Groaning in pain and beyond immobile, the persona gasped two simple words,_

 _"I... yield..." Wraith's vision narrowed, wanting complete and total victory instead of just a temporary defeat. His right hand balled into a fist once more._

 _"Now die... and never plague me again!" He shouted, rearing back his fist. With one final, thunderous blow, Wraith silenced his double with the mightiest punch he could summon._

 _It was over. It was finally over._

 _Wraith's heavy breathing filled the silence as a sense of calm returned to his mind. At long last he was able to completely take control of his psyche and feel strong again. Rising to his feet, Wraith cast a quick glance at his bloodied form, finding it odd that a separate persona would be able to bleed like this. His thoughts then turned to the anger that had helped him triumph. This was the first time he had ever felt so enraged before, but the strength that came with it was definitely worth it. The feeling of allowing anger to take control granted him an even greater rush than adrenaline and left him wondering how his body could handle such an emotional build up and near-cataclysmic release._

 _Maybe he could find a suitable use for this pent up anger. A kind of release that he might use to help him on the battlefield._

 _With these thoughts lingering in his mind, Wraith's surroundings began to dwindle and fade as he returned to consciousness..._

* * *

He awoke to the sensation of cold pressed in all around him. Then he remembered becoming trapped under a giant crystal the Jedi had dropped on him, believing it would be enough to keep him down.

But he would not be beaten.

With his strength renewed, Wraith burst out from under the rubble with a roar. Pieces of crystalline fragments rained down around him as he rose to full height, freed from his icy prison. Crisp, cold air filled his lungs as he breathed in deeply and looked up check his surroundings. The road was empty, no one else was standing there.

He was alone. The Jedi had gone and General Losan was no where to be seen.

It appeared he had been unconscious for some time.

Pinging his scanners, it appeared that no one was in the immediate vicinity either. Which meant that General Losan was not where he had been hidden, most likely found and taken prisoner by the Republic.

Understanding that gravity of the situation, Wraith determined his next course of action and knew what he needed to do.

" _Alright, Skywalker... you took your best shot,_ " he growled, balling his hands into fists, " _now, it's my turn!_ " He declared, blades sliding out with a shrill metallic ring that echoed throughout the empty surroundings. He would not suffer failure this day. He would avenge his loss and he would rescue General Losan, just as he had been ordered to. The Republic would know his power soon enough.

The Wraith would have his revenge!

* * *

 **Author's Note: Looks like things have taken a rather dramatic turn, but whatever will happen next? Stay tuned to find out!**


	37. Scipio's Log 6231C

Scipio's Log: Entry 62.31C - Evidence doesn't lie

" _I have stated before that Wraith has been engineered to be the perfect soldier. I should elaborate on this by saying that Wraith has also been engineered to do the duties of many different soldiers. He is literally a one-man army, possessing the knowledge of a commanding officer, the weaponry of a solider and a sniper, the stealth training of a scout and an assassin, the durability of a heavy weapons specialist and the tactics of a commando. What the Republic needs a team to do, Wraith can accomplish all by himself. Through past recordings from his helmet, I have witnessed his use of many of these tactics, proving this superiority with a commanding presence and sheer manpower._

" _Concerning the incident involving the freeing of Kir Losan from Brentaal Four, I believe this was an excellent exercise in both Wraith's ability to function stealthily from the shadows and in his martial arts prowess. Having taken into consideration the various circumstances he has found himself in, along with the potential threats he may face in the future, I am constantly hard at work developing new and innovative means for him to maintain his peak efficiency. And he also appears to have returned to his normal state of sanity, as my psychological examination can attest to._

 _..._

" _Sanity... Yes... The very use of the word in this context worries me._

 _..._

" _For now I will make the necessary cerebral adjustments to his psyche and see how he performs. Should issues like this continue to arise, I will see to it I make some far more drastic changes to him. We cannot afford to suffer any setbacks! Wraith is perfect, I will not stand for him to suffer like this._

" _I refuse to allow the past to stop the present!"_

End of Log


	38. Wraith to the Rescue

**Author's Note: 100+ followers! A little over one hundred of you thought this story was worth following and I sincerely thank you for doing so! My apologies for not being able to get this out sooner, but my new job leaves me with very little time to write... unfortunate, I know. But I'll keep posting all summer long, that's a promise.**

* * *

-Chapter 20: Wraith to the Rescue-

Location: Republic Prison, Brentaal IV

"Everyone has a good reason to fear the dark..."

The Clone never saw it coming.

His simple stroll through the Republic camp on Mygeeto, on his way to the barracks, suddenly went sideways as he was grabbed from behind and pulled into a nearby storage building, where he was thrown against the wall and came face to face with the terrifying visage of The Wraith. Reaching for the blaster holstered on his hip, the Clone's attempt to fight back was promptly stopped as Wraith batted the weapon away and broke his wrist. Wraith's steely grip was then wrapped around the troopers throat as he hoisted him off his feet.

" _You have two options: option one is where you tell me what I want to know and I make your death a quick one. Option two is where you tell me what I want to know after several torturous hours of excruciating pain. The choice is yours._ " He stated threateningly.

After his rather unfortunate fall at the hands of the Jedi, Wraith was in no mood to deal with slow-talking Clones. He needed information and he needed it now.

"I'd rather die!" The Clone gasped, attempting to remain resilient.

" _That's going to happen regardless._ " Wraith growled. " _Now, where has the Republic taken General Kir Losan?_ " He demanded. Clone said nothing and started thrashing about in his grip, desperately trying to pry Wraith's fingers loose from around his neck. Taking his silence as his answer, Wraith triggered his left arm blade and, in a deft move, cut off the Clone's left hand. His screams of agony were cut off as Wraith tightened his grip around the trooper's throat, blood gushing from the open wound where his hand had once been.

If not treated properly, the Clone would likely bleed to death. An outcome Wraith was perfectly fine with.

" _That was me asking nicely._ " Wraith rumbled as his blade disappeared. " _Where is General Losan?_ "

"I... I-I don't know!" The Clone gasped. "I wasn't involved... in the transportation details... All I know is... they took him offworld... somewhere... in General Skywalker's cruiser. That's all I know... I swear it!" It seemed like excruciating pain was a decent motivator after all.

" _Then who would know?_ " He asked, drawing the Clone closer to him.

"One of the commanders... maybe in the one eighty-seventh... or Marines!" The trooper replied. "I don't know, I'm just a private!"

" _And that's all you'll ever be._ " Wraith grunted as he drew a knife and stabbed it into the Clone's head, piercing clean through his helmet. Blood trickled down, around the weapon, staining his armor red as Wraith pulled the knife free, a trail of red following his bloody knife. Unceremoniously dropping the body, Wraith wiped off the excess brain matter before sheathing his weapon and plotting his next move.

If one of the Clone commanders knew about Losan's imprisonment, then he needed to find one and interrogate them. This would not be easy though, as generally most of the higher-up Clones were out in the open or working with other troopers.

Either he'd have to wait until cover of darkness and ambush one, or he could do a lot of killing and forcefully find one.

As much as the latter option sounded better, Wraith knew he couldn't afford to have the entire base on his tail. Not when he little time to spare and important work ahead of him. He realized he couldn't afford to wait until nightfall, not with Losan going to prison. Regardless of his choice, he had to work quickly and carefully. He couldn't afford for any superior officers to hear of his return and tip off the Republic to his plans.

A lowered defence was his favourite kind of enemy defence.

Slipping out of the storage building, Wraith quickly decided to find a Clone commander before they found him...

* * *

"I'll never tell yo-ARGH!" The Clone cried as his arm was violently snapped. Wraith had finally found a Clone commander and, after slaughtering the Clones by his side, had the trooper pinned to the ground. He was a Galactic Marine, as his specialized armor would indicate. Since they were the army under Ki-Adi Mundi's direct command, one of the Jedi who had worked to capture Losan, they were one of his best bets for learning the location of Kir Losan.

Except this time, it appeared Wraith would have to change his interrogation tactics. Simple pain didn't seem to be much of a motivator. He already had a slugthrower pressed against the back of the Clone's shaven head and had already broken his right wrist and now his right arm. But the Clone wasn't so willing to give him what he wanted. He would have to threaten something else... or, perhaps, _someone_ else.

" _I've asked nicely and yet you still refuse me. So from now on, every second you spend in silence or defiance is one dead Clone._ " He threatened. " _I have no qualms with wiping out this entire camp. It would be time-consuming and not worth the effort, but I would still do it._ " He growled. The commander beneath him quit struggling, seemingly mulling over his offer as he heaved for air. Wraith applied a light pressure to his arm. " _Your shoulder goes next._ "

"Alright, alright!" The Clone caved, Wraith's 'intense' methods proving a bit much for him. "Just leave my men alone!"

" _Talk... and I'll consider it._ " Wraith rumbled, not willing to grant the trooper any form of leverage. With a sigh the commander revealed the truth.

"They said they were taking him to Brentaal Four." His revelation made wraith shake his head in bewilderment. Of all the places...

" _Brentaal?_ " He wondered aloud. " _Why would they take him to such a hotly disputed planet?_ "

"You don't know?" The commander coughed in reply. "General Ti and her men recently took it back. We're using the prison there for high-ranking Seppies." His explanation raised another question in Wraith's mind.

" _If General Losan is such a high priority, why not take him to Coruscant?_ "

"Because that's where animals like you get to go." The Clone spat. Having heard enough, Wraith promptly fired a slug clean through the commander's head, spilling blood and brain across the ground beneath him. As much as he would've liked to prolong the Clone's suffering, he had the information he needed.

And now he needed to get off Mygeeto and be headed towards Brentaal IV... stat!

Making his way through camp was significantly easier, given his new urban camouflage jacket, but part of him still wished he had a cloaking device of some kind. It would make leaving the premises much easier. Deciding to take the long way around in order to avoid being seen, Wraith disappeared into the sleet and ash covered plains of ice, destined to pass through the city he had just been in, in order to reach the Separatist base.

* * *

The remains of battle droids, freshly blasted and destroyed by Clones, lay scattered across the bridge spanning the valley he had crawled out of. He didn't recall seeing them before nad assumed they belonged to the strike team he had requested earlier.

Unfortunately, his initial failure had resulted in their demise. They were destroyed because of him.

Wraith sprinted past the wreckage, boots digging into the ice as he rushed onwards, not even caring if he slipped. The icy plains vanished before him as he summoned all of his stamina and speed to book it at top speed back to the base. Losan was counting on him and he could not afford to waste time.

It did not take him long to return, bounding across the ground until he arrived at the permacrete ground that made up the base's foundation. The droid commander was quick to find him as Wraith made his way back to his shuttle.

"There you are! Our strike force was overwhelmed and General Losan is nowhere to be found!"

" _That's because he has been captured._ " Wraith quickly replied.

"Oh." The battle droid stopped short as the information registered with his logic circuits. "Should I tell Count Dooku?"

" _Only if he asks._ " Wraith answered. " _They've taken him to Brentaal Four, which is where I am going now._ " He explained. Without another word to the befuddled droid, Wraith entered his ship and shrugged off his grey jacket, longing to return to his navy-blue attire. Pulling it over his shoulders as he sat down at the controls, Wraith powered up the ship as he prepared for takeoff.

Next stop: Brentaal IV.

* * *

For a world boasting a key Republic prison, Brentaal IV was not what Wraith was expecting.

Located along the Perlemian Trade Route and located Bormea sector of the Core Worlds, Brentaal was commonly considered to be a very valuable world simply because it was located at the intersection of the Hydian lane and the Perlemian Trade Route: the galaxy's two major hyperlanes.

And it was now under the control of the Republic.

Wraith had a feeling he would return to the world at some point in order to cleanse it of Republic influence and bring it back under Separatist control. But for now, he was here for a different purpose. It was a brown planet, arid with salty seas and mostly bland continents, relatively featureless in terms of geography. But it was a big deal in terms of population, given it was a real haven along not just one but two trade routes.

Thus the need for a prison.

" _Brentaal. Of all places..._ " Wraith muttered. " _You shouldn't bring a prisoner to a recently captured world. Too many pockets of resistance still around._ " In his mind, the Republic's choice to move Losan here made no sense. Better an established prison like on Coruscant than something so volatile.

The Republic must be extremely confident in their victory.

His shuttle's scanners quickly located the penitentiary, located in the midst of a desert on one of the continents. Quickly forming a plan in his mind, Wraith decided to test out one of the new features Scipio had managed to install during his recovery.

Which begged the question, why did he have to remove the communications systems? With his helmet transmitters still down, it made sense for the doctor to keep at least one line open.

Regardless, this excursion would give Wraith a chance to test out a very intriguing add-on to his shuttle's control system...

Wraith transmitted a quick jamming signal before starting his descent, hoping to avoid any Republic interference as he remembered the Clone's words about Shaak Ti having retaken the world. Continuing to ping his scanners, Wraith eased his shuttle down towards the planet, en route to the prison holding General Losan. He passed through dust-coloured clouds that slowly grew darker the lower he flew, breaking through the atmosphere with plume of fluff trailing behind his almost-silent ship. Night had fallen across this portion of the planet, meaning his enemies' only source of illumination would come from the lights of the prison and the twin moons above.

Perfect. At least one part of his plan was already in place.

He soared through the air, controlling the movements of his ship just right so as to avoid tripping any alarms or appearing on any scans. He had to be close enough to thoroughly scan the complex but also far enough away to avoid being detected. With his sensors constantly observing his airspace, looking for any sign of interception, Wraith began to perform a thorough scan of the facility's layout. The data quickly began to materialize before him and Wraith plugged in his gauntlet, downloading the information straight to the computation equipment built into it. He would need this to continue the fulfillment of his plan. Flying in a slow loop around the penitentiary below, Wraith cautiously checked every scanner before him as he continued to download the scans of the prison. He was playing a very dangerous game, one that, if he wanted to succeed, required everything to work perfectly and according to his timetable. Wraith quickly reviewed his plan in his mind as he set about programming several navigational commands into the shuttle's control system. Scipio had installed a new autopilot feature, which followed any preprogrammed directives the pilot put into the nav-computer. As long as their was fuel to run on, the ship could fly to any destination the pilot programmed as a route.

Wraith was going to put this feature to the test and, hopefully, use it to his advantage.

His gauntlet emitted a quiet beep as it finished downloading the prison's schematics. Unplugging from the console, Wraith keyed in the last command to the navigational systems before rising from his seat and moving to the rear of the ship. Triggering the door release, a rush of cold wind filled the interior, whipping his coattails wildly about. Stepping to the edge, Wraith glanced back and forth in examination of his airspace before pressing the door release once more and leaping forward into the air.

He was jumping into the compound from a very high altitude.

With arms and legs spread, Wraith dropped like a rock as his shuttle disappeared behind him, flying away as per his orders. The HUD in his helmet indicated he was a little less than a thousand feet away from his intended landing zone: the roof of the prison. Calculations ran through his mind as he rapidly descended, angles and numbers filling his mind along with a momentary wish for a pair of jet boots. He'd noted a pair of observatory towers along the top of the prison, most likely responsible for keeping an eye on the surrounding perimeter. He could use them to slow his descent and hopefully give him a way to cripple the prison's defences.

The building was growing nearer now. His altimeter began to tick down the feet as Wraith pressed his legs together and kept his arms by his side, rocketing towards the ground at an incredible speed. He just needed to wait for the right moment, any earlier or any later would result in catastrophic consequences.

Four-hundred feet... Three-hundred feet... Two-hundred feet... One-hundred and fifty feet...

Snapping up his arms, Wraith fired both grapples at the nearest tower, both of them becoming firmly snared in the durasteel wall. Hoping his strength wouldn't tear the grapples free, Wraith tugged hard on the taut cables and propelled his body in their direction, successfully ending his free-fall. The commando arced through the air, using the combined momentum of his fall and the tension in his grapples to shift his direction and successfully arrive on the roof of the prison. Pulling his tethers free, Wraith quickly rolled to the side of the building, directly underneath one of the towers. Hopefully he was far enough down and hidden away to be seen by any scout or patrolling guard. Bringing up the prison schematic on his gauntlet, Wraith quickly discovered that the cell blocks were located much lower down in the building while the upper levels were dedicated to guards and overseers. That had to mean the prison's central computing systems were located directly beneath him... or at least somewhere on these upper floors. His best bet would be to disable the electricity, short-circuiting the lights and the power to the cells.

Hopefully there would be an external power unit somewhere...

His plan called for either a chaotic distraction, something like a jailbreak that would keep the guards fully occupied, or a power blackout. It all depended on how this place was wired. Cycling through the plans, Wraith determined his best bet was to use both plans: a blackout as a means for him to venture through the prison to where General Losan was being held and a prison break as a way to cover their escape. In such chaos, the guards would be overwhelmed and the two could slip away very easily.

He needed more information though, particularly the whereabouts of General Losan. Something that could only be found in the control deck below him.

Powering down his gauntlet and dashing to the side of the roof, Wraith leapt over the side and turned about, grabbing the ledge as he did. His calculations put the nearest window only a few feet below the edge of the roof. It was a bit of tight fit, but Wraith was confident he could make it work. Using his momentum to his advantage, Wraith armored boots crashed through the plexiglass pane as he suddenly appeared in the control room, startling a series of guards who were standing at various stations. They were human, clad in proper prison uniforms and devoid of Clone armor. These may not be his usual foes, but they were still in his way. Launching five throwing blades into his hand, Wraith whipped his arm around and threw his projectiles. They successfully speared five different opponents in the throat, silencing them all as blood began to flow. Snapping up his other arm and firing his grapple, Wraith reeled in another guard who received a swift chop to the neck, his bones and windpipe shattering on impact. As the body fell to the floor, Wraith drew one of his knives and lunged at the other two guards. Grabbing their stun batons from their belts, they attempted to mount some kind of resistance and fend off their attacker. But they were swiftly ended as Wraith blocked a baton and backhanded the other guard, giving him time to wrench the baton out of the guard's hands before he stabbed him in the neck. Quickly wrenching his blade free as the other guard moved to attack once more, Wraith slit his throat before burying his blade in his neck only to tear it out with a spray of blood trailing behind it. With the room cleared, Wraith sheathed his knife and stepped over to what looked like the central console. A few keystrokes and command hacks later, he had complete access to every file and system in the prison. He quickly pulled up the prisoner roster and scanned through it, identifying the various inmates imprisoned here. Many of them appeared to be rebel inhabitants, sentenced to a life here because of their choice to defy the Republic and refuse to accept their control over their world. It seemed like too grave an injustice to ignore.

Maybe a prison break was in order after all.

Still scrolling through the list of inmates, Wraith finally found Kir Losan's name. Highlighting his file, the commando quickly discovered his target had been taken to a special wing for interrogation and incarceration. No doubt the Republic wanted to get whatever information they could get out of him. " _Gotcha._ " He mused with a grin. At last his redemption was within sight. " _Hang tight Losan._ " Quickly accessing the prison's more vital systems, Wraith soon discovered an exploitable flaw in its design: there was only one central power system and one backup system. If he were to destroy both, the guards would have no way of restoring order. He could easily disable the power from here, but all it would take was one guard to get it back online. He'd have to perform a 'hard-shutdown' and disable the power from its source.

With a plan in mind, Wraith set out to turn the prison into the ultimate playground for the ultimate predator...

* * *

It had started off like any other routine night in the prison. Guards patrolled their designated routes, following the clockwork schedule that demanded precise obedience less something go wrong and chaos ensue. Even still, they felt safer tonight as they had a detachment of Clones on their side tonight, adding a few extra layers of security to their numbers. They were anticipating another easy night, another casual twelve hours of guarding locked and inescapable cells full of the Republic's enemies. It was pretty basic for all of them, almost boring for some. Nothing unexpected ever happened.

And then the lights went out. And the power to the cell doors shortly after.

A moment of shocked surprise passed through everyone in the prison, guard and prisoner alike startled by the sudden change, dark red lights illuminating the halls. But once that wore off, the prisoners took full advantage of the moment. They dashed from their cells en masse, overwhelming the guards on duty as they set about arming themselves and plotting to force their way to freedom. The remaining guards and Clones were quick to respond with whatever defences they had in their arsenal but the prisoner's fighting spirit drove them to retaliate, the allure of freedom so close and so tangible fuelling their desire to escape. One particular group of prisoners were making a break for the main doors and rounded a corner only to come face to face with a squad of heavily armed Clones and specialist Riot Troopers. With stun batons, riot shields and fully charged blasters facing them, the ill-equipped prisoners stood no chance, even with the power to the automated defences disabled.

"Drop your weapons and return to your cells!" The squad commander ordered. One of the prisoners had the bright idea of opening fire with the pistol he'd taken from a guard. The round ricocheted off one of the riot trooper's shields, doing nothing apart from inform the guards they had no intention of following their orders.

It appeared excessive force would be required.

But just as the Clones opened fire, a shadowy figured dropped down from the roof, blue lasers being absorbed by incredibly tough armor. The Clones stopped firing and the prisoners looked up in awe as the being before them stared down the Clones with fearless posture and terrifying red optics.

"Shoot! Shoot!" The commander ordered as the shadowy being began stalking towards them. Rounds from the Clones lit up the strange opponent, only for them to bounce ineffectively off of him. They kept firing until he was at point blank range, only then did they realize ther attacks were useless. But by then it was too late.

The Wraith was already upon them.

He attacked with ruthless efficiency, the Clones with rifles falling first as he laid into them with hard punches and kicks. Wrenching the rifle out of one Clone, he promptly beat him over the head with it, before driving the butt into another Clone and using the trigger to quickly execute another with a blast to the chest. Dropping the gun, Wraith grabbed the incoming stun baton of a riot trooper and twisted it in order to block another incoming baton. Shoving the baton in his grasp into the other trooper, the electric shock was enough to drop him, giving Wraith the opportunity to snap the neck of the other Clone with a vicious twist of the head. Striking another Clone in the head with a heavy hit, Wraith reared back and crushed another Clone's helmet with his elbow, successfully downing him. Another riot trooper rushed him with his shield, trying to knock Wraith away or deal damage of some kind to the seemingly invincible foe. But Wraith grabbed the shield and wrenched it from the Clone's hands, only to bash him with it before driving the edge clean through the Clone's neck. Ripping the bloody shield away, Wraith turned and bashed another riot trooper before burying the shield deep in the Clone's gut, blood spilling across the floor and down his armor. Grabbing the stun baton from another trooper, Wraith proceeded to beat down the remaining Clones until the baton was dripping with red fluid. With the Clones dead and dying, Wraith discarded the baton and turned back to the squad of grateful prisoners.

" _Get out of here._ " He rumbled, moving past them. To surprised and awed to even mutter any thanks, the prisoners were prompt to run off towards the exit, leaving Wraith to venture deeper into the chaotic prison alone.

Chaos had truly spread to every level of the prison as inmates ran amok and poorly equipped guards, not counting on having every power system fail simultaneously, tried in vain to restore order. Amidst the rampaging war zone that had suddenly erupted throughout the halls, Wraith strode on seemingly untouchable and unfazed as chaos erupted around him. Prisoners and guards brawled to his right, left and behind him, even the occasional guard tried to take him down, only to meet either a swift and brutal end or vicious and painful rebuff. Nothing would stand in his way and nothing would keep him from his goal.

Losan's cell was not far away and no doubt the most heavily guarded right now.

Deciding to switch up his tactics, Wraith opened up the nearest roof grate and used his grapples to pull himself inside. Pulling up his schematics of the prison, Wraith quickly mapped the ventilation system and plotted his course to Losan's location. With luck, he'd wind up right on top of him. Wraith proceeded to crawl through the narrow passage as he wound through the prison, forced to turn to his blades periodically in order to clear out some oddly placed barriers within the ducts. He avoided the carnage below him as the riot continued to grow in strength and ferocity.

* * *

 _Meanwhile..._

A detachment of Clones had been specifically ordered to guard Kir Losan and prevent his escape. No matter the circumstances, these eight were charged with keeping him out of Separatist hands at all costs. While they did not expect a riot to break out, they were prepared for such instances. As soon as they discovered the gravity of their situation, they quickly moved to fulfill their duty. They filed into the interrogation room with Losan in tow, cuffed and properly bound, and put him in a chair in the centre of the room. A lone white light remained on, illuminating Losan and only Losan.

"Alright men, look sharp." The commander ordered. "No one gets in here without our permission. Weapons hot." The Clones charged up their rifles as they strategically positioned themselves around the trapped Neimodian general. Losan looked about, distress written across his face. Surely there was no hope for him now. The Clones stood vigilant, weapons pointed at the door, ready to fire at a moments notice.

What they failed to notice was the imminent threat from above.

With his thermal and auditory scanners giving him a near perfect layout of the darkened room, Wraith could see each and every Clone in perfect detail. His calculating mind quickly began to formulate a plan of attack, one that resulted in eight dead Clones and one freed Losan. But he soon discovered a problem in the form the tight quarters of the room. The Clones were a little too erratic and unpredictable for him to simply announce his presence and go in guns blazing, especially with General Losan so exposed and vulnerable. Sure, his near-precise aim would be a winning factor, but he didn't want to risk it. And if the Clones opened fire on him, using Losan as cover, then that would introduce him to a whole world of trouble. A single shot, a wrongly timed block, there were too many variables that could go wrong. He needed to be precise, not chaotic.

This was not the time for his advanced weaponry.

He would destroy these Clones in hand to hand combat.

With their gaze focused on the door before them, the Clones were not prepared for a stranger to drop down from the roof in their midst rising to full height, all they could see was a mighty shadow with two blazing red optics.

They had no time to react.

Wraith struck hard and fast, wounding the two Clones before him with hard, rib-cracking punches. Executing a high kick, Wraith's boot collided with the chin of an incoming Clone, cracking his jaw before he turned and batted away another Clone's rifle. Wraith struck him with a hard right cross before turning and kicking the shin of another Clone which was quickly followed up with another kick to the chest and a hard overhead blow to the head. The remaining Clones rushed him, trying to take him down en masse. Wraith in turn decided to retaliate by taking them all on. Driving his elbow into one Clone, Wraith blocked an incoming punch with one hand by grabbing the fist as he bashed another Clone with his free hand. Bringing the trapped arm down, Wraith snapped it over his raised knee and silenced the screaming Clone with a chop to the throat. Whipping a throwing blade into the throat of another charging Clone, Wraith attacked another with a punch to the throat that audibly broke everything in the Clone's neck. The next Clone to attack had his punch redirected so it nailed a fellow trooper in the head, allowing Wraith to snap the Clone's neck before lashing out and knocking out two Clones with a perfectly timed double punch. Another Clone rushing him from behind was thrown over his shoulder, his wrist broken and his head crushed beneath Wraith's boot. With all the Clones dead or incapacitated, Wraith decided he was finished. As much as he would've preferred killing them all right here and now, he had a job to do. And he wasn't out of the woods just yet.

Turning back to the shackled Losan, Wraith stepped closer as the Neimodian regarded him with surprise and gladness.

" _General._ " Wrack acknowledged with a tip of his head. " _My apologies for taking so long... but I was out cold._ "

"You truly are a blessed sight Wraith!" Losan eagerly exclaimed. "And here I thought I was done for! Doomed to be shipped off to the Coruscant Penitentiary." The commando ripped apart the cuffs around Losan's wrists before helping the General to his feet.

" _Let's get you back to Mygeeto._ " Wraith stated as he turned to leave. The two made for the exit, stepping over the bodies of dead Clones and groaning wounded in the process. Calmly opening the door the two backtracked through the halls, the chaos having died down significantly. Wraith took note of the sudden change in atmosphere and decided they needed to leave far sooner. Instead of returning to the central wing, Wraith led Losan down a different corridor.

"I trust you have a plan for our escape?" Losan wondered.

" _Of course. I have a plan for everything._ " Wraith replied, launching an explosive into his hand before lobbing it at the dead end before them. The device stuck to the wall and detonated seconds later, blowing out a sizeable portion and granting them access to the prison courtyard...

And a straight path to the waiting Republic reinforcements.

The Togruta Jedi Master Shaak Ti was standing before them, lightsaber in hand and a squad of Clones behind her, weapons armed and pointed directly at the pair.

"Stand down Wraith." She commanded. "You and General Losan will surrender quietly and you will await judgement for your crimes against the Republic."

" _You presume to command me?_ " Wraith wondered, motioning for Losan to get behind him. " _And what are these crimes you speak of?_ "

"Murder in the first and second degree, along with willful destruction of Republic property, theft of Republic documents and willful disregard for Republic law." Shaak replied, listing off only a few of his many 'crimes'. "You have been branded a war criminal and will be treated as such." She stated. Him? A war criminal? Typical. Anyone not on their side or did something so much as contrary to their beliefs was branded a traitor and worthy of incarceration... or execution.

" _I believe this is all a matter of interpretation, Shaak. In the eyes of the Separatists, these are not crimes._ "

"They are to the Republic." The Jedi retorted.

" _Then it's a good thing I'm not with the Republic._ " Drawing his blaster pistols, Wraith suddenly gunned down each and every Clone surrounding the Togruta within a few short seconds, bodies dropping around Shaak with matching scorch wounds in their armor. Shaak was left alone, shocked by the sudden and deadly assault. " _Yes, there may be blood on my ledger... but it's going to get a lot bloodier before this war is over._ " Wraith rumbled as he holstered his pistols. Shaak looked to him with a grim expression and assumed a defensive stance.

"You strike men down without hesitation, but you wouldn't dare strike a lady!" Wraith began to slowly walk forward, cracking his knuckles as he did.

" _I'm a firm believer in gender equality._ " He growled. Sensing his violent intentions, Shaak steadied her lightsaber and rushed ahead, summoning the Force to boost her senses.

You would think that the Republic had learned not to challenge Wraith head-on by now.

Blue lightsaber humming, her weapon came crashing down on Wraith's raised gauntlet and a split-second later, Wraith rounded a heavy punch straight to Shaak's torso. The Togruta gasped for air but was given no respite as Wraith tore her lightsaber from her hands and proceeded to bash her repeatedly across the face. Bruised and bleeding, Shaak then had a knee driven into her gut before her chin was also slammed into the same knee with an audible crack. Grabbing the Togruta by the neck, Wraith ended her with a powerful choke slam that left her gasping for air on the ground.

He was in no mood to deal with any Jedi shenanigans right now.

" _We're clear Losan._ " Wraith stated as he stood. " _Time to leave._ " The two quickly hurried through the prison courtyard as Wraith's shuttle made landfall in a nearby field, just as he had planned. Soon enough the two were taking off, destined to return the General to Mygeeto and Wraith, finally, back to Doctor Scipio's care.

This little detour had gone much better than he had hoped.

* * *

 _Later..._

Pomel Scipio was busy.

Numerous screens full of scan data and biometric readings filled his vision as he made notes on a datapad. His latest findings were definitely worthy of documentation, destined to most likely become source material for future studies and resources for moments of consulatation. It seemed there was always something new to be learned, either by mistake or by happenstances. He was currently exploring the curious instances of Wraith's split-personality issue. Upon returning to base, Wraith had explained the circumstances behind his mental plague and Scipio had immediately given him a brain scan and put his knowledge of psychology to use, trying to figure out how to best keep Wraith as himself. Behind him, Wraith was sitting on an operating table, strapping his gear back around his body.

"Well, I've scanned your brain and performed a quick historiographical test. Your psyche was acting a little erratic, just like you've said. I managed to isolate the brainwave pattern for future reference." He announced.

"Good. I'd rather not go through that again." Wraith replied as he made to put his mask on.

"I can't say I blame you." Scipio mused, running through the notes on his datapad. "Normally hearing voice is a simple sign of instability. But this is a full on split-personality issue." Striding over to his creation, Scipio continued to mull over the information on his datapad as Wraith donned his helmet.

" _Tell me Doc... what was that voice?_ " He quietly wondered. " _It claimed to be the original owner of this body, claimed to have come before me. I didn't believe it, but the way it could hurt me certainly solidified the idea it knew what it was doing._ " He explained. " _You have to tell me Doc._ " Scipio fell silent, datapad falling from his view. He had refused to tell Wraith his true origins, believing it was best if he only knew what was best. He had done this out of fear, afraid his words might trigger something that would undo his work. But he also hadn't considered the possibility of his past coming to haunt him.

Maybe it was best for them to confront this together.

"I suppose you deserve to know, especially given the crude revelation." He replied, sighing in relent. Mustering up the courage, Scipio began by dropping a bomb. "What the voice says is true, you are not the first to inhabit that body."

Wraith was shocked. The voice had been telling the truth!

"When the second phase of trials for Project Sunstorm began, we sought out infants from many species, hoping to find just one that would accept the serum. We failed several times but then you were brought to us." The Pau'an recounted.

" _This you've told me._ "

"Yes. I suppose the part I haven't told you is how much of a completely different person you were growing up. You questioned everything going on around you and grew more and more dissatisfied with the Separatists as we revealed the nature of your work." Scipio continued. The doctor paused, remembering the test subject he had worked with so many years before the true creation of The Wraith. "There seemed to be a level of innate 'goodness' to your former self... or other self, I should say. He just wouldn't accept what we Separatists believe and always pursued more Republic-related ideals." That seemed to make sense to Wraith.

" _That explains a few things, namely why he wants me to act so contrary._ " He mused. Silence ensued as Scipio waited anxiously for the information to sink in and his creation to speak again. " _So... there is another personality inside me?_ " He finally said, albeit hesitantly.

"Yes. I have managed to put it away thanks to your information, which helped me prep a reconditioning session, so you should be yourself now." Scipio replied, turning back to his notes. Wraith was left alone with his thoughts as he pondered the new challenge set before him. Perhaps all of his wrongdoings and misdemeanours had been contrived out of the subtle influences of this voice. Maybe the reason why he had been so erratic at times was because of this voice trying to take back control without announcing its presence. But if that was the case, were all of his contrary actions due to this voice?

More importantly, was his desire for Ahsoka born from the influences of this other personality?

No. He had to take control of himself. He needed to prove his dominance over his mind and make his thoughts his own.

" _Doctor._ " He said, catching Scipio's attention. " _You know I would never betray the Separatists. If I ever do anything out of line it is because of that voice. I am loyal to this cause and I will never abandon it._ " He stated. Slowly digesting his creation's words, Scipio turned back to face Wraith.

"I know. I've always known, but your words are reassuring." Scipio nodded, feeling very relieved. Reaching out, he patted Wraith on the arm. "That's good to hear my boy."


	39. Scipio's Log 66418

Scipio's Log: Entry 66.418 - A new possibility

" _While the incident on Geonosis was technically impromptu and very much cause for concern, it also revealed something I find very... intriguing._

" _After performing a psychoanalytical scan in the aftermath of Wraith's detour to Geonosis, I discovered a very interesting after-effect of the mission: increased levels of anger. Admittedly this should be nothing new, but after examining the helmet footage and analyzing his actions, I believe there may be something to be both learned and taken advantage of. I suppose the deaths of those Geonosians by his hand were excuseable if only for the sake of learning more about his psyche. Wraith does not know this, but I planted a chip in his helmet that will record his brainwaves and impulses... for study, of course._

" _The anger I see coursing through him provides the normal bursts of strength and energy that one might find in the average being. But in this instance, even moreso in Wraith. Anger becomes a kind of fuel for him, much like nutrition, and enhances his strength even more. The only drawback to this is his limitations in intelligence. The angrier he gets the more... primal his thoughts become. He resorts to lashing out instead of relying on rational, tactical thought. While I would prefer to encourage the use of tactics over brutality, there may be something... exploitable here. But in order to do so, I believe I will have to sift through some old Separatist projects._

" _I will reveal my intentions soon enough."_

End of Log


	40. Anger Issues

**Author's Note: One year ago, today... this story was published. I had no idea that one year later my story, revolving around a crazy idea and a 'what if' I came up with one day, would've exploded like this. I'm incredibly thankful and grateful for all of your support and ideas and feedback over the past year, and I hope I can continue to provide for you all.**

 **On that note, at the end of this chapter I've included a few teasers for what's coming next and the ideas I'm working on. Hopefully they'll pique your curiosity enough for you to hang around with this story.**

 **Once again, thanks for the support and sticking with me. Now enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

-Chapter 21: Anger Issues-

Location: Abandoned Factory, Geonosis

"The best fighter is never angry."

This wasn't how he liked for his days to go.

Streaking through hyperspace, Wraith was just coming off a mission to steal some Republic data from a listening post. In an attempt to both discover the secret frequency the Republic used to communicate between listening posts, the Separatists were hoping to render them useless. So far, Wraith had achieved what he was looking for.

But it had quickly gone awry.

At the last possible second, an unseen alarm had been tripped and alerted his presence to the Republic. Although he had managed to escape back to his shuttle, he now had a cruiser on his tale.

That cruiser was the Resolute. Anakin Skywalker was on his tail.

" _Doc, you there?_ " He asked into his comms.

"I'm right here, my boy." Scipio replied, grateful to be back in communication with Wraith. "What's the situation?"

" _I have the data, but the Republic's following me._ " Wraith reported, tapping in a few commands into his nav computer. " _I've jumped into hyperspace in an effort to try and avoid them. I'm going to take a detour to the nearest planet, see if I can't throw them off somehow._ "

"Which world is that?" Scipio wondered, ready to pull up any necessary information.

" _Geonosis._ "

"G-Geonosis?!" Scipio sputtered. "That's a Republic-controlled world now!"

" _I know. It's not ideal, but maybe I can get lucky._ "

"Luck is not tactically sound, Wraith." Scipio retorted.

" _True. But it seems to work for Skywalker all the damn time._ " The commando grumbled as he made ready to drop out of hyperspace.

Wraith's shuttle was the first craft to exit hyperspace and continued streaking towards the desert world of Geonosis as a Venator-class Republic cruiser appeared behind him. Ignoring the potential threat not far away and not caring if they could track him or not, Wraith piloted his craft down through the caramel-colored clouds to the surface below. Wraith didn't really have a plan going into this, all he knew was that Geonosis was the nearest planet to his position that might provide some kind of aid from the pursuing Republic.

In reality, Wraith was hoping there would still be some Geonosians who could help him.

The commando pinged his scanners, looking for some telltale sign of aid or something that could bail him out. The results that came back were quite surprising.

" _Looks like the high-intensity scanners are picking up some electrical activity in what appears to be an abandoned factory._ " He mused.

"Might be one of the old droid factories." Scipio informed him. "The Republic certainly tried to make sure they were all destroyed. One might've survived."

" _Courtesy of some rebellious locals._ " Wraith surmised, immediately choosing to fly to the signal.

The partially collapsed stone structure certainly resembled a lot of Geonosian designs he'd studied in the past. Given the Geonosians were a founding member of the Separatists, Wraith had been tasked with studying both their society and their language as part of his basic training. The latter he had a very strong command of, partially thanks to a special device built into his helmet which could mimic the clicking insect-like noises Geonosians made. Wraith had never used it before, but had a feeling it would come in handy today.

Landing his shuttle with all possible haste, Wraith jumped out from his craft, data in hand, and made a mad dash to the nearest entrance-looking hole. Within it he found a steel door, covered by several fallen rocks, that resembled the giant gates from which legions of battle droids would pour forth. Deciding whatever behind it was better than waiting for the Republic to arrive, Wraith quickly lifted it up and crawled underneath before letting it slam back down with a clang. The room on the other side was open and dusty, indicating it had not been in use for a very long time. It was dark, there were no lights anywhere. Wraith switched on his thermal scanners, deciding to rely on his gear instead of trying to find a power switch. Stepping further into the room, he looked back and forth as he examined his surroundings. Through his optics, he could see ruined and unused machinery, some of it perfectly fine, some bent and smashed beyond repair. Wraith deduced this place had been hit with a bombardment of some kind, either orbital or artillery, which had resulted in its shutdown. The Republic had used field pieces during the battle, perhaps this had been one of their targets.

He stopped in his tracks when the flutter of wings registered with his sensors. Rapidly glancing around, Wraith tried to catch a glimpse of whatever was in here with him.

Although he was quite confident he knew what it was.

Adjusting the settings in his mouthpiece and calibrating the new vocator feature, Wraith address the emptiness around him.

" _I am not here to harm you. I am with the Separatists._ " He stated in Geonosian. " _Reveal yourselves._ " Cautiously waiting, muscles tense and reflexes ready to go, Wraith braced himself for the possibility that the Geonosians might not be as friendly as they once were towards Separatist-aligned individuals. But as he pondered this, a group of twelve Geonosians stepped out of the shadows, surrounding him. Given their armor and its design, he quickly deduced them to be low-ranking members of the warrior caste. Anticipating a fight, Wraith was pleased when they started speaking, the equipment in his helmet translating their clicks and screeches into basic.

"You speak our language?"

" _I do._ " He replied, equipment translating his basic into Geonosian.

"Why are you here?" They asked.

" _The Republic chased me. I need your help to defeat them._ " They seemed open to fighting against the Republic, which was a good thing.

"We can only do so much."

" _What kind of weapons do you have here?_ " He asked.

"Spears. A few sonic blasters."

" _No droids? No cannons? No tanks?_ "

"No. These factories have been dark for a long time." That was ill news. Still, there may be some power left for the command hub. If Wraith could at least take control of his surroundings, that would a be a step in the right direction.

" _Then we'll use what we have. With my tactics and your help, the Republic will leave Geonosis. You have my word._ "

* * *

 _Outside..._

The Resolute hovered in the Geonosian skies, casting a long shadow across the ground below it. Anakin had tracked Wraith to this abandoned factory, made useless during the second battle of Geonosis, and believed he had the super commando cornered.

With luck, he might be able to retrieve the data and capture The Wraith today.

He, Ahsoka and a large company of Clones had made planet fall and had set up a perimeter around Wraith's abandoned shuttle, part of an effort to make sure he didn't appear and leave without encountering resistance.

Right now, though, there biggest concern lay before them.

"Seems likely he found a way inside the factory." Rex mused, gazing at the remnants of the steel door before them.

"And ten credits says he's prepared an ambush for us directly on the other side of this door." Anakin added. In recent weeks he'd been taking Thrawn's briefing on Wraith's tactics to heart and was now trying to outsmart Wraith rather than overpower him. "There's not a whole lot of room for him to work with, what with the factory having partially collapsed." The Jedi continued. "Maybe we could 'smoke him out' somehow."

"Sir, might I suggest we send in an ARC Trooper unit to attack him from behind. They could get in through one of the old maintenance shafts." Rex theorized.

"It might work. Still, Wraith has had some time to prepare for our arrival and I doubt he'd be willing to come along quietly." Anakin responded. Trying to outsmart a near-perfect solider was proving quite taxing on the mind.

"Perhaps Commander Tano could lead the charge." Rex offered. "If Wraith truly likes her as everyone says, he'd probably think twice about fighting her which would give our men a chance to take him down."

"I'd hate to use her as some kind of bait." Anakin muttered, not enjoying the idea of using Ahsoka, the apparent object of Wraith's desire, to take on the Separatist without Anakin himself being there. "But you may have a point, Captain." After a moment of thoughtful consideration for both of them, Anakin finally decided to put Rex's plan into motion. "Let's get a holomap of this factory so we can visualize things."

The plan was soon settled on and Ahsoka was placed in charge of a group of nine ARC Trooper Clones, making for a total squad of ten. While Anakin continued to build their defenses around Wraith's shuttle, the young Togruta led her troops in a climb to the top of the factory, scaling the rather climbable rocks that had fallen upon it. Fortunately, ARC Trooper were trained in all forms of terrain-based combat and knew their way around practically every obstacle. The maintenance access was not hard to find, but was covered with a rock that ended up being quickly moved by Ahsoka with the Force. They pried open the duct and managed to squeeze themselves into the narrow shaft and descended via a ladder. They ended up in a darkened hallway, illuminated only by the light from their skyward access.

"Okay guys, look sharp." Ahsoka commanded, igniting her green lightsaber to help illuminate the hall. "You never know what else might be in here."

"Roger that, Commander." The squad sergeant acknowledged. "Lights on, men." He ordered, the rest of the Clones triggering their helmet-mounted flashlights moments later.

"Look at this place." One of them gawked, eyeing the dust-covered walls and vacant corridor. "We must've really done a number on it."

"Cut the chatter shiny." The sergeant commanded. "We need to push forward. General Skywalker wants us to force The Wraith out into the open."

"But what if he finds us?" Another Clone wondered. "You've seen the reports, heard the stories. He's probably watching us right now!"

"Then we shoot him as soon as he rears his ugly head." The sergeant reassured him. "Commander Tano, lead on." Ahsoka nodded and proceeded to take charge.

The metal hallway eventually opened up into wider catacombs that resembled the kind Geonosians commonly built. Ahsoka quickly assumed this kind of upper tunnel had been constructed by the Geonosian foremen as a form of easy access between different levels of the factory. She had seen the holomap before entering, the factory was split into a manufacturing department and a deployment bay. If Wraith had entered through the deployment bay, and the manufacturing bay was offline, then he could either be playing things safe and setting up his defenses in the deployment bay or he could be trying to get the manufacturing department back online, trying to build a small army of droids to aid in his escape. This left Ahsoka in a bit of a leadership dilemma. Either she could take the Clones down to the deployment bay and have them start prepping for an ambush or she could take them to the manufacturing department and see if they couldn't force Wraith out with a combined assault.

"Trooper, your scanners picking up any electrical activity?" She wondered to the sergeant. The Clone quickly checked the various sensor equipment he possessed.

"Nothing, Commander. This place seems to be pretty empty." He replied.

"That's a problem." Ahsoka mused out loud. "We've gotta find Wraith, but he could be anywhere around here."

"Might I offer some advice?" The sergeant asked. Ahsoka nodded. "Let's stick with the original plan and we'll deal with whatever obstacles come our way." He suggested.

"There's one problem with that: Wraith could be setting up an ambush right now. What if we stick with the plan and it turns out to be wrong?" Ahsoka responded, sharing her doubts. The Clone went silent as they continued to walk.

"Let's get to the end of this tunnel, then we'll figure out where to go and what to do." He replied. Accepting that solution, Ahsoka continued to lead the Clones forward through the darkened tunnel. They continued for a few more minutes, their maps indicating the exit was close by. But before they could, Ahsoka sensed a ripple through the Force.

There was something wrong.

"Hold on." She whispered, holding up her arm and motioning for the troopers to stop. "Do you guys hear anything?" She wondered.

"No Commander." The sergeant replied after a brief listen. "What's wrong?" Ahsoka said nothing, trying to focus and determine the source of this ripple. Her training had taught her to trust such instincts and now she was honing in on where this trouble was coming from. Closing her eyes, the Force showed her a series of explosives...

Planted right beneath them.

Snapping her eyes open, Ahsoka was about to cry out when the ground beneath them rumbled and suddenly gave way, sending all of them tumbling down. Fortunately they only fell a few feet before landing hard on solid ground in what could only be another tunnel. Groaning as they recovered the Clones tried their best to get back up, as did Ahsoka.

But they swiftly discovered they were not alone.

Two sonic cannons and four spears were pointing at them, held by a group of six Geonosians.

"Bugs!" One of the troopers exclaimed. The Geonosian closest to him, holding a spear, hissed at him like he wanted him to be quiet.

"Steady lads, we're at a slight disadvantage here." The sergeant ordered them. "No sudden moves, but we can take them." Hopeful, the Clones did as they were told.

But their hopes were dashed when a pair of bright red optics lit up at the end of the tunnel.

Emerging from the darkness, Wraith stepped up next to the Geonosians, blaster carbine in hand. Pressing it into his shoulder, he trained his crosshairs on the nearest Clone.

" _You would be wise to drop your weapons._ " He growled.

* * *

Ahsoka and her Clones were soon relieved of their weapons and equipment, cuffed and led down the tunnel and into a single, well-lit control room where another two Geonosians were waiting. Wraith ordered them up against the wall and on their knees, permitting the Geonosians to guard them as he strode over to a series of monitors where he could see what was going on beyond the factory's walls and within the tunnels and halls of the building.

So that was how he had ambushed them.

"What are you going to do with us, Wraith?" Ahsoka wondered.

" _Use you as leverage against Skywalker as my way of obtaining safe passage._ " Wraith explained nonchalantly. " _But for now, you're all going to wait here until I make certain he can't get in here._ " Scanning across the various screens before him, Wraith surmised his best bet would be to totally seal them off to make the steel gate their only point of access. Now that he had prisoners to barter with, things might be able to swing in his favor.

But he knew Skywalker to be too stubborn to just roll over for him. Especially now that Ahsoka was Wraith's captive, Skywalker would more than likely give his all into overpowering him before submitting to any demands Wraith might have.

Determining he needed to prioritize, Wraith walked over to the nearest Geonosians to speak with it. " _We need to cave-in that tunnel. Can your blasters bring down walls?_ "

"Perhaps." The creature replied.

" _Give it a shot, cave-in both sides. No one else gets in here._ " Wraith instructed it. With a nod, the creature summoned the rest of the other Geonosians to accompany it. Walking back before the Clones, Wraith clasped his hands behind his back. Glancing back and forth from Ahsoka to the last Clone in the line, Wraith quickly identified the markings on their armor and recognized them to be ARC Troopers. " _Skywalker must be truly desperate if he sent ARC's after me._ "

"Nah, he'd be desperate if he sent Torrent Company after you." One of the Clones muttered.

"Zip it Shiny!" Another hissed, trying to avoid sparking anything. Wraith overheard them and chuckled.

" _You mean Captain Rex's over-glorified duplicates? Not even they would stand a chance against me._ "

"That's what you think!" The 'shiny' continued. "If you can handle them, then why are you hiding in here?" With that comment, Wraith's demeanor suddenly changed. Dropping his arms by his side, the observing Clones swore they saw his vision narrow.

" _You're starting to get on my nerves._ " He rumbled.

"Good! You need to have something to fear!" The Clone shot back at him.

"Shut up rookie!" The Clone next to him demanded. But the damage was already done. Stalking over to the rookie, Wraith grabbed the Clone by his chest armor.

" _I'm not afraid of any Clone. Least of all you._ " He growled.

"Keep telling yourself that!" The rookie spat. A sudden and uncontrollable spike of anger shot through Wraith's mind, fueling him and reminding him of his sudden surge of emotion during his confrontation with the voice in his head. Lashing out, he struck the Clone across his helmeted face, the impact hard enough to crack the armor. Suddenly stirred up into a frenzy, Wraith grabbed the Clone and proceeded to punch him in the face over and over again. The others watched, frozen with fear, as Wraith mercilessly beat their comrade until the Clone's head was nothing more than a mess of blood, flesh and fragments of helmet. Breathing hard and shoulders heaving, Wraith stood up with a growl and shook off his bloodied fist before turning back to the screens without another word. The Republic prisoners were struck dumb by his sudden brutality, while some were greatly sickened by it.

"A word of caution, guys: don't irritate him. Okay?" Ahsoka quietly recommended. The Clones silently nodded in understanding.

* * *

 _Outside..._

"We should be due for an update in a little while." Anakin was saying. "Ahsoka said she'd update us before they made a move on Wraith. Once we have a sit-rep, we'll know what to do."

"Sir, what if there's bugs in there helping him?" Rex wondered. "For all we know they might've led him through some kind of secret tunnel we don't know about."

"We don't even know if there's any Geonosians in there to begin with." Anakin replied. "But it might be prudent for us to start poking around the building perimeter, just in case we missed something."

"Shall I assemble Torrent Company for a recon mission, sir?" Rex wondered.

"Yeah... do that." Anakin nodded.

* * *

 _Back inside..._

This was turning into a pretty hairy situation.

Wraith's new omniscient view of the factory premises had alerted him to the presence of Clone teams working their way around the perimeter. No doubt they were looking for another way in. What if there was something Wraith couldn't stop, an entrance he couldn't seal or if the Clones cut their way inside.

Wait... what if Skywalker used his lightsaber to open up the steel gate? That would certinaly be the end of him.

Possibilities of what could go wrong suddenly flooded his mind and Wraith breathed deeply, exhaling loudly as he tried to ease his mind and steady his thoughts. His nerves felt electrified, bundled up as though they were ready to snap. His body felt tense and taught, as though he were exerting himself to his limit even though he wasn't doing anything.

It suddenly occurred to him that he was stressed.

Wraith? Stressed? Those two words seemingly didn't belong together. And yet they were, with good reason too. This was as close as he'd ever come to failure...

Alright, the mission to Mygeeto and the detour to Brentaal came in pretty close, practically tied with right now for 'mission almost failed'. And there was also that one time on Honoghr when Bly had destroyed the SIP...

But neither of those missions involved Wraith in danger of getting captured.

This was something different entirely. In all of his missions and deployments, Wraith had never faced odds quite like this. He paused to reflect on his history, recalling his first undercover operation to Christophsis, his role in conquering Ryloth, his final trial on Felucia, his deployments on Malastare, Mandalore, Onderon, Muunilinst, Antazi, even here on Geonosis, his infamous mission to Tibrin, that one time on Gwori and that other time on Alderaan. He really had gotten around and had truly evolved from a simple science experiment into a deadly warrior. And on all of those occasions, even during his most trying times on Cono, Aefao, Saleucami and Mygeeto, he had never once backed down from a challenge and had always emerged victorious. It was practically his mandate: failure was not an option.

But that was then. The situations were different then. Now he was known and the Republic wanted him done for. He felt like this detour was not only a waste of his time but also an issue that could've been easily solved. He wished he could simply vanish and disappear from the Republic's line of sight, only to reappear and taunt them as he left. If only...

But wishes would not save him from his current reality. He still had his work cut out for him.

Rising to full height, Wraith turned and walked over to his captives, specifically the kneeling Ahsoka. Standing beside her, Wraith turned around and leaned against the wall before dropping to the ground with a sigh. Ahsoka curiously eyed him, wondering what he was up to.

" _You ever have one of those days where it seems like absolutely nothing is going your way?_ " He wondered aloud, not even looking at her.

"Yeah." She calmly replied.

" _Well, today is one of those days for me._ " He told her. " _Everything was going so smoothly until I tripped that one alarm._ "

"Maybe you shouldn't have tried that then."

" _I'd prefer you try to sympathize with me, rather than correct me._ " He responded. Both of them went quiet before Wraith tilted his head to glance at her. " _What was your 'nothing goes right' day?_ " He wondered. Ahsoka lightly chuckled at his question.

"Take your pick," she remarked, "Felucia, Ryloth, I screwed up a lot during my first few missions." She revealed, particularly remembering the entire naval affair she was involved in during the Republic's campaign to retake Ryloth. A moment of quiet ensued as Wraith remembered his own mission to the Twi'lek homeworld.

" _I was on Ryloth when the Separatists invaded._ " He spoke. " _I killed Ima-Gun Di and his Clone commander personally. Then I helped Wat Tambor pillage the surrounding villages, guarding him and his droids._ " Ahsoka turned to him, not only surprised that he had also been there but also a little upset that he was the one responsible for the death of Master Di.

"You mean you've been around for that long?" She finally said, not quite knowing what else to say.

" _Even longer. I'm older than you, that's for sure. I've been in this since the war started._ " Wraith replied, not willing to divulge any more information. There were Clones around after all. He turned to her. " _You don't sound repulsed by me. Are you feeling well?_ " He asked. Lost for words, Ahsoka quickly said whatever came to her mind. She hadn't been in such a situation before where words escaped her like this. This was truly a first.

"I guess it's just nice to be able to carry on a... 'normal' conversation with you. Let's me know you're not completely lost to the Separatists." Wraith sighed.

" _Please, not right now._ " He told her. " _This is as close as I've come to total failure. The last thing I need is you telling me I can switch sides whenever I want._ "

"What's so bad about failing? They say it's the best teacher and I believe it." Ahsoka responded, curious.

" _When perfection is what you've been designed to do, you can't really do much else._ " Wraith told her.

"You can always learn from your failures. Surely the Separatists understand that." She pressed, hoping he was still listening to her. He turned away from her, his gaze distant and his mind busy. She assumed he was worried about the kind of response he would received if he returned empty handed. "It's okay Wraith. It's okay to fail. You don't have to beat yourself up." She gently told him, cuffed hands reaching out and resting on his armored shoulder.

" _Your words are... reassuring._ " He quietly said. Feeling his body through the Force, Ahsoka could sense Wraith was feeling very tense. His emotions were running erratic, but his mind remained a closed door.

"You seem awfully tense." She stated.

" _I feel awfully tense._ " He replied. " _Your master has put me in a very precarious position. Then again, I'll bet you're no stranger to those... given you work with him everyday._ "

"Anakin has his moments. But he means well."

" _Riiiiiight._ " Wraith muttered. The captive Clones watched their interaction with curiosity and bewilderment. It seemed so incredibly odd to them that such a vicious opponent would just plunk himself down and have a casual chat with their Jedi commander.

Ahsoka felt the same thing.

"Why the sudden change?" Ahsoka asked. "First you go from irritable and angry, and now you're sounding tired and worn out." She was intrigued as to why he went from ready to murder someone, which he had done, to sounding so... spent. "Are you feeling okay? Did someone do something to you?" She asked. His response was quick.

" _No one can do anything to me unless I approve of it._ " But Ahsoka thought his words to be a cover-up for a deeper issue. She had seen this in other beings before and it appeared Wraith was no different when it came to psychological issues.

"Wraith... you don't have to suffer alone." She gently told him.

" _Thank you... but I'm not suffering._ " He replied. Thinking this conversation had lasted long enough, Wraith made to stand, the Clones following his every move.

"Who would've guessed The Wraith was such a sap." One of them joked.

"Yeah! What a softie! Better let the General know what his weakness is: a good conversation!" Another laughed. The other Clones started chuckling, finding the insult rather hilarious.

"You guys!" Ahsoka hissed, trying to avoid inciting Wraith.

But the damage had already been done. Wraith was mad

Stalking over to the second Clone who started speaking, Wraith delivered a swift kick that shattered the trooper's jaw. An impressive feat, considering the Clone was still wearing his helmet. Bits of armor had been buried in the Clone's skin while the lower half of his helmet had been crushed by Wraith's boot. Sputtering on the ground, Wraith rolled the Clone over with his foot before planting his foot on the trooper's throat.

"Please... h-have mercy..." The Clone rasped.

" _Towards you?_ " Wraith wondered scoffingly. " _Not a chance._ " Raising his foot, Wraith stomped down and crushed the Clone's neck, killing him instantly. Turning back to the other speaking Clone, Wraith drew his knife and promptly buried it in his head. As crimson fluids began to drip down the white armor, Wraith ripped out his blade and the dead Clone slumped over.

No enemy would mock him and get away with it.

Sheathing his weapon, Wraith turned back to the monitors and resumed his planning and plotting. The other Clones remained silent, mouths tightly sealed after watching the brutal murder of their comrades. While sickened by the violence, Ahsoka took the opportunity to observe something in her opponent. It seemed to Ahsoka that Wraith was on a real hair-trigger temper. He seemed really unstable today, clearly there was something going on in his head. She made a mental note to be really careful about anything she said to him. At that moment, the Geonosians returned.

"We have finished destroying the tunnel." They reported. Wraith turned about and nodded.

" _Good. There's something else I need you to do._ " He began.

* * *

Wraith's plan involved the Geonosians explaining the tunnel network they used to get around this factory. They had been using his place as a replacement home, since the Republic had made a very concerted effort to torch their hives and force them into submission. Once he had an approximate idea as to how their network functioned, Wraith tasked them with attacking the Republic troops circling the factory perimeter. Grateful for a chance to take revenge for their kind, the bugs accepted.

Rex and his men were scaling the rocks around the exterior of the building and had reached the rear of the facility when the droning of wings alerted them to the fact they were not alone. They looked to the skies as all twelve Geonosians dove down, sonic cannons blasting away. Rex quickly ordered the Clones into a defensive position and counterattacked. The Geonosians attacked fast and low, desire for revenge fuelling them.

But the Clones were prepared for such an eventuality.

Recalling the tips and tricks they had learned during the first battle of Geonosis, the 501st Legion troopers surrounded the advancing swarms and swiftly made quick work of them, killing half of the small swarm. The rest immediately surrendered, throwing their spears on the ground and putting up their hands. Deeming this a tactical achievement, Rex quickly summoned his General in order to inform him of the new development.

Wraith watched the whole thing from his station, confident at first but grew more and more irritated with each passing second as the Geonosians lost. When the remaining six threw up their hands in surrender, he lost it.

" _Gah! I can't believe this!_ " Wraith growled, slamming his fists down on the desk before him. He thought the Geonosians could be trusted, that they were capable warriors.

It appeared that wasn't the case.

"Hey, Seppie! How does it feel to lose?" One of the Clones jeered. The other Clones started chuckling, deeming his insult rather hilarious.

But Wraith did not.

Stalking over to the one who had spoke, Wraith promptly took hold of his head and proceed to rip it off, tearing away the Clone's head as he screamed in pain. Throwing away the head in disgust, Wraith watched the headless body fall, feeling some satisfaction as he watched blood spurt from the open neck. The Clone right next to him was horrified.

"Y-You... You just killed him! He was my friend!" He exclaimed.

" _Don't worry. I'm sure they'll make another one._ " Wraith curtly replied as he turned back to the monitors. He needed to plot out his next move, he had to keep the Republic out of here. The Geonosians would serve as a decent distraction to keep Anakin occupied. As long as a suitable amount of Clones left the area around his shuttle, he might be able to make a break for it. With a possible plan in motion, Wraith began to ponder his next move.

* * *

Anakin had forgotten how difficult communicating with Geonosians was.

When Rex had reported in that they had captured a group of six Geonosians, he was quick to make his way over. Determined to get one of them to talk, Anakin quickly called to mind his interrogation tactics when they had apprehended Poggle the Lesser.

But these Geonosians were stubborn. They weren't willing to say anything to the Jedi.

He'd asked them if they were working with Wraith, where he was hiding, what they were doing attacking the Republic, where did they come from and all sorts of questions.

By now, the Jedi was growing frustrated.

"These bugs are the most annoying creatures in the galaxy!" Anakin grumbled, turning to Rex.

"Gungans hold first place for me, sir." The Clone replied. "So the straightforward approach isn't working. Maybe we could coerce them."

"How?" Anakin wondered, eyebrow raised. "You mean... promise them something?" Rex shrugged.

"Geos are a simple species, surely it wouldn't take much." He added. Mulling over the option in his head, Anakin decided to give it a whirl. He walked back over to the kneeling insectoids, summoning the Force to interact with their minds so they understood him.

"If you tell me what I want to know, I promise you will be allowed to live in freedom." Anakin told them. "You won't have to hide any longer. You'll be able to do whatever you want." The Geonosians shared wary looks.

"You would do that for us?" One of them clicked.

"You have my word. We don't want you to live in fear, we want you to be free." Anakin replied as sincerely as possible. "We will let you go, as soon as you tell us what we want to know." The Geonosians proceeded to chat amongst themselves, quickly discussing Skywalker's offer.

Unlike Wraith, who needed them to do his work, the Jedi was promising them freedom to be themselves.

To them, it seemed like a better offer was in reach.

"The Separatist is hiding out in the central control room." They explained. "He had us help him kidnap the other Jedi and her men." Anakin was shocked.

So that's why Ahsoka hadn't called in yet.

The Jedi turned back to Rex, knowing there was only one way to find out for cortina if the bugs were telling the truth.

"Rex, contact Ahsoka! Now!" He ordered.

* * *

While he was deep in thought, Wraith was stirred from his planning when a series of beeps started to echo from the pile of confiscated equipment next to him. Dropping down and rifling through them, he quickly found the holocommunicator he had taken from Ahsoka. Wraith stood up as he realized Anakin was trying to get a hold of her.

" _Let's see what your master has to say._ " Wraith mused. Kneeling before Ahsoka he held up the holocom before her. " _Go ahead. Answer him._ " He instructed, switching on the device.

Waiting tensely for a reply, and really hoping the Geonosians were wrong, Anakin was relieved when Ahsoka finally appeared before him.

"Master!" She exclaimed.

"Ahsoka! Where are you?" Anakin urgently wondered. But the figure in his display suddenly changed as Wraith was revealed.

" _Ahsoka is in my clutches Skywalker. As is her Clone squad._ " He stated.

"Wraith." Anakin growled, his free hand balling into a fist. "I swear, if you do anything, anything at all to her, I will-"

" _You'll what? Make a bunch of empty threats you can't uphold? Typical._ " Wraith scoffed. " _Here's the deal Skywalker: Ahsoka will remain unharmed as long as you do what I say._ " Deeming it better to not risk anything out of the ordinary, Anakin relented.

"Fine. I'm listening." Beneath his mask, Wraith smirked.

" _You will allow me safe passage out of this factory, back to my ship._ " He began. " _You will also allow me to keep the data of have acquired from your listening post and you will also allow me to leave the planet and enter hyperspace without interruption. Fail to comply with either of these demands... and you will suffer the consequences._ " Anakin frowned.

"Are you threatening me?" He wondered.

" _Unlike you, I don't make threats. I make promises._ " Wraith retorted. " _I'll give you some time to think this over. But remember, I can do this all day._ " With that, Wraith ended the communication. Anakin grumbled in annoyance.

"This is going to be trouble." He muttered. "I wish we didn't have to bend to that bucket-head's every whim. But..." He trailed off, thoughts switching to how worried he was about Ahsoka.

"Don't worry sir. We'll come up with something." Rex reassured him. Having overheard the conversation, the Geonosians decided there might be something they could do.

"We have tunnels that lead inside the factory." The group leader explained. "We could get you inside." Anakin perked up upon hearing the bug's words.

"You would?"

"As long as the Republic promises to leave us alone."

"We will, I promise!" Anakin readily agreed. "Stand down men. Let the Geonosians up." He commanded the Clones guarding their prisoners.

* * *

It seemed like freedom would be within reach.

Wraith turned around and leaned back against the desk, ignoring the monitors behind him.

" _Looks like our little soirée is about to come to an end._ " He mused. " _As long as your master is smart and makes the right call. Then again, his intelligence has always been in question._ " He chuckled.

"Anakin would do anything for me." Ahsoka retorted.

" _I wouldn't go that far._ " Wraith growled. " _When push comes to shove, it's always a matter of saving your own skin before saving someone else's. Just you watch, Ahsoka, there will come a time when Anakin fails you... and then I will be the only one left for you to turn to._ " Ahsoka recoiled a little.

"That sounds way too creepy, coming from you." She stated. Wraith shrugged.

" _Reality sometimes is creepy. You can't expect everything to be normal all the time._ " Silence ensued as Wraith waited for Skywalker to call him back. It appeared the Clones had learned their lesson now and made no snide remarks or insults, the bodies of their dead a reminder of the consequences of such actions. Minutes passed by as Wraith patiently waited for Skywalker to make his decision. Drumming his fingers against the desk, Wraith decided the allotted time was almost up and was anticipating a call from Skywalker when the six Geonosians walked into the room. Feeling something was off, Wraith stood up, switched on his vocator and tossed the communicator aside.

" _You escaped?_ " He wondered, approaching them. The imprisoned Republic members looked on in surprise, also wondering how the Geonosians had returned. " _What happened?_ "

"The Republic made us a better offer." They explained. "We will be free, in exchange for giving them your location. They are coming now."

Wraith was shocked. The republic troopers were shocked.

" _You led them...?!_ " Wraith trailed off as the shock of the Geonosian's betrayal set in.

It was swiftly replaced by rage.

" _You lousy, useless...!_ " Wraith swore as he suddenly wrenched a spear from one Geonosian and promptly shoved it through the head of another. The Geonosians quickly recoiled as their fellow twitched in the the throes of death, the rest of them realizing they had made a grave mistake. Ripping the spear out, Wraith gripped it in one hand and plunged it into the body of another bug. He stabbed it over and over again, green blood splashing about as the frequent screams of the Geonosian filled the room. With the bug flat on its back and bleeding out from the multiple stab wounds, Wraith ripped the spear out and launched it, pinning a Geonosian to the wall with a spear through its head. " _Kriffing traitors!_ " He roared in their language. The remaining Geonosians quickly decided to vacate the area and took flight, believing their aerial abilities would give them an advantage over the raging Wraith.

But they were wrong.

Firing both grapples, Wraith dragged one bug back to him until it was close enough for him to stomp into the ground. Then he promptly tore off its wings before he ripped off its head, the Geonosian screaming all the while. Deploying his blades, Wraith lunged ahead and tore into the last Geonosian ripping it in half with a roar as his anger reached a new high.

By the end of it all, Wraith was covered in green Geonosian blood. Breathing heavily as his anger slowly abated, Wraith did his best to wipe off a few splatters from his jacket. He realized that Skywalker and Rex were not very far away and that he would need a new plan of action. Quickly forming one in his head, that was by no means good but certainly sufficient, he set about enacting it. " _Time for the backup plan._ " He rumbled, drawing his slugthrower. In methodical fashion, Wraith proceeded to execute each of the remaining Clones with single shots to the head, blood and brain matter staining the wall behind them.

"Wraith what are you doing?!" Ahsoka cried.

" _Going with my less than ideal solution._ " He replied walking over to her and taking her arm. " _Up you get._ " Pulling Ahsoka to her feet, Wraith had just enough time to pull her close before Anakin and Rex, accompanied by a crew of Clones, appeared where the Geonosians had been.

"Stand down Wraith!" Anakin ordered, lightsaber igniting as he spoke.

" _Not a chance!_ " Wraith shot back as he suddenly pressed his pistol against Ahsoka's lekku. The action caused everyone to freeze, looks of fear written across Anakin and Ahsoka's faces. " _I have had a pretty miserable day. So far, nothing has been going right. The data is mine and you are not getting it back! I will do whatever it takes to accomplish my mission._ " He growled, pressing the gun a little harder against Ahsoka. " _Don't think I won't do it._ " Anakin paused, carefully weighing the suddenly dangerous situation that had taken shape.

"You wouldn't. You like her too much." Anakin replied, trying to see if he could weaken Wraith's resolve.

" _There are two slugs left, one for your apprentice and one for your captain._ " Wraith stated. " _Neither of them have to die, but if they do then their deaths will be on your hands._ " He rumbled. " _You will have forced my hand._ " Anakin looked down at the bloody remains of the Geonosians.

"This is how you treat your allies? This is how you treat people who help you?"

" _This is how I treat traitors! Their reward is death!_ " The commando retorted. " _Now open the gate and let me pass and I will not harm Ahsoka._ " Anakin eyed him warily.

"How can I trust you?"

" _You said it yourself,_ " Wraith responded, " _I like her too much._ " Anakin said nothing further, carefully deciding between which was worth losing: the data or Ahsoka. Wraith also said nothing, his finger resting on the trigger of his slugthrower. Part of him didn't want to have to resort to this, but he knew that if he were to accomplish his mission he had no other choice.

But then, suddenly...

 _Woah, woah, WOAH! Time out! You are not doing what I think you're doing!_

" _For real?!_ " Wraith quietly growled. Now was not the time. Not the time for this voice to be pestering him... let alone return from his subconscious.

"Alright. You win." Anakin muttered. "Let Ahsoka go and we'll let you go."

" _She stays with me._ " Wraith replied. " _Take me to my ship and I will release her there._ " The Jedi sighed.

"Fine. Let's go."

* * *

The trade off had been incredibly tense but had proven successful.

Wraith was soon flying away from Geonosis, data secured and the Republic far behind him. Ahsoka was freed from her bonds and back alongside Anakin and Rex, regretting the loss of her men but grateful that Wraith had not resorted to any more extreme measures.

And that he hadn't taken her life.

She had noticed him to be very much on edge, his mind and actions to be turbulent and erratic, as if his emotions were careening out of control. During this encounter, she had seen him to be not the calm, calculating and precise soldier he had always been. But he had been far more impulsive and emotional.

And angry. Very angry.

Though he did his best to hide it during the lull in action and their conversations, Ahsoka could easily sense that he was irritated and moody. Like a lit fuse just waiting to blow.

There was something wrong with him. And she had to wonder who was responsible.

Wraith, on the other hand, was glad to be finally away from the Republic. After a tense few hours in what could only be described as a standoff, Wraith was happy with a little peace and quiet.

 _That was dumb, there were ten other moves you could've pulled and you know it! What is with you?_

Wraith sighed. Maybe it wasn't so peaceful or quiet right now.

He needed to do something to de-stress. After today, he was feeling way too tense and way too emotional.

He had to question why he was feeling so angry all of a sudden. Ever since the recent Mygeeto mission, he'd been feeling extra hostile and temperamental.

Maybe he was due for another psychological examination... hopefully Scipio could find out what was wrong with him this time.

* * *

 **Author's Note: As promised, teasers! Here's a look at what's on the horizon:**

 **-Rage...: Wraith's violent tendencies continue to grow as Scipio tampers with his emotions. But actions have consequences... how will the Republic respond to his increasingly brutal assaults?**

 **-TV Arcs: borrowing straight from the Clone Wars show, Wraith is about to embark on a few iconic escapades, including Ahsoka's misadventures on Wasskah and Florrum, the war for Mon Cala, the prison break at the Citadel, the mission to Zygerria and the Onderon Rebellion!**

 **-A few twists and turns...: Wraith is going to encounter some facts and situations that will shake him and change him... and (hopefully) leave you all slack-jawed!**

 **-She loves me, she loves me not...: Wraith dives deeper into his feelings for Ahsoka and the young Togruta will have to endure his flirtatious advances. But will she reciprocate or stay true to her Jedi teachings?**

 **Hopefully those will be enough for you all to keep reading and waiting for future chapters. They will be coming, that's a promise!**


	41. Scipio's Log 69666

Scipio's Log: Entry 69.666 - RGE-7

" _As one might guess, based on the name, this is the seventh variation of this solution. It has taken many tries, most of which were unsuccessful, before we arrived at the desired solution. It is part biological, part technological. It is a kind of bio-microchip, a programmable piece of organic material which in turn is capable of reprogramming organic material. Truly a great wonder of science, if I do say so myself._

" _The first chemical compound, when it was first called RGE, was designed to take control of the mind once proper aggression stimulus was applied. Essentially, once anger was introduced into the body, RGE would drive it to incredibly high levels and take control of the mind in the process. RGE would then continue to stimulate anger and rage within the body until the first sign of calm. From there it would digress and release its hold over the mind, allowing the subject to regain their functions._

" _However, that was only RGE-one. Six tries later, we have a far more refined compound._

" _RGE-seven acts like a kind of neurotransmitter, cutting into the normal neuro-pathways of the body and sending its own signals to the intended parts of the body. In this instance, RGE-seven helps promote and extend feelings of anger._

" _During the normal run of angry feelings in the body, a person may tense up, their flight or fight response kicking in, and suffer an increase in heart rate and blood flow. This provides a short burst of energy that will sustain the body for any strenuous activity. RGE-seven takes this much further and prolongs the effect of this energy burst while also having an effect on the mind. RGE-seven encourages the amygdala to continue producing feelings of anger and shuts out all other emotions in the process, forcing the brain to feel nothing but rage. This reduces all thoughts to the most feral level of existence and incites far more primal and feral instincts within the subject._

" _In Wraith, his anger has various levels. Starting at simple irritation and annoyance escalating all the way to full-on rage, it takes quite a bit for him to ascend to this level. But the effect is akin to a beaker boiling over, much like it is in all species. You reach a breaking point and then boom! But when Wraith reaches his breaking point and succumbs to this 'Feral Rage', RGE-seven amplifies it and its effects tenfold._

" _Perhaps this will give the Republic a fresh reason to fear The Wraith..."_

End of Log


	42. Seeing Red

**Author's Note: You know what, I'm going to play things safe and include a warning at the beginning of this chapter.**

 **The following chapter contains extreme violence. Reader discretion is advised.**

 **Okay, you've been warned. Onwards!**

* * *

-Chapter 22: Seeing Red-

Location: Jabiim

"Rage is a very deadly weapon... especially in the right hands."

The vial full of neon red liquid glowed brightly in Scipio's hands, illuminating his skin with its bright aura. The doctor smiled, pleased with the item he possessed.

"RGE-seven. It's a good thing I kept you around." He mused. Turning about, the Pau'an strode over to a nearby surgical table where Wraith was lying. His gear removed, a simple headpiece, designed to help reprogram his psychology, was all that remained. But the doctor took a moment to prep a pneumatic injector and empty the contents of his vial into it. With the red chemical ready for injection, Scipio carefully pressed the device against Wraith's neck and shot him full of the liquid. His vein glowed bright red for a moment before dissipating, as though nothing had changed. "Now to give it some time to settle in. Once fully implemented, it will be irreversible and the outcomes will be... astonishing." He breathed.

* * *

 _Hours later..._

Casually executing a series of one-armed pushups, Wraith wasn't even breaking a sweat as thirty-four became thirty-five. Then thirty-six. Then thirty-seven.

"Well, your physical prowess seems to be normal." Scipio mused, making notes on his datapad. "And after that last psychology exam would appear to indicate you are now completely healthy."

"Don't count on it." Wraith grunted, switching arms as soon as he reached forty. "The last time you said you cleared out that voice it just came back."

"You're quite right. I suppose I shall simply have to recalibrate your brain after each mission." Scipio replied, making another note.

"Just don't wipe my mind. I need what's in there." Wraith joked.

"Of course." Scipio responded with a smile as he set the datapad down. "Now remember what we've gone over when it comes to your emotions-"

"Only when necessary." Wraith interrupted. "A calm mind is a tactical mind... I think that's how you worded it."

"Correct. Use your anger only when necessary. If left unchecked, it will disturb your thought processes. There were at least fifteen different ways you could've handled the Geonosis situation, but because of your anger you acted only one way and it was a lot harder than the others." Scipio instructed.

"Got it." Wraith replied, still doing his pushups. "I'm feeling better, by the way."

"That is good to hear." Scipio mused. It appeared the injection offered no adverse side-effects. "If you could take a break for your routine, I have some new equipment for you." The doctor told him. Liking that statement a lot, Wraith promptly stood up and followed Scipio over to a nearby table. There he discovered his gauntlets, a new pair of gloves and a small cylindrical device waiting for him. Scipio started with the gauntlets. "As you can see, I have removed the harness that controls the triggering mechanisms for your blades and explosives. It's high-time you got a little more streamlined and less clunky." He explained.

"So how do I work them now?" Wraith asked. Scipio grinned as he held up the gloves.

"With these. Go on, put them on." He encouraged. Wraith did so, noting the bulky armor sewn in across the fingers and the tactile grips in the palms. The wrist band was also quite thick, leaving him wondering what exactly Scipio had done with them. "Tap the wrist. Anywhere is fine." He instructed. Wraith did so and was surprised when the band lit up blue. Glancing at his gauntlets, he realized the inside of their's wrists were also blue. "I've wired up the mechanisms to a wireless connection system in the wrists, which also ties in to a new electrical mesh that's now part of the layers in your gloves. You can make the same moves and they'll be read, perhaps with even quicker response time." Scipio explained, a grin growing on his face. While it all sounded good, Wraith had a question.

"I hope you've taken surge protection and electrical interference into account." He wondered, strapping the guards around his forearms.

"Of course! These run on a special frequency that comes from your gauntlet, which functions as its own unique power source. It is completely shielded and perfectly safe."

"Let's hope so." Wraith muttered, not liking the idea of having his greatest melee assets failing him in the heat of battle. Reaching out, he picked up the cylindrical device. "What's this?"

"A personal cloaking device. I managed to purchase one from Arakyd Industries; the makers of the chameleon probe droid." Scipio stated proudly. Wraith grew so excited he pumped his arm.

"I've been wanting one of these!" He grinned. Scipio chuckled.

"Yes, and now you'll be completely invisible to the naked eye. Along with some of the extras I've packed in there, this stealth field should render you invisible even to some scanners." He noted.

"Very nice." Wraith grinned. As he clipped it to his belt, Scipio continued.

"Also, I've installed one more feature into your gauntlet. Before you say anything, yes I know, it's getting quite full. But this one is worth while." He stated. "Flick your wrist down." Wraith did as he was told and his blade deployed. "Erm, not quite. I mean down to the side." Scipio clarified. Wraith retracted his blade and corrected his mistake, triggering a chip that was launched into his palm, connected by a thin piece of metal that molded to the contours of his hand. "I've taken the liberty to enhance one of your stun chips. Remember the power source I talked about? It generates electricity through the new circuitry in your gloves to help boost the shocking power, allowing you to deliver upwards of six-hundred and fifty volts with your hand alone!"

"This could do some serious damage. Not just to anything mechanical but to a Clone as well." Wraith surmised, nodding his head as he glanced over the powerful device.

"Correct." Scipio replied. "Now, you'll have a perfectly good time to test these on your next mission. You're off to Jabiim!" The Pau'an announced. The name registered with Wraith instantly. It was one of the bigger warzones and was almost as hotly contested as Felucia was. Scipio retrieved Wraith's folded jacket with his helmet on top. "Fully cleaned and calibrated, ready to go." He informed him.

"You're the best, Doc." Wraith grinned as he started suiting up. "Gotta look my best for the locals. The Republic had their chance with Jabiim, but they came to us for help instead. Time to show them we're nothing like their former governors." He mused.

"Indeed. Flex a little Separatist muscle and show the Republic no mercy!" Scipio added, putting some extra flair in his normal pep talk.

" _When have I ever shown them mercy?_ " Wraith shot back as he donned his helmet and powered it up.

"Either my memory's going or you never have." Scipio replied with a smirk. "Count Dooku wants you to put a stop to the two-twelfth battalion and keep them from making any further advances."

" _Kenobi. This should be interesting._ " The commando mused.

"I should hope so. Now get going, you've got work to do." Scipio added, shooing him out the door. Wraith chuckled as he left, flexing his glove and wondering how he might best put his new tools to good use. But little did he know he still had one more upgrade...

An upgrade that was inside of him.

* * *

An Outer Rim world located in the Phelleem Sector along the Triellus Trade Route, Jabiim was a very wet world. The reason being, out of all the days in a standard year, only five of them had no rainfall. The terrain was very muddy and constantly shifted with the daily torrential downpour. These storms were very electrical in nature and some would suggest they were responsible for the planet's unstable electrical field, which was notorious for rendering repulsorcraft useless. Jabiim had joined the CIS out of contempt for the Republic, due to some incidents taking place before the official start of the war. Trandoshan bandits and Lythian Pirates had sacked and murdered their way around the planet in years past, leaving a bloody trail behind.

Reptilian scum. Wraith certainly wouldn't mind putting an end to such an ugly and cowardly species. It's not that he was prejudiced, but he did have a slightly softer spot for those who were more near-human in appearance. Animals like Trandoshans were only good for covering his blades in their blood.

When the locals had cried out to the Republic for aid, they received nothing. This alone was enough incentive for them to turn to the Separatists when the war began. Now that they had left the Republic, only then did the other side realize what they were missing out on. Jabiim was rich in ore beneath its muddy surface, something Separatist droid manufacturers needed in great abundance. It was a fair exchange for aid and protection.

But even if you were a Republic world once, the Republic always considered you one of their own and would stop at nothing to take you back. Especially when you had resources the Republic needed.

Thus erupted the battles for Jabiim.

Separatist and Republic forces had clashed on numerous occasions. The fighting was fierce as both sides did their best to control the world. Right now, the Republic had made several major advances thanks to the presence of General Obi-Wan Kenobi and the 212th Attack Battalion. They had pushed ahead hard, forcing the Separatists to retreat.

Now it was Wraith's turn to push them back.

As his shuttle descended to his newest destination, it appeared like he had gotten lucky and had been sent here on one of the days where it was not raining. This would work well for him, hopefully. He still had mud to deal with, but he may yet find an opportunity to use his cloaking device. He set down a short distance from a nearby settlement, where droids milled about as they turned it into a base of operations. Disembarking from his ship, Wraith immediately stepped into mud.

It was impossible not to, there was mud everywhere.

His comms booted up as someone contacted him. It was Dooku.

"Afternoon, solider. I trust you're feeling well." He greeted.

" _Never better, sir. Ready to get to work._ "

"I have spoken with the resident commanders prior to your arrival. They are expecting you." Dooku informed him. "Seek out Alto Stratus, he will tell you what to do."

" _Understood._ " Wraith replied as the communication ended. With his orders in mind, Wraith started jogging towards the Separatist camp. He bypassed numerous battle droids as they tromped about, fortifying their position and pulling their weight in the effort to maintain Jabiim. The man in question, Alto Stratus, was the leader of the Jabiim Nationalists, the party responsible for aligning the world with the CIS. A man of average build, sporting long blonde hair and a matching beard, Alto was known for being both a powerful and respected leader and a skilled and deadly warrior.

With a simple description like that, Wraith already liked the man.

He found him standing over a holomap, his bright red cape and the sword in his belt a dead giveaway. The human looked up as he approach, expression denoting surprise and intrigue as the commando drew nearer.

"Given you don't look a thing like anyone else around here, I'd say the higher-ups sent you." He greeted.

" _Alto Stratus. Count Dooku tells me you were informed of my arrival._ " Wraith replied. Alto's eyes widened a little.

"Then you are The Wraith? The one the Republic fears?"

" _I most certainly am._ " The commando nodded. " _I have been sent on behalf of Count Dooku to aid your fight against the Republic._ "

"This is good. Very good. Jabiim may feel hope once more, now that you're here." Alto stated, sounding very grateful Wraith was here.

" _You showed your people the truth about the Republic and rallied them to the Separatists. If anything, they should feel hope so long as you are here._ " Wraith replied, resting a hand on Alto's shoulder. " _I know who you are. I know all about you. I couldn't have asked for a better assignment._ " Alto smirked a little.

"Your words are kind and reassuring." Extending his hand, the two shook, immediately becoming trustworthy allies. Another voice joined their conversation.

"Ah, my master's favorite solider." Hearing the newcomer, Wraith turned about and came face to face with a pale-skinned bald woman, wearing dark blue and gray robes. It didn't take him long to recognize her.

" _I know you. You are his apprentice, Asajj Ventress._ " He commented.

"I am. And I am the commander of the armies here." The Dathomiri woman replied.

" _Then that would make you my superior officer._ " Wraith noted, snapping to attention. " _I am yours to command._ " Ventress smiled, her blue-gray eyes gleaming as plans came to her mind.

"Excellent! I take it you have met Commander Stratus." She inquired.

"Just now." Alto replied. "I have a few ideas as to where we could use him best, Commander Ventress."

"Do explain, Commander." Ventress replied, walking around the holotable. Alto highlighted a particular ridge, next to a valley and surrounded by what appeared to be a settlement.

"General Kenobi's forces have taken the southeastern territory, effectively flanking us. We need to clear them out so we can make our big push. I'd prefer it if our forces could be focused in one area and not spread out." Wraith eyed the holomap as his optics scanned over the depicted terrain, mentally preparing himself for the coming battles. "If half the stories they tell about you are true," Alto continued.

" _And they are._ " Wraith responded.

"Then we'll need you to clear out the Republic forces amassing in this region."

" _They must be organizing a frontal assault. They want you gone, but they'll have to go past me first._ " He mused.

"Thank you can handle it?" Ventress asked.

" _I beat the so-called Chosen One to a pulp. A Clone army will be a cinch._ " Wraith replied. He looked up to his two commanders. " _With your permission, I'll be going now._ " They nodded in agreement.

"Go forth and bring us victory Wraith." Ventress commanded him. With a quick salute, Wraith bolted out of the camp at a sprint.

* * *

Mud was splattered across his boots and the fringes of his coattails. Blood was pumping hot through his veins, stamina running on high as Wraith sprinted across the muddy terrain of Jabiim. It was overcast, gray clouds covering the expanse of the sky as a cold wind whipped across the plains. But still he bounded across them, never stopping until he reached his objective.

He had briefly spoken with Scipio, informing him of his recent objective. His doctor had offered him a quick breakdown of Jabiim's culture, explaining how there were plenty of small settlements but no sprawling capital cities. This would mean large open ground in plenty when it came to fighting the Republic. Wraith would not have to worry about urban warfare today.

But he would have to worry about something else very soon.

As he sprinted, the super-commando was spotted by a small unit of Clones out on reconnaissance. They were quick to identify him and alerted their commander: Clone Marshal Cody of the 212th Attack Battalion. Upon hearing this news, Cody immediately reported this detail to General Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"General, I've just received word from our forward scouts. The bulk of the Separatist forces haven't moved yet, but The Wraith has arrived and he's been spotted heading towards our front lines." Cody informed him. The Jedi sighed and stroked his beard.

"I should've anticipated this. The Separatists wouldn't let such a high-value target like Jabiim slip away without a fight." Now he had an even bigger problem on his hands. Taking back a Separatist world from locals who had deliberated seceded from the Republic was one thing. Fighting an army of courageous nationalists alongside thousands of battle droids and the Republic's enemy number one was another.

Obi-Wan had a real situation on his hands.

"We'll just have to think our way through this General. Remember what Commander Thrawn had to say?" Cody reminded him.

"Right. Right..." Kenobi mumbled as his mind went work developing a plan. "Well, it's obvious taking him head on doesn't work. That's been tried too many times." He mused. The Jedi paused again, still thinking things over. "However, if we could head him off and force him to fight the way we want him to, we might be able to gain the upper hand." He theorized. Cody leaned closer, giving Obi-Wan his full attention.

"What do you recommend, General?"

"Cody, we'll take the majority of our forces and have them engage The Wraith, but not before our artillery strike him first. A good bombardment might very well be the key to his undoing." The Clone nodded as he understood the Jedi's train of thought.

"I see it, sir. Soften him up and then we deliver the final blow."

"It's worth a shot. I have a feeling his suit may have been designed to keep him safe from thermal ordinance... but maybe not electrical. Let's see if our anti-droid armaments can't do some damage to him."

"Roger that sir. I'll see to it the forward men are properly armed." Cody replied and moved to obey.

* * *

Wraith's stamina was proving very handy.

He had crossed what felt like many miles of terrain, rolling plains passing by as he sprinted onwards. Surely the Republic were not far away now. He certainly hoped they were, he was itching for a full on fight. After several missions involving infiltrations, close-quarters combat and sneaking around, Wraith felt due for a full-on battle. Arriving at the top of a ridge, Wraith was greeted with the sight of a valley right before him and a distant Clone army not far away. Sliding to a halt, the commando scanned over the approaching army and quickly made note of the several mobile artillery pieces not far behind the Clones.

They were moving out earlier than anticipated.

For a moment, the commando considered informing Stratus and Ventress of the recent development. But he thought better of the situation and decided his mission was going to start just a little earlier. Surely Kenobi was trying to make an early move and Wraith's presence surprised him.

But little did he realize that the Republic had been waiting for them.

The moment Kenobi spied the dark-blue figure appear on the horizon, he ordered his troops down into the valley as the Clones manning the turrets found their mark and opened fire.

The commando looked up as shells were lobbed at him. Four at a time. Wasting no time, Wraith started sprinting away from the shells, his survival instincts kicking in as he made to dodge the incoming barrage. Leaping and rolling as high-caliber rounds exploded behind him, Wraith soon grew covered in mud as he ran. One shell landed too close behind him, the explosion propelling Wraith through the air, kicking up chunks of mud and dirt in its wake. Taking control of his flight and rolling to a crouch, Wraith decided there was an easier way to do this. Reaching for the new device on his belt, Wraith triggered the cloaking device and promptly shimmered out of sight. Obi-Wan was quite shocked.

"Well, that's new." He muttered, realizing his foe had evolved once more. "Cody, use your EMP grenades and flush him out!" He radioed.

"Copy that General." Cody affirmed. "Forward lines! Droid poppers away!" He commanded. The Clones up front quickly retrieved the small, spherical devices from their belts, armed them and pitched them high into the air. Arcing high and flung far forward, the grenades detonated before they hit the ground, creating a storm of electromagnetic energy. Within said storm, a figure was illuminating by the sparking blue energy, keeling over as his invisibility field shimmered and powered down. Smoking and steaming with electricity rippling across his body, Wraith forced himself to his feet with a groan as he quickly took stock of his situation.

" _Dammit..._ " he growled, " _I don't believe this._ " Of all the times for his cloaker to fail, especially during its first use.

Obi-Wan, however, was quite pleased.

"Well, that went surprisingly well." He mused with a grin. "Commander, begin your assault." He instructed Cody.

Wraith shook his head as his optics finished recalibration. He could still see, but his cloaker was out of commission. Looking up, he discovered a massive line of Clones bearing down on him, weapons armed and ready to fire. Wraith quickly activated his comms and they chirped to life as the first few shots streaked past him.

" _Doc, you there?_ " Wraith radioed, holding up his gauntlet to block the next barrage of blue blaster bolts.

"I'm here. What's the situation?"

" _Kenobi's ordered a massive portion of his troops down into this valley with me, way ahead of where they're supposed to be. I need you to keep an eye on the rest of the southeastern territory and make sure the Republic doesn't try anything while I'm pinned down._ " He explained.

"Just cloak and get out of there!" Scipio replied.

" _Tried that, they hit me with electrostatic explosives that shorted out the cloaker._ " Wraith retorted, a slight edge to his voice.

"Oh..." Scipio trailed off. "Well, kriff. I'll have to work on that." He muttered. "Any chance you can just... get out of there?" Wraith quickly scanned over the surrounding area, eyeing up the environment. It was all the same.

" _The terrain's too muddy and I'm surrounded by sloped hills, nothing for my grapples to stick to. I'm gonna have to fight my way out._ " He reported.

"Can you try to just leave?" Scipio suggested.

" _Negative. I'd be dodging too much laserfire in the process and have a whole host of duplicates on my tail. Just do me a favor and keep tabs on the rest of the battlefield. I'm going to be here for a while._ " Wraith replied, rolling his shoulders and reaching for his carbine. Scipio mulled over the situation before them. Time was of the essence and Wraith needed to secure that control point. While he had great faith in his creation to be able to overcome armies of any number, Scipio knew Wraith needed to get out of this situation. Alone against so many Clones, now seemed like the perfect time to test out his other enhancement. Scipio quickly recalled the facts about the red chemical coursing through Wraith's blood, knowing it would take some 'encouragement' to kick in. Wraith was not nearly angry enough, the simple presence of Clones not enough stimulus for the drug to trigger. Scipio would have to verbally anger Wraith.

And he knew just the topic of discussion to get him going.

Choosing to leave behind his scientific veneer in exchange for... cruder language, Scipio developed a few simple phrases to begin with. It was time for him to work some magic.

"I'd be willing to bet that Togruta you're so infatuated with is really just a Jedi slut." Scipio suddenly stated. The words took Wraith by surprise, stopping him in his tracks.

" _W-What?_ " He muttered under his breath.

"You know what else? I bet she and Skywalker are in some kind of illicit relationship." The doctor continued.

" _N-No..._ " Wraith hoarsely whispered, trying to deny what Scipio was saying. Little did he know just how susceptible and vulnerable this area of his mind was to the influence of his doctor... who was currently sowing seeds for something to come. " _That's... That's not true..._ "

"Oh yes! And I bet she services General Kenobi quite a bit as well. If you know what I mean by 'servicing'." Wraith couldn't believe what he was hearing. His mind overrode all logical trains of thought and began developing all kinds of images and situations, bringing to life the things Scipio was describing, things that could very well be true... just as Scipio had predicted. Those thoughts and images angered him and began fuelling the ignition of the RGE-7 drug. All the doctor had to do was keep Wraith going until the ignition was complete.

And then he would be unstoppable.

"In fact it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if she's got something going on with Captain Rex as well! She probably gets around the whole army... and probably the rest of the Jedi Order too." He remarked, knowing Wraith was growing angrier and angrier with each passing moment.

Maybe this whole infatuation with Skywalker's apprentice could be used to their advantage.

" _Argh!_ " Wraith growled as he dropped his carbine and clutched his head, his thoughts slowly being overwritten as anger began to consume him. He could imagine the things Scipio was happening... and he did not like them one bit.

"She's probably no better than those dancing girls in a Hutt palace!" Scipio continued, raising his voice to emphasize his words. "That's all Ahsoka is Wraith: a Jedi whore!"

That did it.

Pushed over the edge by the images in his mind, Wraith's anger grew to the point where it completely ignited the chemical in his body and his anger was replaced with pure, unadulterated rage.

To put it bluntly, Wraith snapped.

" _RRRRAAAAAGGGHHHH!_ " The commando bellowed a mighty roar as all cognitive thought gave way to the single goal of lashing out at anything around him that moved. Coherent, rational thought gave way to primal and feral instincts. The purest form of rage filled Wraith's body and mind, transforming him from a tactical commando into a truly unstoppable beast.

He was absolutely incensed.

Words and speech disappeared, replaced with animalistic growls. Wraith was seeing pure red, desiring only to kill and destroy as his strength was increased tenfold. Rushing forward he slugged a Clone across the face with so much force his neck snapped. Burrowing a powerful left hook in the Clone's face, the force of his blow was so intense it absolutely destroyed his helmet, reducing it to shards as the Clone's face was practically torn off. Turning on another Clone, Wraith delivered a hard punch to the midsection, fist passing through the Clone as an incredible amount of force powered his attack. Grabbing the Clone's spine, Wraith promptly tore it out with a shower of blood. Obi-Wan froze in place as he bore witness to the sudden butchering of his men, appalled by the surge of incredible violence on display before him. Stark fear shot through his body as Wraith bellowed again, the commando's body shaking as pure anger consumed him while he ripped another Clone in two. His thunderous roar was enough to put even Obi-Wan on edge. As far away as he was, the Jedi could feel Wraith's power rattling his bones.

This was a mistake. They weren't fighting a man... they were fighting a monster.

"Back up! Back up! Back up!" The Jedi cried into his comms, urging his Clones to retreat. "Cody! Order your men to retreat! Now!" The commander was quick to issue the order and the Clones nearest to Wraith were already backtracking out of sheer terror. His newfound fury was enough to shake even the staunchest of veterans, filling them with fear as those who were closest tried to fight him off with their blasters only to be reduced to bloody corpses. Those near the rear of the platoon were able to escape the quickest and Cody ordered them back to their original lines. The entire army was forced into retreat, not wishing to stick around any longer with such a dangerous creature on the loose.

But not all were so lucky.

Some were incapable of escaping, slipping and falling in the mud. Others were simply too close to the monster while others tried to make a stand and give their comrades an opportunity to escape. While many of the 212th managed to join the retreat, not all of them did.

Those left behind were trapped with the furious Wraith.

The commando ripped Clones apart, tearing limb from limb as bodies began to fall in droves and blood began to water the muddy ground.

The army didn't stand a chance.

Wraith wanted nothing more than to kill the people in his head, the ones who were violating _his_ favorite Jedi. But he couldn't see straight, red clouding his vision as the most intense anger he'd ever felt took control of his actions and drove him to lash out at everything around him. His mind was powerless as he was taken over by a blinding, overpowering, all-consuming, crimson rage that completely dominated his thoughts.

 _Kill...!_

Spurred on by his newfound rage, Wraith ripped apart another Clone with his bare hands, blood and innards spilling everywhere.

 _Kill!_

Another two Clones fell dead as their heads were torn off, his brute strength enough to tear flesh and bone to pieces.

 _KILL!_

Launching into a total frenzy, Wraith butchered everyone around him, hands rending limbs from bodies and tearing flesh apart like it was nothing. Blood saturated the ground as pieces of innards and bodies began to cover the ground while the screams of dying Clones grew fewer and fewer. The last few Clones fared the worst, suffering from the absolute peak of his rampage. Wraith tore them open with his bare hands before he split their carcasses apart, their bodies no longer recognizable as he shredded their flesh.

In the end, there was nothing left of the remaining Clones. The poor troopers had been reduced to chunks of bloodied flesh and thoroughly mutilated corpses. Bits and pieces of them were strewn throughout the valley, bones and innards sitting in massive puddles of blood. The ground around him looked like something out of a hellscape, like some kind of demonic plain where corpses and body parts were one with the bloody scenery.

Speaking of blood, Wraith himself was completely covered in Clone blood. Splatters smeared his body from head to toe, staining his helmet and nearly soaking through his jacket. The mud could hardly be seen now, it had been replaced with a thick layer of crimson.

It was a good look, especially since he was trying to achieve a "fearsome visage". He never thought he'd create it quite like this. With his body heaving, breath coming in growls like some predatory animal, Wraith slowly began to descend from his state as his fury abated. The red slowly disappeared from his vision as his mind took control of his body once again.

* * *

Meanwhile, Scipio, having silently keyed up Wraith's visual live feed, quietly observed with a calculating gaze as his creation's rampage unfolded. He took note of every move, ensuring every action was recorded for further study.

After all, this was technically the first officially field test of RGE-7.

Picking up his datapad, the doctor jotted down a few notes.

"Feral rage completed. Cycle lasted approximately six minutes. RGE-seven injection successful. RGE-seven field test successful." He casually said out loud.

* * *

Wraith was himself again... sort of.

He fell to his knees, a sick feeling forming in his stomach as his body tried to return to normal after having experienced such incredible fury.

" _What... the hell... was that?_ " He breathed, trying hard to collect his thoughts and process what he had just endured.

"Are you well, my boy?" Scipio's voice echoed through his helmet. "Can you hear me?"

" _Yeah... Yeah..._ " Wraith growled, finally gathering his senses. " _Doc. The... The last thing I remember was you talking..._ " Suddenly, Wraith remembered the words Scipio had been saying to him.

He'd called Ahsoka a whore, a slut, said she probably slept around... a lot.

He wasn't sure if he could get angry again. But with visions and words like that in his head it certainly seemed possible.

" _What were you saying...?_ " Wraith asked him, working on keeping his composure. He was uncertain if his body could handle another overload of anger.

"Nothing to worry about my boy. Now I believe you've got somewhere to be." Scipio calmly replied.

" _Right..._ " He panted. Forcing himself to his feet, Wraith staggered over to his discarded rifle and picked it up, sheathing it on his back once more. As he did, he eyed the blood and body-strewn landscape around him. " _Damn._ " He muttered. " _I did... all of this?_ " He absentmindedly wondered.

As much as he liked carnage, he found it hard to believe even he was capable of doing something like this.

Shaking his head and giving his helmet a few whacks in an effort to knock the lingering haze out of his mind, Wraith rolled his shoulders and moved on once more.

* * *

In hindsight, Wraith deemed the battle to have been quite successful.

Hunting down the remnants of Kenobi's army was easy, they hadn't gone very far and were still quite terrified of him. After a quick communication to Stratus, informing him the Republic was weakened and vulnerable, Wraith dove headlong into the Clone masses.

He held his own, truly living up to the moniker of a 'one man army', gunning down Clones and gutting them with his blades. Fury hung on the fringes of his attacks, the leftovers from his descent into primal ferocity. They accented his strikes and gave personality to him, his fighting style focused and calculated yet born of hatred and anger. The Clones did their best to fight back as Wraith challenged the remnants of his Feral Rage into fulfilling his orders of pushing Kenobi away.

But having been recently empowered, he did a bit more than just 'push them back'.

The entire time, his thoughts were chaotic. Periodic images and suggestions, birthed from Scipio's taunting, shot through his mind. They served to build his anger and his frustration, which he gladly took out on the hapless Clones. But it still worried him as to why Scipio would say such things. Did he know something for certain? Was he spouting off rumors about what was going on behind the scenes of the Republic? Surely the doctor said nothing without there being a point behind it. The very notion of the possibility of Ahsoka suffering such things sparked Wraith's anger, admittedly not quite to the point it had been but very close to it. These thoughts fueled his bloodlust as he fought on, battling Clones with a seemingly endless supply of strength and stamina.

He would not be without help, though. Alto had ordered A71, a specially designated A-series assassin droid, to aid his fight and Wraith soon had the help of a company of assassin droids by his side. Together they overwhelmed Kenobi's forces and as A71 and his droids took down Commander Cody, Wraith went toe-to-toe with Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The Jedi was ready and waiting for him and the instant his eyes connected with Wraith's optics, Obi-Wan rushed him.

Wraith stalked towards his foe amid the chaos, ignoring the bodies of Clones on the ground as his Jedi opponent drew nearer and nearer. Obi-Wan was rushing forward, tightening his grip on his lightsaber. He sought to avenge his men, those brutally cut down during Wraith's bout of rage. The Jedi was stern-faced, his mind ablaze with Force-guided tactics and plans, ready to engage the foe who had leveled his army. The blood-soaked armor adorning the super-commando more than enough reason for him to do battle.

Wraith too was ready. Ready to fulfill the promise he made to Kenobi long ago on Tibrin.

His blood would join Skywalker's. And his name would be added to the list of mighty Jedi The Wraith had laid low.

As the Jedi leapt ahead and poised his blade to strike, Wraith formed his own plan of attack. Ducking low, the blue-bladed saber hummed inches above his head, the heat radiating from the blade evident even within the confines of his helmet. Springing back up, Wraith delivered a hard right cross, fist colliding with Obi-Wan's face. His movements were fast and fluid, no matter how advanced and proficient Obi-Wan was, Wraith was always one step ahead of him. The armor around his knuckles dug deep into flesh as the momentum of his blow propelled Obi-Wan away. Summoning the Force to dull his senses, Kenobi shrugged off the blow and moved to attack again. But with ridiculous ease Wraith sidestepped his overhead swing and connected a left hook with Obi-Wan's face. The second blow rattled Obi-Wan, stunning him for a moment.

But a moment was all Wraith needed.

Punch after punch battered Obi-Wan, blow after blow to his head beating the Jedi Master black and blue. Winding up and delivering a hard straight punch, the crunch of bone resounded as the Wraith broke Kenobi's nose. Blood spurted from both of Obi-Wan's nostrils, seeping into his beard and mustache. Wraith followed up with a hard uppercut, knocking Kenobi onto his back and forcing him to drop his lightsaber. Not wasting an opportunity to inflict further pain, Wraith pounced on his fallen victim, grabbing Kenobi's fighting arm and promptly broke the wrist with a vicious twist. The Jedi cried out in pain as he was thrown on his back and Wraith's hands wrapped around his throat. Gasping for air as he was choked, Obi-Wan fought against Wraith's hold on him, struggling to free himself as Wraith's grip grew tighter and tighter. Images wrought from Scipio's taunting passed through his mind, recalling how he'd suggested Obi-Wan might've done things, physical things, to Ahsoka. Such thoughts nearly sparked his rage up once more, only to be quelled by the notion that Kenobi was better off in a prison than in a body bag. Releasing one hand, Wraith balled it into a fist before delivering a hard punch right to the temple, effectively knocking out the already weakened Jedi. Obi-Wan fell from Wraith's grip and crumpled into a heap on the ground, leaving the growling commando towering above him. A71 and his droids, with Cody already subdued and in their clutches, picked up the Jedi and hauled him off as the remnants of the 212th ran off, back to the main Republic force.

Wraith returned with A71 and was greeted by both Alto and Ventress, the former who looked on in slight dismay at Wraith's bloody uniform while Ventress regarded him with a keen grin. After recapping what happened and explaining how Jabiim was now almost certainly in Separatist hands, Wraith bid farewell to the two commanders and departed, destined to return home to his secret base. There was another matter on his mind, however, one that demanded his immediate attention.

He was going to have words with Scipio.

* * *

 _Some time later..._

Said Pau'an doctor was busy fine-tuning a few calculations as a holographic representation of Wraith's cloaker stood before him on the holotable. The clank of metal boots against the floor announced his arrival. The doctor stood up from his work.

"Ah, glad to see you're back-" Scipio started to say as he turned to greet his soldier. But he suddenly found Wraith's hand wrapped around his throat and was promptly hoisted into the air.

" _If you know anything, anything that could possibly be true, then you need to tell me so the right heads can roll!_ " Wraith growled, giving Scipio the hardest death glare through his optics. Scipio suddenly clued in as he realized Wraith was still upset over his descriptors of Ahsoka. Deeming this something Dooku did not need to know about, Scipio proceeded to tell Wraith the truth.

"I swear to you, my boy, I simply fabricated everything I told you!" He gasped. "I don't know if any of it is actually true!" This was fact. Scipio had come up with those accusations in the spur of the moment, believing they would incite him. It worked, but Scipio had no idea such things would become so ingrained in his mind.

Maybe Wraith's attraction to Ahsoka ran even deeper than he realized.

" _I hope so._ " The soldier muttered as he dropped Scipio back to the ground. " _As much as I don't buy any of that for a moment, it wouldn't surprise me if they would force her to do such things._ " He growled. " _Cursed Jedi... Cursed Republic... And what was that... that rage?_ " He demanded.

"Oh, yes. That." Scipio coughed as he straightened himself out. "After observing your, shall we say, emotional state on Geonosis, I pondered the possibility of-"

" _What. Is. It?_ " Wraith interrupted. " _Not 'how', but 'what'?_ " Seeing his creation was in a foul mood, Scipio cleared his throat and explained.

"It is a chemical compound designed to accelerate feelings and the emotional output of rage." Wraith cocked his head.

" _What was all that 'calm mind is a tactical mind' you were telling me earlier today for then?_ " He demanded. " _First you tell me to watch my emotions, now you're turning me into a berserker?_ " Pausing to let his words sink in, Wraith continued moments later. " _As much as going berserk may warrant favorable outcomes, you're starting to sound like a Jedi, Doc._ " His remark offended Scipio.

"No need to throw insults about, my boy! I was just trying to... surprise you, is all." He replied. Wraith huffed in annoyance before stomping off, Scipio adjusting his ruffled collar as Wraith ditched his armaments on a nearby table.

" _I'm gonna have a shower._ " He announced, walking off and still wearing his bloody armor. The Pau'an watched him leave, several curious thoughts arising in his mind.

Maybe Wraith needed yet _another_ psychological evaluation.

Maybe he needed to give voice to his thoughts in another log, someplace where he could simply speak and vent what was on his mind.

Despite his victory and the successful use of RGE-7, Scipio had a feeling this was no upgrade for Wraith at all. Instead of improving his creation, he had seemingly destabilized it.


	43. Wraith Versus the Super Army (Part 1)

**Author's Note: Alright, found a moment of quiet and managed to get some writing done, which resulted in the completion of this chapter! Special shoutout to SAK-96 and his many many ideas. This one is slightly older, but was something I really wanted to make happen. Hopefully you'll find it as cool as I did!**

* * *

-Chapter 23: Wraith Versus The Super Army Part 1-

Location: Diado

"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it."

Coruscant, the office of the Supreme Chancellor...

The news from Jabiim was making waves at the center of the Galactic Republic.

The incredible defeat of the 212th Attack Battalion and the capture of both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Commander Cody was both startling and worrisome. It certainly appeared as though Jabiim would remain firmly under control of the Separatists and that the Republic would not find a victory there. But the loss of one of the Republic's finest Generals was definitely a blow to morale.

Something Chancellor Palpatine was all too well aware of.

Reports had been coming in from the surviving Clones, detailing the arrival of The Wraith as the cause of their defeat. But they brought with them some positively terrifying tales about Wraith entering some kind of 'berserker state' in which he lashed out at anyone and everything around him, ripping Clones apart with his bare hands. Those who had survived had been forced to bear witness to the sight of their brother's shredded bodies strewn across the ground, blood, innards and bone scattered around the blood-soaker Separatist commando.

It all sounded quite ghastly.

Hence the reason for this emergency meeting. It was of utmost importance that Obi-Wan be returned to them at once, but now it appeared that the Wraith was becoming an even greater threat. If such a prestigious army like the 212th could be literally ripped to pieces, surely it would not be long before Wraith took the fight to Coruscant. Chancellor Palpatine surrounded himself with the best possible people for dealing with both of these situations, them taking the form of Anakin Skywalker, High General Mace Windu and visiting Commander Thrawn of the Chiss Ascendancy.

The group of four met with Palpatine in his private office in the Senate Building where the Chancellor laid forth the facts and the needs now presented to them.

"Jabiim has proven to be a costly battlefield, but also one where we might take the knowledge gleaned from our failures and apply them to practical solutions." He was saying.

"I get the feeling you've chatting with our resident visiting commander lately." Anakin mused.

"Commander Thrawn has been most helpful in deducing the nature of The Wraith. His insights and discoveries are unmatched, even by our own intelligence divisions." Palpatine replied.

"Such high praise is not necessary, Supreme Chancellor." Thrawn quietly replied. "I simply wish to do my part, if only to help keep The Wraith away from Csilla. Such death and destruction I would rather not befall my people."

"Which is exactly why I've asked you all here." Palaptine continued. "It has been reported that Obi-Wan Kenobi has been incarcerated on the world of Rattatak." He told Anakin. "General Skywalker, I will leave a rescue mission in your capable hands." He instructed.

"That won't be a problem." Anakin replied, crossing his arms. "But I'll need some help and some permission first." He added, looking to Mace Windu.

"I'll ask Master Yoda to convene a Council meeting on the matter." The elder Jedi replied. "Better start working on something."

"I'm on it." Anakin nodded as he turned to leave. Once the Knight had left the office, Palpatine began the far more confidential purpose of this meeting.

"I'm certain you've both heard about what The Wraith has done on Jabiim." He said. Both Mace and Thrawn nodded.

"It sounds like something out of a horror story." The Jedi mused. "I managed to get a few brief glimpses at helmet recordings. Such gruesomeness cannot go unanswered."

"I know of very few peoples that can match such horrifying potential." Thrawn added. "If the Confederacy wished to unleash a monster, I dare say they have done just that."

"Indeed. Truer words could never be so fitting, though I wish they'd never have to be spoken." The Chancellor agreed. "However, Master Windu is correct, we must respond to this act of brutality." Rising from his chair, Palpatine moved to the front of his desk. "Given the rise of his use against us, I believe we must now make a concerted effort to put The Wraith down once and for all." He explained, motioning for his two guests to walk with him.

"I take it you have something in mind, Chancellor?" Mace inquired.

"I have. Over the past months, I have ordered for the creation of a new Clone detachment. A very special one." Palpatine answered. "Since the demise of Apex Company and the revelation that it will take much more to down this super-soldier, I have been working on developing a new fighting force. One specifically designed with the downfall of The Wraith in mind. Once again, Commander Thrawn, your insights have proven most valuable in the training of these men." The Chiss silently tilted his head in acknowledgment.

"Where have you stationed this new unit?" Windu asked.

"If you two would like to accompany me, I will show you." Palpatine answered.

* * *

 _Later, at the Coruscant Military Headquarters..._

"The Thirty-First Special Operations Regiment. Or, as many have come to call it, Jaeger Regiment." Palaptine announced, showing off the newest assembly of Clones to Windu and Thrawn. The two onlookers were quite impressed with the scale of the new army.

The thing was, none of them were simple Clones. All of them bore unique armor designating their specialization in some role.

"I have requested for it to be comprised of the most elite forces available in the Republic Army. Nearly every ideal specialist has a role in this new unit. Shadow troopers, Covert Operations troopers, Clone commandos, Special Operations troopers, ARC troopers and even powersuit-equipped Clone troopers." Palpatine listed off. "All of them matching at least one of the qualifications necessary to take down The Wraith. We have even gone so far as to develop a totally new brand of Clone specialist: the Clone assassin."

"Clone assassins?" Mace repeated.

"You'll know them when you see them." Palpatine replied with a slight grin. "The reason why I have asked you two gentlemen here is because I would like for you both to lead Jaeger Regiment." The Jedi and the Chiss looked curiously to the Chancellor.

"Are you certain, Chancellor?" Thrawn wondered. "I am supposed to be here as a simple observer, nothing more."

"And yet you have engaged in this war by providing us with intelligence on our opponent." Palpatine replied. "I only ask because you are a man of great intellect, Commander Thrawn. We would fair much better if you were coordinating this army." The Chiss still seemed a little uncertain about the offer, hesitant to accept a position with the Grand Army of the Republic. It was true he had crossed the line from observer to participant already by submitting his findings and aiding the Republic.

What was one more step further into the fray?

"I suppose you are correct in that matter." Thrawn finally relented. "I accept the position, Chancellor." Palaptine nodded in acceptance before turning to Mace.

"You are one of the finest Jedi Generals in the army, Master Windu. You were the first and only logical choice to lead such an army." He explained.

"Then I accept, if only to aid in their first mission." Windu answered. "We know The Wraith is something of a slippery character. Even when downed, it is possible for him to get back up."

"Something I for one would like to see change." The Chancellor mused. "I have recently received word from several informants that The Separatists are planning on salvaging what they can from Diado, after Master Tiin's successful mission to sabotage their prototype starfighter destroyed the factory. It seems logical that they may send Wraith there as an advanced scout."

"They would send the toughest warrior they have to survey potentially unstable and unpredictable terrain? While a tad odd, it would not be outside the realm of possibility." Thrawn commented. "If they were to test or demonstrate Wraith's abilities as a scout, then that would be a far more probable reason. They claim him to be a 'one man army', an army does have scouts after all."

"Precisely. Which is why I must request the two of you deploy Jaeger Regiment as soon as possible. This may be our one chance to eliminate The Wraith on our terms." Palpatine informed them.

"Even so, Chancellor, if Jaeger Regiment performs well, we could finally have Wraith fighting on our terms every engagement."

* * *

 _On Diado..._

Cold. It was decently cold on this planet. Despite his insulated jacket, he could still feel it. That by itself was something impressive. Usually, he never felt anything.

Diado seemed like the perfect world to build a factory. Out of the way, a barren ball of ice and rock, no inhabitants to worry about. And yet somehow the Republic found them and attacked them, disrupting their work and straight up stealing their projects.

Typical.

Wraith trudged through a snow-filled valley, passing rocky outcrops as he made his way towards the remains of a Separatist weapons factory. His job was to see if anything from the factory could be salvaged, especially anything pertaining to the advanced starfighter that was being developed there until its theft and the factory's destruction by the hand of Jedi Master Saesee Tiin. Apparently this mission had come from a long way up the chain of command, leaving wraith to wonder if Count Dooku or Darth Sidious were behind this mission. Only just recently returned from the frontlines of Jabiim, the mission had suddenly arrived in Scipio's hands and was deemed 'urgent'. While it seemed like a bit of a diversion from his usual courses of action, which typically included him going head-to-head with the Republic army, Wraith refused to disappoint any of his superiors.

Although he would've preferred not to, Wraith parked his shuttle a decent distance away from the ruins so as to avoid setting off any unstable ground or upset the already flimsy structural remains. Hence his need to cross a healthy distance of snow-covered terrain before actually arriving at his objective. It's not that he didn't like snow. No, he was perfectly fine with any environment, but the howling winds didn't exactly make this trip a pleasant one. He wore his common dark blue jacket and had forgone his carbine, thinking this to be a simple 'observe and evaluate' mission and not one that required any special hardware.

Little did he realize just how big of a fight would be on his hands in the coming hours...

* * *

The Venator-class cruiser Endurance arrived in Diado's airspace in seemingly record time. The newly formed Jaeger Regiment were quick to follow General Windu's orders and make for departure, allowing them to reach the snowy world where it seemed like they'd ere going to encounter the foe they had been designed to fight. The Jedi General, accompanied by Thrawn on the ship's bridge, was ready to find out for certain if The Wraith was in fact here or not.

"I don't like this." The Jedi muttered. "We're playing too big a game of chance here. Suppose Wraith arrives early or late? Then he's either gone before we get a crack at him or he's ready and waiting for us. Neither bode well for a first deployment." The Chiss commander understood his feelings.

"It is always better to act on fact than on chance, General. However, given our current situation at the request of the Supreme Chancellor, perhaps we had best see if Jaeger Regiment can adapt as quickly as we can, despite our objections to it."

"Maybe you're right, Commander Thrawn." Mace nodded. "Let's go and join the men on the flight deck." The Jedi explained as he turned to leave.

"General Windu, if I may," Thrawn continued, stopping him in his tracks, "perhaps we should see how well they perform without the presence of a Jedi on the battlefield."

"Are you certain that's wise? They will be going up against the deadliest foe the Republic has ever encountered." Mace replied.

"If proven successful, there may come moments where Jaeger Regiment will need to be quickly deployed without the authority of a Jedi General. Seeing how they function on their own, with a simple commander such as myself being their only contact, may better prepare them for future engagements against The Wraith."

"And what if those moments never come? What if, because of my lack of presence, there is no Jaeger Regiment to further train?"

"Then we will know for next time." Thrawn simply answered. "The solution to victory sometimes lies in the heart of defeat, General. The foolish accept defeat while the wise learn from it."

* * *

Picking his way through permacrete debris, Wraith rounded the rear of the destroyed facility, forced to scale part of a cliff and hug a very thin ledge in order to continue his survey. He had to find a way in, somehow. He knew from prior knowledge that the facility extended many miles underground and housed several developmental labs as well as forges and smithies, the kinds of areas you would expect to see in a major droid factory.

Given this was once the sole production factory for an experimental starfighter, though, it made sense they would want to build their tech themselves.

So far his scans had found only rubble and caved-in entrances. Whatever Saesee Tiin had used to destroy the factory had been incredibly successful. Wraith was beginning to think this mission would only result in ill-news: the factory was done for and nothing could be salvaged by one man alone.

Little did he realize just how intense this mission was about to become.

Far from his position, a series of LAAT stealth transports from the Endurance deployed a series of ARC troopers equipped with sniper rifles in the surrounding cliffs and hills. They would be the first wave of Jaeger Regiment soldiers to make planetfall, the ones responsible for keeping tabs on Wraith and intervening when necessary. The team leader, Sergeant Spyke, used his binocs to scan over the ruined facility. He was quick to highlight the location of the super-soldier, a special setting on his lenses detecting electrical energy rippling off his head.

"Darkhawk Company to command, we've got a confirmed sighting." Spyke radioed. "Awaiting orders." With The Wraith pinpointed and his movements being tracked, Endurance proceeded to unleash more of its forces. Gunships full of Clone assassins, Clone commandos, special ops troopers and Clones wearing prototype Juggernaut 500 combat power armor. They were quick to land in the snowy plains near the outskirts of the ruined facility and filed out of their ships, forming into squads organized by their respective specialties. The group leader, Marshal Clone Commander Hatchet, standing tall alongside Thrawn as the Clones assembled.

"Our first wave is nearly ready, sir."

"Good. Have them move forward and be ready for any kind of welcome Wraith may have ready. I will remain behind and observe the battle and will direct you to command them as things progress." Thrawn instructed him, donning a battle helmet he borrowed from an officer.

"Understood, Commander." Hatchet nodded. Turning back to the Clones, he raised his hand. "Jaeger Regiment, move out!"

* * *

The recognizable whine of LAAT gunships were quickly picked up by Wraith's audio sensors. Triggering his cloaker, Wraith quickly rounded the remains of the facility and triggered his scanners. On a cold, snowy world, thermal would be his greatest vision and it soon revealed the presence of many Clones marching towards the factory. But while he could see the main force, the ARC snipers went undetected by him. Seeing their quarry vanish into thin air, Spyke was quick to call Hatchet.

"Marshal, we've lost contact. Wraith has gone dark."

"Understood. Keep watching the area, let me know the instant you see something." He replied. He turned back to his men. "Look alive boys. Looks like our man likes to play hide and seek."

While the Clones halted and waited for some sign of their quarry, Wraith was on the move. Deciding he would get the drop on them, he hugged the sides of the ruined facility and crept forward, hoping to launch a sneak attack.

But he had only recognized the presence of Clones. He had no idea how specialized they were.

The special ops troopers found him first, the large headphones on their helmets increasing their hearing and detecting localized vibrations as his invisible boots trudged across snow and rock. The unit commander, Major Brist, quickly alerted Commander Hatchet that they had pinpointed someone creeping up on them. With everyone on high alert and the spec ops guiding their actions, Hatchet had every Clone ready to fire.

But, having learned a few lessons from the 212th engagement on Jabiim, he already had a plan in mind.

"Klaw, have your boys get some ion grenades and some EMP's ready. The instant we find him, you all gotta give him a nasty shock." He instructed the lieutenant in charge of the Clone commandos. With a quick nod, Klaw obeyed, holstering his weapon in exchange for a grenade in each hand. One ion, one EMP. His men were quick to follow suite, now tense and waiting for the first sign of their quarry. The Clones waited with baited breath, fingers on triggers and gazes staring down crosshairs as the special ops troopers did their best to pinpoint the direction of The Wraith.

They didn't have to wait long, though. Despite all his efforts to be stealthy and sneak up on his opponents, Wraith didn't realize that he was still leaving footprints behind in the snow.

The instant the imprint of his boot tread appeared in the snow before them, Klaw armed and lobbed his grenades without hesitation. The rest of his men quickly followed suit and soon multiple blue and purple explosions lit up the silhouette of a bulky man. The air started shimmering as the cloaking field around Wraith shorted out.

"Blast him! Blast him!" Hatchet ordered, opening fire with his scatter blaster. Dozens of blasters followed suite, a steady volley of blue rounds ricocheting off the armored foe before him. The Clone commandos broke out their heavier weapons, namely their DC-17m interchangeable blaster, and pulled the triggers as fast as they could. The powersuit Clones also opened up with their heavy repeater blasters, keeping a steady stream of blaster fire on their foe. Now fully revealed, Wraith did his best to shield himself from the incoming fire with his gauntlets. But, taking a severe assault from several directions, he knew he needed to break away and gain some distance so he could evaluate his opponents and strike back properly.

It seemed obvious these Clones were here for one purpose: to attack him. Regardless of who they were and how they found him, Wraith was certain they would not find victory today.

Today the snow would turn red.

Wraith executed a backflip and loosed a pair of explosive disks which detonated seconds after being released. They kicked up a cloud of snow that temporarily obscured the troopers' vision and bought Wraith enough time to draw his slugthrower pistols.

He knew he needed to play this smart, take out those who could find him and those who dealt the most damage first. The rest would fall soon afterwards.

He turned the sights of his gun on the spec ops troopers, gunning them down with blood spraying from holes bored through their gray and black armor. But then a sudden blaster round from somewhere to his right ripped clean through the gun in his hand, destroying his slugthrower pistol. Wraith growled as the weapon was ripped from his grasp and landed, laying useless on the ground. But with no one to his right, a startling realization dawned on Wraith.

There were snipers. These Clones had come prepared. Very prepared.

Realizing the troopers before him had help hidden somewhere in the distance, Wraith turned and decided to create some space between him and his foes, moving in a serpentine pattern in order to avoid getting hit. He had a feeling his armor could take the hit, but the fact they could destroy his weaponry was another matter altogether.

"We've got him on the run now." Spyke surmised, smirking beneath his helmet. He radioed Hatchet. "Marshal, do you want us to keep firing? Make him dance a little more?"

"Hold fire, Darkhawk. Let's get him focused back on us. We'll tell you when to bring the rain." Hatchet replied. The Clone marshal turned to the bladed Clones under Captain Vec: Black Dagger Company. "Assassins, go!" He ordered. The Clones immediately took off in hot pursuit, their agility training paying off as they quickly caught up with the fleeing super-soldier. With his scanners detecting pursuers behind him, Wraith slid to a halt in the snow and turned to face these new Clones he had never seen before. The assassins quickly moved into formation, barring Wraith form attacking the rest of their comrades. The Clones assumed attack stances and triggered their blades, steel weapons unfolding from the guards on their arms.

" _How cute._ " Wraith growled. "T _he Republic is so desperate they're trying to copy me._ " Triggering his own arm blades, Wraith stood his ground as the assassins rushed to attack him. The first Clone struck with a downward slash, both blades cutting into Wraith's guard. He pushed him back and lashed out with a kick to drive him away. Two more Clones attacked on his right and left with rapid slashes and a third moved in close and drove his blade across Wraith's chest, leaving a silver scar behind on his darkened armor.

* * *

"Fascinating." Thrawn mused, observing the fight through a pair of binocs. "It appears Wraith's reliance on technology is also his weakness. While I first thought those behind his creation had thought of everything, it seems they have forgotten the basic science of electrical fields and interference. Still, the thought of him being able to control his presence at will adds yet another factor to this battle." He thoughtfully noted. Lowering the binocs, Thrawn keyed up a communicator linked to Hatchet. "Marshal, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Commander." Hatchet replied.

"Use your assassins and powersuits together. Have the bladed troopers attack intermittently while the powersuit troopers attack with barrages of fire." Thrawn instructed. "You must keep Wraith worn down so he cannot form a proper counterattack."

"I copy." Hatchet acknowledged.

* * *

The assassins were proving, by far, to be the trickiest Clones Wraith had ever faced. So far, only two of their number lay dead, bloody stab wounds running clean through their armor and their blades cracked and broken. They had given Wraith the idea that he could perhaps destroy their weapons first, which would open them up for a killing blow. But they had become much more agile and dodgy as of late, not to mention unpredictable. If two were in front of him, becoming the focus of his attention, Wraith would attack only to have another come from out of nowhere and slash at his back or legs. His proximity sensors informed him of their presence, but they were gone by the time he could whip around to attack. Then they would repeat the maneuver while his back was turned.

The tactic was honestly getting quite annoying. And it was starting to make Wraith mad.

But his situation was shaken up when one of the assassins shouted "Clear out!" and they all rolled away from him. Ready for anything, Wraith so discovered he wasn't when a grenade, launched from the shoulder mount of one of the powersuit troopers, exploded against his chest and sent him sprawling. With snow covering his body, Wraith growled as he picked himself up, noting the new scorch mark on his chest. That one had knocked the wind from him, being a pretty heavy hit. But the Clones were not going to give him a moment, as each one of the six troopers opened fire with their repeater blasters. Heavy rounds slammed into his body and another grenade exploded against his shoulder, throwing him back into the ground. Growling in both pain and annoyance, Wraith rolled over and into a far more ready position. His scanners quickly highlighted the Clones firing at him and the presence of another incoming grenade. Successfully dodging this one before it exploded, Wraith drew his still-working slugthrower as snow and debris was kicked up into the air beside him. Raising his gauntlet to deflect a few of the incoming rounds, Wraith knew he needed to be quick and precise with his shots. The powersuits had to go down.

But he only managed to get a single shot off before another sniper round tore through his weapon and the blade of an assassin slashed against his shoulder.

His armor was tough, it could handle a few cuts and a few explosions. But he'd rather not test its integrity right now.

Growling in irritation, having had just about enough of this, Wraith readied himself to go full juggernaut on the assassins. Rising to full height, he showed no signs of moving as another assassin came rushing towards him. But before he could strike, he found his neck locked in Wraith's iron grip and had his throat torn out seconds later. Blood splattered across the ground as the Clone fell dead, Wraith shifting to challenge his next attacker. Blades sliding out with a metallic ring, Wraith parried the two incoming slashes, ignored the attack from behind and practically threw off the Clone before him with a shower of sparks as their blades raked against each other. Another quickly moved to take his place while the one behind him persisted in attacking his exposed back. But Wraith was anticipating on being double-teamed and decapitated both with a quick spin of his body.

" _Even fighting in pairs won't be enough to take me down. I've wasted entire armies, you'll have to do better than that!_ " He rumbled menacingly.

* * *

Having been observing each of Wraith's physical responses to the measures employed against him, Thrawn was discovering he had quite a bit of material to work with.

"His response seems to be brute force as a solution. While not always effective, his combined skills certainly make it a more viable option." He quietly noted. "Perhaps in this moment it would be wise to use equal force, if only to see what he does." Continuing to watch as Wraith skewered two more assassins on his blade, Thrawn called Hatchet once more. "Marshal, have the assassins pull back and order the rest of the regiment to advance. Use the powersuit troopers to provide cover fire."

"Acknowledged, sir." Came the reply.

* * *

The bloodied assassin bodies hit the ground at Wraith's feet, both of them dead from the stab wounds in their chests. It was at that moment Hatchet's orders came through.

"Retreat! Retreat!" One of them yelled and the remaining assassins took off back towards the main force.

" _Yes... run from me!_ " Wraith growled in victory as he watched them leave. With blood dripping down his blades and death on his hands, he was feeling a bit better, despite having lost both his slugthrowers. But he felt a lot worse as a pair of grenades exploded against his chest, sending him tumbling through the snow. Bits and pieces of his jacket and the armor on it flew through the air, ending up scattered across the snow as a sizeable scorch mark was left behind. Pushing past the aching pain in his chest, Wraith picked himself up, noting just how blackened his chest was. The explosives were doing a real number on his armor and, although it was designed to withstand such hard impacts, it was starting to grow weaker with each successful explosive.

He needed to deal with those powersuits.

Stowing his blades and drawing his pistols, Wraith rushed ahead, ready to battle these armies head-on and tired of being knocked about by them. The scores of commandos, spec ops and powersuit troopers opened fire with every weapon in their hands, showering the approaching Wraith with a hail of blue blaster fire. The captain of the commandos, Clone Captain Klaw, decided to go a little above and beyond just the average assault and pulled out his DC-17m interchangeable weapon system to equip the anti-armor attachment.

"Let's see how high and mighty he is when one of these hits home!" He mused aloud, firing a single dumb-fire grenade towards the sprinting warrior. The explosive collided with Wraith and triggered an incredible blast, one that sent the charred and scorched warrior sailing backwards. Pistols knocked from his hands, Wraith, covered in snow and now a complete mess of blackened scorch marks, was looking nothing like his usually intimidating self. That single shot had torn through his chest armor and had succeeded in managing to actually rip through his jacket.

Suffice to say, his armor had reached its maximum limit.

Blaster rounds still continued to ricochet off of him and kick up snow around him. He had to get up and get moving. This battle was starting to push his limits. He needed to do something soon.

Right now, all he could think of duck and dodge. He wasn't nearly angry enough to trigger his 'Feral Rage' as Scipio had called it. Instead, he was feeling very concerned.

Making it to his feet, Wraith took off as he fought the urge to retaliate, another anti-armor explosive detonating not far behind him, the ensuing shockwave pushing him forward and causing him to stumble a little.

"That's got 'im!" Klaw mused, grinning beneath his helmet. "Forward, men! Charge him!" The commandos rushed forward as one mighty wave, keeping their blasters trained on Wraith as the ran across the snow-covered terrain. Hearing a clamor behind him, Wraith stopped and turned to see the Republic army rushing him. Rushing him.

They were feeling confident. But such confidence could easily lead to many mistakes.

Standing his ground, Wraith whipped throwing blade after throwing blade at the incoming Clones, felling them in droves as they continued to run, not stopping for anything. Questioning what exactly they would do when they reached him, Wraith balled his hands into fists and readied himself for anything.

What they did was open fire at close range.

Peppered by rounds from a variety of weapons, Wraith thought the tactic lame, but then thought better of it when he realized they had no melee weapons with which to strike him with, apart from their own fists.

This gave him a distinct advantage.

Rolling his shoulders, Wraith surged ahead with a war cry, ready to do battle once more. Despite his wounded appearance, the serum in his veins kept him going and kept his body responding to all negative stimulus, no matter how bruised or blackened he was. Seeing this, Klaw stepped between Wraith and his men, ordering the commandos under his command to cease fire.

He wanted to have his own crack at The Wraith, nor did he want his men to be caught in the crossfire.

The super-solider saw his first victim literally line up and gladly obliged the seemingly eager Clone by performing a superman punch aimed straight at his head. But the commando dodged and fired a series of rounds from his DC-17 right into Wraith's torso. Ignoring them, Wraith grabbed Klaw by the shoulder and threw him away. Klaw went with the move, however, and rolled back to his feet, turning around and lighting up Wraith with his pistol. The Separatist turned and swatted the pistol out of Klaw's hand before moving to strike with a blow to the gut. Fortunately for Klaw, his Katarn-class armor managed to lessen the blow, avoiding an injury Wraith could cause most other Clones. Seeing how his punch had little effect, Wraith executed a kick aimed for the side of the commando's helmet. Klaw ducked this too and put up his fists in a ready position. It seemed this commando was quite talented and Wraith was curious about his other skills, seeing he'd never done battle with a Clone commando before. Stalking forward, Klaw pulled out his WESTAR-20 pistol and his vibrodagger, taking a few shots over his crossed arm. The rounds were quickly shrugged off and Klaw jumped in ready to stab the Separatist. Wraith quickly turned his shoulder into the blow and Klaw's dagger broke upon connecting with the solid phrik plating. Executing a chop, Wraith knocked the other pistol out of Klaw's grip before backing hand the Clone and sending him spinning. He had more than enough skills at his disposal to counter and or obliterate anything this Clone could send his way.

But Klaw had a few surprises of his own.

Recovering from the attack and having gotten close enough to see the damage done to Wraith, Klaw developed a quick plan. Triggering the short vibroblade mounted on his knuckle plate, the commando struck with repeated right jabs, which Wraith blocked. But as soon as Wraith struck with his own right hook, Klaw parried him with his right hand and drove his left fist forward. His aim was true and his blade dug deep into Wraith's waist, right at the weak point between the hem of his shirt and his belt. Wraith grunted as he was stabbed, pain suddenly registering with him. Startled, he drew back, Klaw pulling his bloody weapon free. Wraith felt about the wound near his belt and when he raised his hand, he saw blood coating his palm.

This Clone had made him bleed.

It was a minor wound, nothing medically serious. But the simple fact that a Clone, a Clone, had made him bleed instantly shattered any and all perceptions of him being invincible, untouchable or unkillable.

The Wraith was made mortal.

Klaw moved in to strike again, spurred on to do so by the blood on his weapon. But Wraith was quicker, knowing he needed to retaliate lest this Clone somehow achieve the upper hand. Rounding a jab to his chest and following it with a straight punch to the head, Wraith was surprised when Klaw shrugged off both blows and managed to round a quick left hook to his wounded chest, knuckle blade stabbing past his fractured armor and into his flesh. Wraith growled as he stepped away, his blood trailing behind Klaw's retreating weapon.

This Clone was good. Too good.

Wraith charged back in, aiming to put Klaw in a headlock and snap his neck. But the commando pushed himself right against Wraith's body, grappling him with one arm and fighting off the super-soldier's tight grip. With his one bladed hand free, Klaw managed to stab Wraith once, twice, three more times in the gut, the Separatist grunting with each blow. It was enough to force Wraith to back off and left him breathing hard, his breath ragged as blood stained his shirt and dripped from the multiple wounds. He barely had time to recover before a quick signal from Klaw sent a group of commandos charging towards him. They fought as a unit and attacked Wraith from all angles much like the assassins had. Wraith was starting to realize some similar tactics were being used here, meaning that someone higher up the command chain was responsible for directing them to act as they did.

Question was, who was it?

A fact to be determined later, Wraith surmised. He had far more pressing issues at hand.

Summoning what was left of his brute strength, Wraith managed to throw off someone of the assaulting commandos, batting them aside or using them as an impromtpu club against their comrades. He was no longer fighting back, now he was just trying to create some space. One of the commandos jumped off a nearby rock, seemingly trying to tackle him from above. Wraith raised his gauntlet, deeming the attack hardly effective considering he saw it coming.

But he missed the EMP disruptor in his hand.

The slim stylus seemed rather useless, designed to damage or disable electronic systems in buildings. In combat, it appeared out of place, better off being used for an infiltration mission.

But this commando saw its potential.

As Wraith raised his arm to block the Clone, his opponent grabbed his arm and drove the disruptor in between the plates of his gauntlet. The electric shock that followed shorted out every single trigger system located within.

Every weapon stored inside it was now unusable. Arm blade, wrist blade, grapple, shock chip, throwing blades and explosives were gone.

The crackle of electricity that ripped through his arm indicated something was very wrong. It was when he flicked his wrist in all different directions that he knew what had happened.

" _No. No no no no no no..._ " he feverishly muttered, triggering his remaining gauntlet blade and shaking off the Clone that had crippled him. Unfortunately his fellows were quick to see the difference.

"Grab his arm! Hold him down!" They shouted, knowing what they had to do next. They started to swarm his other arm.

" _Get off me!_ " Wraith rumbled, hacking and slashing at any who came close, drawing a knife with his free hand using it to stab and hack at the frenzy of Clones as well. " _Kriffing duplicates!_ " Some had their armor chipped, others had their weak spots punctured, blood now dripping down their white armor. But still they pressed on, hoping to overcome. A sniper round slammed into the back of Wraith's arm, forcing him to drop the knife. The commandos dogpiled on his arm, six or seven of them working together against his impossible strength. Growling as he struggled to resist, Wraith saw one Clone draw a similar disruptor from his belt with his free hand.

It was now or never. Wraith had to do something, lest he be deprived of the rest of his tools.

Summoning strength honed over years of training and practiced on numerous battles before, Wraith forced his arm up before lashing out in an uppercut. The move threw off the Clones grabbing him and he managed to impale his blade through the chin of one of the commandos. Throwing his body down opposite of him, Wraith finally had a breather. But the commandos were on their feet lightning quick and charged him from behind.

But Wraith was moving as well.

He struck with his arm fully extended, the sharpened edge and point of his blade ready to meet their armored bodies. Whipping about in a circular motion, Wraith beheaded each and every one of the commandos in a single clean sweep, blood trailing behind his faultless blade. Stand up and seeing the dead bodies before him, Wraith cackled in victory.

And then Klaw came up behind him and leapt on his arm, driving his own stylus into the still functional gauntlet and shorting it out.

"Yes!" Klaw cried as a crackle of electricity forced the extended blade back into its sheath.

" _No, dammit! No!_ " Wraith growled as he shook Klaw off. Now he was really in trouble. The commando leader was quick to seize the opportunity.

"Somebody get on him! Take him down!" He shouted into his comms. Without hesitation, Clones came storming out from their ranks towards The Wraith. Commandos, assassins, spec ops, all of them were ready to declare victory over their foe. Wraith did his best to fight back, swinging wide with hard punches that shattered helmets and cracked armor. But, unlike his previous encounters, these Clones were relentless. They had studied and been trained to destroy only one target: him.

They eventually managed to trip him up and push him onto his chest. They were piling on top of him, trying to keep Wraith pinned to the ground so they could subdue him. No matter how much he fought back, innumerable zapping devices quickly put him back on the ground.

It seemed as though he were done in. Wraith briefly wondered if this was how he went out, surrounded by ranks of Clones that used his own tactics of brute force against him. Would he really be felled by those he hated most?

The thought lingered, demanding to be contemplated. He had an answer soon enough.

No.

No one kept him down! Certainly not a group of over-zealous Clones! No one. NO ONE!

His situation finally giving him enough reason to reach peak levels of anger, the ignition of RGE-7 empowered him swiftly and suddenly. With a mighty roar, Wraith threw off all the Clones in a display of titanic strength, sending them flying through the air as he rose to full height. He started ripping apart the Clones nearest to him, tearing them limb from limb and spraying their blood all around him. Now the Clones were panicking. They had heard about this frenzied state from the 212th survivors on Jabiim... and there weren't very many survivors. From his position with the main lines, Hatchet was starting to worry. But then a call from Commander Thrawn came through.

"Commander! We might be in for a slaughtering if we don't do something fast!" He exclaimed to the calm and collected Thrawn.

"Indeed. This new fit of rage is quite a fascinating sight to behold. I for one would like to study it further, under more controlled conditions." The Chiss mused.

"Your orders, sir? What do we do?" Hatchet urgently wondered.

"Is that fear I detect in your voice, Marshal?" Thrawn replied. "You are a solider of Jaeger Regiment designed to combat The Wraith. Now is not the time for fear! You are here to prove yourself a worthy adversary, one whom Wraith can fear!" He declared. "And you will not be feared if you yourself are afraid." That seemed to help Hatchet collect his wits.

"Understood sir." He replied in a far more even and confident tone. "Your orders?"

"Pull all of your men back and execute a ranged assault only. We cannot engage Wraith head-on when he is like this." Thrawn calmly replied.

"I copy sir." The Clone saluted as the communication ended. "All units! Pull back at once! Powersuits, give Wraith something else to chew on!" Suddenly coming up with a possible idea, Hatchet called Spyke. "Darkhawk, I need a full barrage against Wraith ASAP! Aim for the head, repeat, aim for his head!" He commanded.

"Roger that sir." Spyke replied, relaying the order to his men. "Light him up, lads!" Taking aim through their targeting crosshairs, the Clones started pulling the triggers. One after another, sniper rounds arced through the air and slammed into Wraith as he continued to rip Clones to pieces while the rest of them retreated. He seemed to be completely oblivious to the shots, ignoring how they slammed into his helmet and rocked his head. The RGE-7 had narrowed his mind, blotting out all possible 'distractions' for the sake of powering him towards his goal of total domination.

Tearing out the spine of one last Clones, the blood-splattered super-solider rushed after the fleeing Republic with a roar.

But that's when the big guns opened fire on him.

Round after round from the powersuit trooper's heavy repeating cannons pummeled his already wounded form. The last of their grenades flew through the air, arcing high in guided shots with the intent of stopping their quarry in their tracks and, if it was possible, blowing him to pieces. Wraith powered through the persistent barrage as best he could, holding up his gauntlets in an effort to try and stand tall against the incoming firepower. But ultimately, despite his Feral Rage and his enhanced defences, the powersuits managed to overcome him and sent him sprawling through the snow, his chest now bleeding as the most recent explosion tore through whatever was left of his armor.

In fact, the amount of concussive force applied to his body was so great it managed to take him completely out of his Feral Rage. Lying still and feeling sick as the red mist cleared from his vision, Wraith came to the simple realization that these powersuits were simply proving too much for him in his current state. He needed to play this fight smart and rework his strategy. He knew who he was up against. Now he needed to stage a means of striking back in a more effective manner. But he had better move quickly before he was overcome again.

He had to get out of there.

Slowly crawling to his feet, Wraith turned about and began fast-walking towards the nearest source of shelter: the destroyed starfighter facility. Picking up speed as he moved, Jaeger Regiment was hesitant to give chase as they watched their opponent flee. But as Hatchet soon realized his destination, he gave the order to pursue.

With an army of Clones hot on his heels, Clones capable of his destruction, Wraith soon broke into a sprint as he recalled to mind his earlier reconnaissance and remembered a very small window of opportunity he might be able to exploit. Picking up speed and accelerating to speeds beyond what any organic sprinter could achieve, Wraith began plotting his moves so that he found shelter and safety and covered his tracks before the Clones could catch up to him.

The remains of the facility loomed before him like a mountain. A mountain that had been shorn down and broken to pieces but still towering in some areas. Summoning his agility, Wraith scaled up the wall like a veteran climber and disappeared over its edge, out of sight and beyond the reach of the Clones. From there he sprinted over to a pile of debris and lifted up the largest fragment, revealing the remains of an air duct. Slipping inside, he let the debris slam down atop him, like he'd never been there.

The Clones arrived at the foot of the ruins and gazed up at the towering walls, mostly impressed by how Wraith managed to climb it in his injured condition and in such short time. Knowing they were not properly equipped to directly pursue him, they began to realize to their misfortune that their quarry had evaded them. Upon asking the ARC troopers if they could see him, to which the response was negative, a disappointed Klaw reported the development to Hatchet who turned around and called up Thrawn.

"Commander, Wraith has disappeared inside the facility. We can't follow him in immediately, we'll have to find another entrance." He stated.

"Very well. Have your men surround the perimeter and begin searching for another way inside. Perhaps the special operations troopers might use their equipment to locate a ventilation shaft or similar access point." Thrawn suggested. "I will contact the Endurance and request for the covert operations troopers and shadow troopers to join us."

* * *

Sliding and crawling down the winding air duct, Wraith soon found himself promptly deposited in a large and spacious corridor as he crashed through a weakened grate and ended up getting dropped unceremoniously on his chest. Groaning in pain as he lay still for a moment, basking in the dark and quiet of this room, he breathed a shaky sigh of relief.

"Well... that was tough." He finally mused. Forcing himself to his hands and knees, Wraith allowed his breathing to even out and settle as his natural healing abilities kicked in and began working on his extensive wounds. Digging through the lower pockets of his jacket, Wraith produced a single sample of a healing accelerant contained within a small pneumatic injector. Pumping the contents into his side, Wraith sighed as he dropped the injector and closed his eyes, allowing for a moment of tranquility to help ease his body and help the chemical do its job.

He had been firing on all cylinders for some time now. And he really needed a breather.

Pushing himself to his feet, Wraith started walking, not knowing where he was going or what he might find down here. He had only surveyed the perimeter of the facility and had not bothered to breach its remains, leaving the state of its rooms and equipment unknown to him. The clank of metal on metal echoed throughout the empty corridor as he trekked onward until the space before him widened significantly and he discovered a very large room. He could tell simply because of how open it felt and how the echoes of his boots clicking against the ground lasted longer and sounded further. For a moment, he thought himself to be in luck. But upon realizing this place would only serve as a brief respite, he shook his head in disappointment. He wasn't exactly expecting to find anything down here. But right now, he felt overdue for a little luck. Wounded and in bad need of repair, Wraith knew the only way out was by fighting. Good thing his helmet recorders were still operational. Scipio needed to check out these new Clones.

But before that could happen, there was a still a fight outside to return to. Lest he waited so long it followed him in here.

Wraith grimly took note of his equipment and weapons: his gauntlets were fried, and the tools within them inaccessible, one of his knives lost and both of his slugthrowers were permanently decommissioned. That left him with only his two DE-20's. Not nearly enough firepower to bring against an army of Clones specialists. Checking the magnetic locks on his gauntlets, he tried to pry open and access his explosives but to no avail. They had been sealed tight and were now, for the moment, permanently locked away.

Wraith sighed as he rested his hands on his hips. He was in a real jam.

The worse part was, his comms were also jammed. He had noted it during the fight, his HUD registering a lack of signal, and assumed another Clone specialist he hadn't seen yet was responsible.

There would be no help. He needed to come up with a solution on his own.

Recalling his years of training, Wraith knew he could overcome this as long as he put his mind to it. Maybe he could build his own weapons. But out of what? All he had to work with was durasteel plating. There was nothing down here, unless his scanners had lied to him.

Deciding to linger a little longer on the notion of building weapons, Wraith pulled the cloaker from his belt and gave it a few whacks. It seemed these Clones had heard about his work on Jabiim and were smart enough to have developed a way around his new 'disappearing act'.

Regardless, after fiddling with the settings and power cell, along with a few more whacks, the device flickered to life in his hand.

Beneath his blackened helmet, Wraith grinned. Finally, a stroke of luck!

With the option to disappear now open to him, Wraith soon decided against this course of action be recalling just how quickly he had been discovered in the first place. If they could do it once, they could surely do it again, even if he was trying to escape this time.

" _What to do.. What to do..._ " He muttered. Swinging his head this way and that, Wraith decided he'd had enough of this pitch dark and adjusted his optic's field of view. He'd already entered night vision mode, courtesy of some built-in daylight sensors, but had yet to expand its range beyond holding his hands in front of his face. With his surroundings suddenly revealed to him, Wraith was surprised by the piles of half-built battle droids lying amongst scattered tools and pieces of debris. The shapes of machinery also came into view and Wraith realized he had stumbled upon one of the working rooms of the factory. This was where grunt work took place, the far more industrial jobs that corresponded with the production of starfighters. It occurred to him then exactly what this place was.

This was a foundry.

It made sense, considering this factory was built to test and produce experimental starfighters, for them to have their own construction equipment available. Eyeing the smithies and forges around him, Wraith suddenly traced back to his older query about being able to construct his own weapons to fight against this Clone army.

Such an abstract thought now seemed to be entirely possible.

Choosing to act upon it, Wraith set about determining if this foundry could be reactivated... as, through a burst of inspiration, a design came to his head.

* * *

Thrawn had moved much closer to the scene now, but still chose to observe from a distance as Jaeger Regiment combed over the remains of the facility Wraith had scampered into. Having beat such a hasty retreat, the Clones were certain that victory was almost within their grasp and were very eager to finish the mission they had embarked upon. Many of them had fanciful visions of them returning to Coruscant with scraps of Wraith's armor as trophies of their astounding victory over the super-soldier.

But while the Clones above ground continued sweeping and searching for a way inside the ruins, Wraith was hard at work in the renewed forge below...

* * *

They had to be good both close and ranged, blunt yet ballistic.

Hours passed as Wraith worked meticulously, using the foundry's available smelters and forges to craft the new weapons he had in mind. He mixed together molten metals, forging new alloys as the design and functionality of his new tools took shape in his mind. He visited the husks of half-finished B2 models, pulling pieces from arms still under construction, specifically their twin-barrelled blasters and their firing mechanisms. Syncing them together in a crude yet functional design, Wraith began strapping pieces of machinery to his arms as he wired up his new offensive features.

Then came the smithing work.

The ringing of a hammer against molten metal being shaped rang loudly throughout the abandoned facility. Having researched and read about this kind of work but never having fully experienced it, Wraith began to discover why machines did this now. The work was hot and exerting, no doubt the average being would grow tired quickly due to all the meticulous work involved.

His thoughts racing as his plan unfolded and began to take on a form, Wraith fused together the history he had learned with the skills he had practiced. While he had never set foot inside of a forge nor done any work related to the trade, he had seen many a holovid on the subject and had committed the similar moves to memory.

So many different tools all brought to life through identical means. There truly was no difference.

His many quiet hours of studying races and wars, tribes and societies returned in full as the glow of fire and flame illuminated him. He remembered studying the ancient weapons used by more primitive people. While they were far from what modern day people would call 'advanced', they were sufficient and beyond all others in their time.

There existed once a weapon, one so difficult to master only a true warrior could control it. It's raging power and erratic character earning itself a place among the more unstable individuals who shared a chaotic spirit with said a weapon. It was known as the 'rope spear' or 'kunai' in some translations.

But in the vivid imaginings of Wraith's mind, a bigger, bolder and more powerful version took shape.

He looked up from his work as the metal cooled, a hammer in one hand and tongs in the other. There were chains hanging from the roof. While he did not know what their original purpose was, they were long and sturdy. Perhaps they could be enhanced with a bath in liquid metal, an additional layer of hardened steel to enhance their toughness.

Yes. They would suffice.

* * *

 _Hours later..._

Dusk had set in on Diado and the already crisp and cool day was about to become a bit colder as night was fast approaching. With the arrival of reinforcements, taking the form of Clone shadow troopers and covert operations specialists along with more commandos and assassins, Jaeger Regiment had been busy surveying the wrecked factory in an effort to find a way inside. The ARC troopers had descended from their position in the cliffs and had also joined in the work. Having acquired the proper equipment to scale the wall, Clones milled about all around the place, actively searching in groups.

So far, they had uncovered nothing.

"Group three to Marshal Commander. Nothing to report sir." An ARC radioed from the top of the structure.

"Keep looking, trooper. We've gotta find Wraith and put an end to this." Hatchet replied.

"Copy that sir." Ending the communication and splitting off from his brothers, the Clone walked over to the edge of the building and looked out over the wall. How exactly were they supposed to find Wraith in all this debris? Not even the spec ops Clones had found anything, and they had the best sensor equipment!

Growing lost in his musings, the Clone became oblivious to his surroundings... and was unaware of the silent predator that had been stalking him.

He realized something was wrong just a little too late when a blade stabbed him from behind, the bloody tip sticking out through a hole in his chest.

The other members of his unit were hunted next and one by one they fell with bloody stab wounds in their bodies. The last of their number fell with a scream as not one but two blades were shoved into his back and he was yanked backwards.

Although silenced seconds later, the Clones below heard his scream.

Looking up, curious and questioning, they waited for a moment to see what was wrong. Some of them reached for their blasters, anticipating that they had discovered a threat of some kind.

It was when the snow before them kicked up in a flurry and the air shimmered as a cloaking field powered down that they realized what had happened. Wraith stood tall before them, his body still bearing the wounds and scars from the first engagement.

But this time, he was ready for them.

A pair of short, heavy blades, the handles tied to chains that wrapped around his arms, were now in his hands. Already, Wraith's new chain-blades had Clone blood dripping down their edges.

" _Time to die Republic dogs!_ " He thundered. Not wasting a moment, Wraith lunged ahead and let his chain-blades fly, gripping them by the chains tied to his arms. Whipping about and spinning his body as he surged ahead, Wraith's blades ripped through Clones with uncanny precision, blood trailing in their wake as they sliced clean through armor and flesh like it was nothing. He continued his rampage as Clones of all sorts fell before him, cut to pieces as their allies tried in vain to stop the onslaught.

They had never encountered weaponry like this before. Solid steel blades that could reach out and cut them down without the user having to get close? It was simply unheard of.

They tried to fight back, opening fire with whatever weapons they had or with whatever was closest to them. The clamor drew the attention of those not already invested in the fight and soon every Clone in the area was now dealing with the blade-swinging Wraith.

Moving like a razor-sharp tornado, the super-soldier was unrelenting, never stopping as he continued his path of destruction, a trail of bloody, mutilated bodies left in his wake. Having been spinning around so much, Wraith was surprised he wasn't dizzy yet. He supposed his enhanced body was responsible for keeping his center of balance secure or perhaps his method of attack was not nearly as strenuous as he had first thought.

Regardless, he believed he had discovered an all-new level of battlefield efficiency.

The powersuit Clones were quick to step up to him, training their heavy blasters on his whirling, twirling form. Wraith caught sight of them and stopped, drawing his blades back to him an gripping them by the hilts.

These guys needed to be dealt with.

He rolled out of the way as they began firing, blaster rounds pelting the snow where had had been standing. Quickly forming a plan and hoping it worked, Wraith wound up and pitched one of his new blades at the nearest trooper. It found its mark and passed through his armored thigh, causing the Clone to scream as he was impaled. Wrenching back, Wraith pulled the wounded trooper to him and promptly silenced him by stabbing his other blade through his helmet, an explosion of red hitting the inside of his visor. Leaving both blades stuck in his body, Wraith picked up his abandoned heavy repeater and opened fire on the other powersuit troopers. His aim proved remarkably true once more as the powerful rounds tore into them, exploding the head of one and tearing apart another, completely disregarding the armor they wore.

The blades were nice, but they were no replacement for a good blaster.

With many of the powersuit troopers dead, Wraith dropped the repeater rifle and pulled his blades free of the corpse at his feet. It was then that he looked up and spied a new group of Clone assassins coming towards him while the rest of the Clones retreated. Since he seemed to be in a particular melee mood, they were the ones best suited to deal with his blades.

Or so they thought.

While Wraith's skill with these new tools was simple and not yet refined, he knew enough from history and from memorization how to use them to best produce the deadliest results.

One of the assassins, a commander, given his fully-coloured plating instead of regular striping, stood back as he ordered his men to charge, the forward most Clones extending their blades in preparation. Wraith stood his ground, ready to strike. Blood dripped thickly down his chain-blades, seemingly hungry for more to savor. Not even waiting for them to make the first move, Wraith threw a blade forward with enough force to impale an assassin clean through his armor. The dying Clone was then pulled towards him, flying through the air as Wraith's blade left his body and returned to his hand. From there the super-soldier simply sliced forward, nearly cutting the Clone's body almost in two, his innards spilling across the ground as he landed on the ground and lay still. Feeding off the stark fear in the Clones' body language, Wraith chuckled darkly as he motioned them on, hoping to goad them into attacking him.

They did.

His chain-blades were so large, only one could block both of an assassin's thinner blade with ease. Wraith capitalized on this and parried one strike before hacking deep into the Clone's body with his free blade, tearing it out with a scream from the Clone and a spray of blood. The rest who rushed him fared no better, falling victim to his ruthlessness and suffering the gruesome fate of being hacked to pieces. One Clone had a blade buried halfway through the side of his head before Wraith wrenched it free, snapping his neck in the process. One assassin lasted a little longer, parrying his first strike and then bracing himself to block the next. But with a might thrust, Wraith's blade was shoved clean through his arm and into his head, severing the limb in the process. Those further away made the wise decision to hang back, seeing their comrades killed so easily made them think twice about rushing The Wraith. Stalking closer to the cluster of assassins, the squad commander stepped forward and triggered something on his belt. Suddenly he was enveloped by a visible field of blue energy, one Wraith instantly recognized to be an energy shield, similar to the kind deployed by destroyer droids.

Shields like those were virtually impenetrable. If anything he would have to wear it down somehow...

"Don't know why anyone else doesn't carry one of these. They oughta be standard issue when it comes to dealing with you." The Clone muttered, extending his blades.

" _Whether or not it proves useful against me remains to be seen._ " Wraith retorted, raking his blades against each other and creating a shower of sparks, hoping to intimidate him. The Clone instead chose to charge, tossing a thermal detonator ahead of him. Wraith kicked it to the side and whirled about, sending his blades slamming into the shield.

"Nice try, Seppie!" The Clone said mockingly. His own blades quickly slashed across Wraith's armored arms, diving in as he sought to take advantage of his shields. Wraith quickly backtracked and pulled his chain-blades in, knowing he had to get awful clever if he wanted to surpass this shield. He remembered witnessing Jedi dive under destroyers and past their shields, disabling the droids where they were weakest.

Perhaps a similar policy was in order.

Parrying the Clone's next two strikes, Wraith dropped down low with his blades in hand and took a swipe at the Clone's legs, his hand and blade passing through the shield. Seeing the move, the assassin leapt back. "Cute trick. Thanks for the reminder!" He sarcastically thanked him.

" _Don't bother._ " Wraith grumbled as he raised his arms and blocked another set of slashes. His gauntlets may not be able to provide their tools, but they were still pretty much invulnerable and offered a decent layer of protection. Shoving the Clone back, Wraith charged forward and executed a dropkick. While the force was enough to trigger the shield enough to rebuff him, he did push the Clone back a few feet, causing him to stumble. Returning to his feet, Wraith developed a plan. Spinning around to gain some momentum, he threw both of his blades into the air before jerking the chains and sending them crashing down towards the assassin. However, the Clone saw what was happening and quickly rolled forward, dodging the blades and ending up very close to Wraith.

So close, in fact, that the super-solider was within his shield.

"You missed." The Clone smugly noted.

" _Did I?_ " Wraith retorted. Turning over his arms and revealing the battle droid arm-blasters strapped over his gauntlets, Wraith blasted the surprised Clone with two shots in quick succession, downing him before he had a chance to switch on his shields. With the Clone dead, Wraith pulled his blades back to him. Stooping down over his body, Wraith took the shield generator from the dead Clone's belt and clipped it to his own before turning it on.

Now he was truly invincible.

Enveloped in an impenetrable energy field, Wraith could definitely say he had claimed the upper hand. The assassins turned about and ran, knowing this mission was now hopeless. Some of them were speared from behind, killed where they stood as Wraith's chain-blades punctured their armor and fatally stabbed them. One assassin had both blades stabbed into him, one through his chest and the other through his middle. Yanked back and still stuck on the blades, the Clone was left helpless at Wraith's mercy and was killed as the super-soldier took hold of his blades and summoned his strength, ripping the Clone in two.

The rest of Jaeger Regiment was in full retreat. Seeing the empowered and protected Wraith to be quite unbeatable compared to before, Hatchet deemed it best that they pull out, as did Thrawn. They had left their mark on him and had proved their worth. As far as those two were concerned, their job was done.

But Wraith was not done with them yet.

He could tell from the beginning that these Clones were being directed with a very refined precision, something he hadn't seen in very many Republic commanders. He wanted to know who was behind this army, to see with his own optics who was capable of organizing such a specialized army capable of giving him such a fight.

Spying a Marshal Commander, based on the identifying markings, he quickly made to subdue him and gain some answers. Surely this Clone had a higher authority he reported to.

Hatchet saw Wraith coming for him and had a feeling his end was near. Problem was, Thrawn was moving to link up with him in effort to coordinate a proper retreat back to the Endurance and that decision had been made some time ago.

He wasn't about to let his Commander, let alone a foreign officer with no true stake in this fight, to succumb to the ferocity of this monster.

"Commander Thrawn! Break off the rendezvous, I repeat, break off the rendezvous!" He shouted into his comms before one of Wraith's blades speared him in the shoulder and the super-solider was suddenly upon him. Using his blades to pin Hatchet to the ground, Wraith got really close to the helmeted Clone.

" _Who is he?!_ " He demanded. " _Who is this 'Thrawn' you speak to?!_ "

"I am." A voice said. Turning around, Wraith came face to face with its owner: a noble-looking Chiss male clad in a black foreign officer's uniform and wearing a battle helmet he'd seen some Republic officers sporting on occasion. Thrawn tightened a pair of gloves around his hands as he continued speaking, calm and collected despite whom he was dealing with. "I've been watching you for some time, Wraith." He stated in a quiet, reserved voice. "Might you test your skills against me?"


	44. Wraith Versus the Super Army (Part 2)

**Author's Note: I knew I couldn't leave you hanging, again, so I wrote this as quickly as I could. Without further delay, enjoy Wraith versus Thrawn! My apologies if this chapter is a little short, but I'm sure I'll make it up to y'all at some point.**

* * *

-Chapter 24: Wraith Versus The Super Army (Part 2)-

Location: Diado

"The well-trained mind is stronger than any warrior."

Raised to full height and standing over Commander Hatchet, Wraith eyed this Chiss called Thrawn with a tactical, discerning gaze.

" _You, fight me?_ " He replied to Thrawn's challenge. " _I just decimated your army, if that is who you are, and yet you think you can stand against me?_ " He questioned, finding it very foolhardy for anyone to even dare think of opposing him.

"You have not _decimated_ my army, Wraith. You have killed off many of these Clones, yes, but there are still a good many who will live to fight another day." Thrawn corrected him, hands clasped behind his back.

" _Regardless, this battle has already been decided. You are not worth my time!_ " Wraith rumbled, reaching down and pulling his chain-blades free from Hatchet's body.

"I, someone who has thoroughly studied who you are and has worked closely with the Republic to fashion the means of your defeat, am not worth you time?" Thrawn queried with a raised eyebrow. "Not a very tactical decision from the solider designed to be, what do they call you now... ah yes, _perfect_." Such deriding comments forced Wraith to stop and consider this man for a moment. He appeared to be practically fearless, a true marvel for anyone who had come face to face with him. But he was also willing to go a step further in whatever verbal sparring they engaged in. While Wraith was simply trying to brush him off, Thrawn was proving very resistant.

Wraith walked closer to Thrawn, his towering form reaching above the Chiss' nearly six-foot height.

" _Who are you Thrawn?_ " He asked. " _Surely you are someone of great importance, given the Republic has employed you to learn whatever you can about me._ "

"All you need to know is that I am Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Chiss Ascendency. I am here as an observer of the Clone Wars, but have recently decided to take a far more invested role, if only to prevent your malice from reaching my home." Thrawn responded.

" _I care little for anyone outside the Confederacy or the Republic. You need not be concerned about me and my thoughts on your home._ " Wraith stated. He knew nothing of the Chiss and saw seldom few in the known galaxy at large. As long as they were not involved in the war, they were not his problem.

"Maybe so, but what about when the war is over?" Thrawn pried. "What happens should the Separatists decide to expand their reach? What if my home falls under their options for expansion? Such possibilities I would rather deal with now while they are mere theories rather than fully-formed threats." Wraith couldn't help but nod.

" _A wise move._ " He mused. So far, with the simple words Thrawn had offered, Wraith had already learned much about him. He must be a brilliant member of his people, which was why he was sent to grow in his knowledge by observing the war. He must also be loyal and some kind of defender of his people, which is why he chose to break normal observer protocol and engage in the war. Even still, his decisions when it came to forthcoming events, be they impossible or plausible, were tactically sound and precise, indicating his ability to think and plan was very much on par with Wraith's own tactical genius. Thrawn tipped his head in acknowledgment.

"Do you still refuse my offer?" He wondered.

" _I do. For the simple reason I have other things to do, I have wasted enough time on this snowball of a world._ " Wraith replied. He was in great need of some healing and some new weapons. Right now, he cared little for whatever challenge this Chiss had to offer, only about being able to leave and see to his own repair.

But as Wraith made to leave, Thrawn sidestepped so he was in front of him. The super-solider looked up, both curious and sensing a confrontation. " _You are in my way._ " He growled in a low voice.

"I will not let you pass." Thrawn replied. "Not until you have tested your skills against me."

" _Is it a matter of limits, Thrawn? To see how far you can progress until you are bested and therefore need more training?_ " Wraith coolly wondered, trying to keep an even head. " _Because, if so, you will likely find another challenger among the Jedi._ "

"It is not about me." Thrawn told him. "But, rather, about you." Cocking his head, Wraith chose to listen as Thrawn continued. "It is one thing to deduce who you are based upon mere reports, visual observations or still images. It is another thing, however, to experience who you are in person." He explained. His words quickly helped Wraith to clue in.

Thrawn was hoping to determine his threat level.

" _My maximum potential exceeds anything you can withstand._ " Wraith informed him, stating what he thought was the obvious.

"Perhaps. But that remains to be seen." Thrawn calmly retorted. Wraith was a little stunned by his reply. Even though he had borne witness to the kind of fights he could withstand and the amount of carnage he could create, the Chiss was still seeking to engage in combat with him.

Wraith had to give him credit. This Thrawn had guts.

" _I will give you one chance to walk away. I will not call you a coward and I will not pursue you. Leave now and you do not have to die._ " He offered, a little annoyed by Thrawn's last statement.

"Thank you, but I decline." Thrawn politely responded. "You seem so certain in your victory... but I remain unconvinced you are capable of attaining it." He jabbed in a quiet voice. Beneath his helmet, Wraith's eyes narrowed.

" _Alright... Thrawn. You asked for this!_ " He growled, ditching his blades with a simple flick to each chain on his arms. Thrawn smiled a little at his acceptance.

"A few ground rules, if you don't mind." He said. "No weapons. No tools. Only our wits and our knowledge of the martial arts."

" _Fine._ " Wraith accepted. " _Now... time to teach you a lesson in pain!_ " Snapping out his arm, hand balled into a fist, Wraith aimed to strike Thrawn right in the face. But, to his surprise, Thrawn calmly sidestepped his blow and held his arm with his right hand.

It was almost as if he had been anticipating his move.

"Or is it you who needs to be taught a lesson?" He wondered. Moving with sudden swiftness, Thrawn maneuvered his right leg behind Wraith's left and pushed hard on his extended arm, tripping him. Landing on his back, Wraith quickly rolled over and onto his feet, shaking off the surprise and decided to take Thrawn seriously at his word.

No one was capable of just doing that to him.

Thrawn maintained his calm and composed demeanor, standing tall and upright without concern, as if him being able to land Wraith on his back was nothing out of the ordinary. Knowing he needed to prove his strength, Wraith quickly struck back, hitting hard and fast with punch after punch. Mixing things up with crosses, jabs and hooks, Wraith was relying on his unpredictable nature to help him gain the advantage.

But Thrawn read him like a holotext and calmly blocked or dodged each of his blows as they came, rebuffing Wraith with a level of grace in his moves. "Brute force is not always the answer, you know." Thrawn commented, blocking and deflecting as he spoke. "Your musculature indicates you rely heavily on your strength as a means of support. But you lack a balance." Growling in irritation at how Thrawn was not even trying to strike him but mock his moves instead, Wraith turned up the heat by striking faster. Whirling around and lashing out with a kick, Thrawn ducked his leg entirely and retaliated with a palm strike that hit Wraith square in the back, causing the super-solider to stumble. "You are tense. There is an anger simmering beneath the surface. _That_ is the source of your imbalance." Thrawn told him.

" _Don't tell me how to live!_ " Wraith rumbled as he turned and whipped a hard punch straight at Thrawn's head. But the Chiss tilted his head and brushed it aside, attacking Wraith with two quick uppercuts to the chin and a jab to the face that knocked Wraith back once more.

"Ignorance is a very crippling vice." Thrawn mused, watching as Wraith shook his head and recovered.

" _Enough!_ " Wraith growled as he executed a lunge kick, Thrawn stepping aside just in time. With Wraith landing before him, his back facing Thrawn, the super-solider moved to strike behind him with his elbow. But the Chiss caught it and struck back with a chop to Wraith's shoulder, managing to inflict a very painful blow to the weakened portion of his already seared jacket. Planting his boot against his back, Thrawn kicked Wraith away, knocking him to his knees.

"Do you persist in being unteachable?" Thrawn wondered, almost tauntingly so. Wraith's fist pounded the ground.

Who was he to mock him like this?!

Whipping around, Wraith sprang forward and launched into a lunge kick, forcing Thrawn to quickly move to his right. But Wraith anticipated this and, as soon as he landed, whipped around with a heel-kick aimed for Thrawn's head.

But, exercising surprising strength, Thrawn grabbed Wraith's incoming leg and held him in place, striking back with his own kick to the back of Wraith's other knee. The super-solider crumpled to the ground as Thrawn released him. "Where are those nine martial arts I noted you being so knowledgeable of?" He asked. "I must confess Wraith, you are quite disappointing in person." Down on the ground, Wraith realized all he was doing was helping Thrawn gain knowledge about him that could be given back to the Republic.

That and make a complete fool out of him.

He needed to get back to his roots, back to the original training that truly made him such a deadly warrior to begin with. This Thrawn seemed to be quite adept in the art of close quarters combat. He needed to prove he was better, if not superior.

Recalling his life before the introduction of tools, equipment and incredible rage, Wraith slowly returned to a standing position before he turned and faced Thrawn once more.

But this time, instead of outright attacking, he assumed an attack stance, readying his mind for a coming fight.

Thrawn nodded a little at the sight of Wraith being far more reserved and tactical. "Now, that's better." Wraith's eyes narrowed.

" _Do your worst, Thrawn._ " He growled.

* * *

 _Aboard the Endurance..._

Mace Windu was overseeing the return of Jaeger Regiment. Thrawn had ordered a full retreat, according to the Clones, and the Jedi believed it was because The Wraith had gotten the better of them.

Still, he was quite pleased by the number of Clones who _actually_ returned and were not in body bags or being carried by medics.

A far more worrying thought was that there was no sign of Thrawn amongst these Clones. Mace Windu feared the worst, thinking Wraith had gotten to him. He walked over to a pair of shadow troopers who had been escorting the foreign officer.

"Troopers, report. Where is your commanding officer?" Mace inquired as they snapped to attention.

"General Windu, sir. Commander Thrawn is still on the planet's surface. He said he was going to meet with Wraith and 'satisfy two needs' as he put it." One of them replied.

"That's not good." The Jedi muttered. "Get me a dropship, now!"

* * *

The fight had escalated from a one-sided display to a full-on match between equal opponents.

Wraith had found his center, using his training in hand-to-hand combat as a means to regain his composure and his sense of power. No longer was he relying on raw emotion.

Now he was relying on the tactical genius that was his mind.

Thrawn found the far more calm, focused and significantly quieter Wraith to be a far greater challenge than his previous self. It would seem his offhand coaching had actually paid off and had returned Wraith to the top-tier fighter Thrawn had first discovered in the reports he read and the footage he'd studied. Since his renewal, neither opponent could land a hit on each other, a very clear demonstration of Thrawn's true mastery of hand-to-hand combat that Wraith made note of. While Clones fell in droves before him, standing little chance against his enraged state, a true master had no issues when it came to dealing with an unbalanced person.

That was something Wraith knew he had to re-attain. Maybe once he had been far less disturbed, but ever since his introduction to RGE-7, he had noticed a fairly major difference between the man he was at the start of the Clone Wars and who he was now.

He had no idea battling Thrawn would help him realize that.

Still, Thrawn was proving to be an exceptional opponent, one Wraith doubted he would ever forget.

Feigning a punch, Wraith snapped out his elbow at the last possible second, hoping to drive his armored joint into the Chiss man. But Thrawn managed to deflect and retaliated with a palm strike, one that struck Wraith on the helmet but barely made him flinch. Moving to deliver an uppercut, Thrawn quickly drew his fist back and used it to block the incoming blow, before he turned around and moved to deliver a backhanded punch. However, Wraith stopped him cold and used the Chiss' disadvantaged position to push him forward. Thrawn recovered quickly and stepped out of the way just as Wraith brought his arm down in an elbow drop, nearly scoring a critical blow to Thrawn's back but only hitting air.

"Using calm, calculated strikes to pave the way for a crippling blow. A Hijkata technique. Very impressive." Thrawn told him as he collected himself.

" _Praise is not necessary. I am used to it._ " Wraith replied. The Chiss tilted his head.

"The arrogance could use some work, though." He quietly noted. With a huff, Wraith charged at Thrawn, aiming to perform the Charging Wampa move from his Teras Kasi training. Thrawn waited to see what Wraith would do and, seeing his right arm taunt and bent in the ready position of an uppercut, Thrawn quickly stepped back and let Wraith's fist go sailing past his face. Feeling only wind and no solid connection, Wraith had fortunately developed a backup plan. Pulling his arm back in, Wraith adjusted his arms and shoulders in mid-air before he snapped out his both fists as he landed, his right catching Thrawn by surprise with a solid blow to the chest with his armored knuckles. Thrawn stumbled back as he exhaled sharply, recoiling a little from the sudden secondary strike.

It was a move he knew, but he had never seen it as a part of a fighting combo like that.

"The Dragon's Wings. A k'Jtari strike." He mused, wheezing a little. "Impressive."

" _You've seen it?_ " Wraith wondered, resetting himself.

"Yes. But never as part of a rising strike." Thrawn continued as he recovered. Wraith smirked a little.

He appeared to have Thrawn on the ropes.

But such a sentiment vanished when Thrawn moved suddenly and unleashed a hard palm strike so vicious it snapped Wraith's head to the side and sent him spinning. Quickly finding clarity, Wraith shook his head and cleared it just in time to see Thrawn come rushing in. Wraith stepped back to avoid his right cross and leaned back a little further to avoid the follow-up left cross, forming a plan of retaliation using another k'Jtari move. Lashing out with a straight kick to gain some distance, Wraith successfully pushed Thrawn away before he launched into a hurricane kick, striking the Chiss with three blows in quick succession. With Thrawn staggered, Wraith pressed his advantage and struck with his knee, only to have Thrawn form a solid defence using both his arms and a leg to block it. His recovery time impressed Wraith, making a mental note that the rules of dominance in fighting still applied to the Chiss commander. Using the momentum from his knee strike, Wraith reared back and delivered a hard jab. But, managing to actually grab and hold Wraith's fist before it could land, Thrawn promptly twisted it sharply and pressed his thumb down on a nerve near his wrist, causing Wraith to cry out in pain.

" _YEOW!_ " The super-soldier fought to wrench his arm free, only to have Thrawn literally throw his arm away and deliver a hard punch that slammed into Wraith's chest, close to his arm. The staggered super-soldier stepped back, slowly flexing and shaking his afflicted hand. He was not expecting Thrawn to be able to block the full force of one of his punches. " _A Stava nerve pinch, not bad._ " He mused, knowing the technique well. " _But was that hit supposed to hurt?_ " Wraith growled, trying to act tough.

"No. But that was a nerve cluster in your left deltoid that I struck." Thrawn informed him. "You will not be moving that arm for a while." Looking down at his now limp and unresponsive limb in surprise, Wraith unfortunately discovered that Thrawn was right.

" _No matter._ " He grumbled, deciding to fight with his feet instead. Executing a crescent kick to put Thrawn on guard, Wraith then spun and performed a reverse tornado kick, his limp arm trailing behind him. Thrawn spun around, leading Wraith's incoming leg with just enough space to avoid him, and used his momentum to perform a backhand with his fist that smashed Wraith across the face, opening him up for Thrawn to drive another pointed blow into his opposite deltoid, putting his other arm out of commission as well.

The commander had every intention of ending this.

With both arms rendered useless, depriving him of his defenses, Thrawn struck quickly and mercilessly. Driving a kick to the side of Wraith's knees, Thrawn put the super-soldier on the ground before finishing him off with a single high-kick to the chin, a move that put Wraith on his back once more. Only this time, the super-soldier had no intention of getting back up. Doing so would prolong a fight he was now officially losing. In his mind, it was better to yield with dignity than to face disgrace with an undignified defeat.

Groaning as his audible way of surrendering, Wraith stayed still as Thrawn eased himself and slowly dusted off his hands.

"That was quite a show, Wraith. Your skills are truly impressive. I can see why lesser men fear you so greatly." Thrawn told him.

Did he just insult him, thank him and praise him at the same time? Who was this man?

Wraith said nothing in reply as Thrawn started to walk away in the direction of an incoming dropship sent by the Endurance. Lying alone in the cold snow, Wraith found himself grateful for the peaceful moment. It made for a nice reprieve from the strenuous hours of battle he had just endured, both against Clones and this Commander Thrawn character.

While his body was at ease, albeit painfully so, Wraith's mind was still active. Today had escalated from a simple reconnaissance mission to something else altogether. It had become a test of his endurance, a test of his skills, a test of his will, his strength and his power. Although it may not appear like he had physically won, Wraith felt he had achieved something great mentally.

Thrawn had managed to teach him a lot, both about himself and the Republic. They were getting bolder now, their desperation to do him in bringing forth potent foes for him to deal with. This Clone army, whatever it was called, would certainly plague him again in the future, of this he had no doubt.

And Thrawn... while still something of a mystery, he had proved himself to be exceptionally dangerous. No Jedi or Clones had ever made Wraith as uneasy as this new commander did.

He would never say it out loud, but he was a little afraid of Thrawn.

" _Most of my enemies, through either their actions or their attitudes, have earned only my ire. But you, Thrawn, have earned my respect._ " Wraith admitted quietly.

* * *

 _Elsewhere, some time later..._

Bent over the holotable, Pomel Scipio was in the midst of recording some findings of a recent experiment, his notes cluttered across the visible screen in a seemingly random array of indistinguishable numbers, letters and characters. He'd been busy, as he always was while Wraith was out, but this time he was preoccupied with far more experimental studies and not with anything related to Wraith's care. But he soon decided he would have to switch studies when he heard the door behind him open and the sound of metal boots on a metal floor filled the room. "So? How did it go?" He wondered, slowly standing up and turning around. "You were gone such a long time I was starting to wonde-" turning around and catching sight of Wraith's battered and scorched appearance, Scipio stopped talking for a moment as his mouth hung open in shock and his eyes widened. "By the stars! You look like you've been through hell!" He exclaimed, rushing over to Wraith.

" _I feel like it, too._ " Wraith grumbled as he plunked himself down in a nearby seat, chain-blades clattering as he dropped them down on a nearby surface. " _Diado wasn't nearly as quiet as the dossier said it would be._ "

"Apparently not!" Scipio mused as he looked over the blackened hole in the middle of his chest. "Republic ambush, I'm guessing?"

" _Good guess. Wasn't your average Clones, though,_ " Wraith added, " _it was a whole army of specialists. I've never seen so many different units... ever._ "

"Interesting." Scipio quietly noted, his fingers tracing the deep scratches in his shoulder armor. "I'll need to see your helmet recordings immediately, then."

" _Before you do, let me give you the damages._ " Wraith went on to explain everything that had happened concerning his equipment and how he ended up looking so battered.

"So you'll need some new slug weapons. I think I have an idea for some replacements." Scipio said, already thinking about a pair he'd seen recently. "And I'll be sure to work on improving your gauntlets. Those Clones were some good thinkers, helping me come up with far more refined ways to improve you."

" _And some kind of electrostatic protection for the cloaker._ " Wraith reminded him, growing tired of being found out each time he went invisible. Speaking of personal devices, Wraith withdrew the shield generator he had taken from the Clone assassin and handed it to the doctor.

"My my. This is a personal shield projector... and it appears to be the Verpine or Arkanian variant." Scipio noted, holding the device up to the light. "This is good. It'll protect you from physical attacks as well as kinetic and energy based attacks."

" _Nice. Always good to have an extra layer of defense, especially if I'm dealing with grenades... the anti-armor variant, specifically._ " Wraith nodded, remembering the explosives the Clone commandos used against him. Having already dumped his chain-blades on the table, Scipio went to them next as he set down the shield generator.

"And these... where did you get these?" He asked, picking up one and noting just how hefty it was.

" _They were constructed out of necessity._ " Wraith replied rather cryptically.

"I see." Scipio hummed, eyeing the tools that had been recently produced. Dried blood coated their edges, staining even the handles with large splotches. "You are a fairly good blacksmith, Wraith. With a little extra work, these could truly be an ornate work of art." He noted, seeing that, despite their worn appearance, they were certainly a viable weapon.

" _I needed them to do their job, nothing more. Tweak them if you wish, but always ensure they are still useable afterwards._ " Wraith told him. Scipio nodded absentmindedly, becoming rather engrossed in his study of the chain-blades.

"Heavy, robust... chains on the grips offering added reach and offensive techniques..." He muttered, holding up the thick links of metal that had been fastened to the hilt. "I don't think there's enough room on your body for all of your new tools." Scipio surmised, his brain pondering how he could possibly incorporate these chain-blades into Wraith's arsenal.

Then again, did he really need them? Or were they sentimental only?

" _I've been thinking about that and I have some ideas._ " The commando informed him. " _But, I'll tell you what, why not install a weapons locker on the shuttle. It'll be a place for me to keep some of my bigger tools._ " He suggested.

"Yes, that could work." Scipio nodded in agreement, knowing a sniper rifle should also belong in that locker. "So you tell me that one single Clone army did all this to you? Incredible."

" _Yeah. Bunch a new guys, but they sure packed a mean punch._ " Wraith agreed. " _But they taught me a lot about myself. I've been going good for a while but now I need to constantly evolve. The Republic is going keep trying to one-up me, so I have to always be on top of my game. Whatever they do, I have to be able to do better._ " He said, sounding very determined.

"I couldn't agree more. Where should we begin?" Scipio wondered.

" _Let's start with this Feral Rage you've given me. I need to be able to think while I'm so... incensed. If I just lash out, my actions fuelled by nothing more than raw emotion, I'm not a soldier, I'm an animal. I'd rather the Clones fear my tactics because they've been enhanced by my rage, rather than just having them fear my strength._ "

"Okay. But we'll keep the strength, right?"

" _Obviously. I love ripping Clones apart._ " Wraith replied, earning a chuckle from Scipio. " _Also, I'm going to need more tech, more weapons, more tools. You may have to bulk up my armor, add a few extra pouches, change the engineering of some stuff, I don't care. But I've got to be on par if not more powerful than this new army. They'll be after me again, I'm sure of it. They've got an impressive arsenal and I need to match it should I face them again._ " He explained in a serious tone of voice. " _I am a super-commando, after all._ "

"You do make a point." Scipio nodded, turning around and heading to the holotable. "Let me see what I can come up with. Any ideas?"

" _Maybe a few..._ " Wraith nodded, specifically thinking about a few of the pieces of tech the Clones had used against him.

* * *

 _Coruscant, in the office of the Supreme Chancellor..._

Having returned from Diado, Master Windu and Commander Thrawn stood in Palpatine's presence that night as they reported the day's events.

"Ultimately, while Jaeger Regiment did prove effective against The Wraith, they wound up defeated in the end." Mace Windu explained, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"His sheer determination and force of will is very impressive." Thrawn reported. "Such traits should be noted and passed on to other leaders, information like that may prove useful."

"So how do you recommend we improve for any future encounters, Commander?" Palpatine asked.

"There is an old saying among my people, Chancellor: the best way to defeat your enemy is to convince him he has nothing to gain by defeating you. While Wraith's devotion to the Separatists is strong and he lives by his mandate to slaughter the Republic, it would be wise for us to appear inferior, not worth his time, therefore encouraging his arrogance. This single plan can be enough to topple him even when he is in the heat of battle."

"That is all very well and good, Commander Thrawn. But what of Jaeger Regiment?" Palpatine wondered, addressing both individuals. "We are fighting this war with Clones, where do they stand in the grand scheme of things?"

"It is hard to say just how effective Jaeger Regiment was, given they were forced to retreat in the end. It may be that we must always send out stronger and stronger units after Wraith, tiring him out until we can strike a critical blow to him." Windu grimly surmised.

But Thrawn disagreed.

"I think you may be overlooking the whole encounter and are forming your opinion solely upon the outcome, Master Jedi." He objected. "What we do know is that, to a degree, Jaeger Regiment was relatively successful against The Wraith. It has accomplished what any previous army unit could not: it forced him to improvise." Turning to Palpatine he continued, "Chancellor, it is my recommendation that we take what we have learned from this encounter and apply it to future battles. Instead forming a single army, turn Jeager Regiment into special operations companies, composed of the same Clone specialists. These companies can then be attached to larger armies, the five-oh-first, the two-twelfth, the one-oh-fourth, the three-twenty-seventh, and so on. This way they can be far more effective on a wider range of fronts, always there should Wraith arrive."

"I will take your suggestions under consideration." Palpatine informed them, rising from his seat. "I wish to thank you both so very much for your participation in this trial run. Your efforts have helped us on our path to finding a permanent solution for this menace." As Thrawn tilted his head in acknowledgment, Mace had a one further question.

"If I may Chancellor, how did you know about Wraith's location on Diado?"

"There are some Separatists who are not as wholesome as many would believe. These Republic agents feed me information and keep me appraised of the actions of many notable figures. Wraith happens to be right near the top of their watch list." Palpatine lied, determine to keep his abilities and identity as a Sith Lord a firm secret.


	45. Scipio's Log 711

Scipio's Log: Entry 71.1 - Refinements

" _After his encounter on Diado with 'Commander Thrawn' and his Clone army, Wraith and I have been busy discussing new developments in terms of who he is as a super-soldier. I will have to keep this memo brief for the sake of secrecy and I do not wish for any of my private thoughts to be made known to the Republic... any leak at all could be the doom of everything!_

" _I have reviewed the footage from his helmet numerous times and can only watch with rapt attention as to just how lethal this unsuspecting Chiss man can be. This battle has certainly been an eye-opening one for Wraith, leading him to share his revelations with me. The first thing I must work on is his 'Feral Rage' as we have come to call it. He claims a need to be able to think coherently while enraged, one that will help him guide his actions so he does not simply lash out so flippantly. I can see the logic behind this and am also aware just how experimental RGE-Seven is to begin with. Obviously there were going to be some kinks that require ironing out, hopefully this is the only one._

" _However, I feel as though I may be able to take this suggestion a step further. Perhaps I can enhance Wraith's mental functionality but still give off the physical appearance that he is nothing more than a raging beast. Those two combined together would surely make for a heightened level of danger and wreak havoc on Republic forces as a form of psychological warfare._

" _Suffice to say, Clones will be faced with one question: how can he still be so good when so afflicted by such feelings? A question, I hope will keep the Republic on edge and wary of my boy whenever he is around..."_

 _..._

" _I must go now. Count Dooku is calling and Wraith has a set of armor that needs repairing. I am a very busy man, with no apparent time on my hands for recording military secrets!"_

End of Log


	46. A Special Kind of Upgrade

**Author's Note: Another shorter chapter, but it details something pretty vital...**

 **Also, on a different note, The Clone Wars is coming back! For those who have not been listening to SDCC 2018 news, 12 brand new episodes which will properly end the series have been confirmed to air in 2019 on Disney's new streaming service... I know. First 'yay' then 'oh come on!'**

* * *

-Chapter 25: A Special Kind of Upgrade-

Location: Chorax

"The definition of strength depends on who you ask."

One day after the events of Diado, Wraith had been properly healed up and was in the midst of a workout when Count Dooku called the base. Abandoning the training room, his shirt sweat-stained and his hair sticking about, Wraith arrived in the common room dressed in far more casual attire than he would've liked.

But, duty called, regardless of his preferences.

Scipio was already there, speaking with the older man, when Wraith arrived.

"Solider, good to see you looking well. Doctor Scipio tells me you encountered a bit of a situation on Diado." Dooku greeted him.

"It certainly wasn't nearly as quiet and simple as my mission dossier said it would be." Wraith replied. "But I'm just fine."

"That is good to hear. Your power and potential continues to impress us." Dooku praised him. "However, this assignment is similar in nature to your last, so anticipate some kind of resistance. We have recently intercepted communications between a Devaronian smuggler or pirate, we're not certain, and the Republic, claiming to have acquired a mysterious object that should be in possession of the Jedi. It was also acquired in Separatist territory."

"Let me guess, you want me to find whatever this object is and deal with it." Wraith assumed, crossing his arms.

"Precisely." Count Dooku positively replied. "We have tracked the informant's signal to Chorax where he is to meet with a representative of the Jedi. Go there at once and prevent the handoff from happening." Wraith bowed from the waist.

"At once, my Lord." He responded as the communication ended.

"Well, with any luck, this should be pretty straight forward: acquire the goods and leave no survivors." Scipio mused.

"Not bad at all. Is my armor ready to go?" Wraith asked.

"Unfortunately, no. The damage was too extensive to be fixed immediately. It will take some time before your duster is completely ready once more." Scipio negatively informed him. "However, I have been making som adjustments to your original jacket. You can wear it for the time being. I've also fixed your gauntlets, so they're ready to go, but the new slugthrowing weapons will take some time to get here." Wraith nodded at the assement handed to him. He could adapt to these no circumstances no problem.

"Fair enough. Let me go get changed."

* * *

 _Later, on Chorax..._

Chorax was a hazy planet in the Rachuk Sector and a real haven for smugglers and pirates. There was nothing important about the flat, desert-like world, it really remained out of the way of the war, given very few individuals paid the seemingly useless planet any heed.

But it was about to become very important... to a select few individuals.

Piloting his Aka'jor shuttle down through the foggy air, Wraith was primarily relying on his scanners as a means of travel, due to the dense atmospheric conditions being nearly impossible to see through. Even with scanners, he had to question just how reliable they were due to, if any, airborne particles that might be affecting them.

For such reasons, he had memorized a map prior to his departure.

Having triangulated the final transmission sent by the Devaronian, Wraith had pinpointed his location to be an old and abandoned smuggler's den. It was a small, boxy compound with squarish buildings made of rusting metal plates, not classy by any means but certainly secure enough for a handoff to take place.

He chose to touch down under a cliff, hoping it would shield him from any prying eyes. Stepping out into the world, he found the temperature cool, almost frigid, despite the warm coloration. Maybe it was because his jacket, which resembled an armored leather jacket, was not properly insulated like his duster was.

But he cared little for the 'why' such matters. If his body could handle it, he was not worried.

Using his scanners to pinpoint trace thermal and electrical signals, Wraith broke into a jog as he followed them towards what he believed to be the ship carrying this Devaronian.

He came across the compound soon enough and hid behind one of the buildings near the outskirts, taking a moment to adjust his scanners to infrared. He quickly located three individuals that, given the recognizable horns on their heads, were all Devaronians. Two of them stood together, a short distance behind the other, something to indicate the third Devaronian was the one he was after.

Evidently he had brought his own security too. No matter. They would be dealt with in due time.

It appeared Wraith had arrived just in time as a Jedi starfighter, specifically an Eta-2 Actis variant, touched down in the flats nearby. Wraith silently observed as a Jedi exited the ship and strolled over to the Devaronians, his cloak enveloping his body like a blanket.

"I am Padawan Sha'a Gi of the Jedi Order." He introduced, Wraith's audio receptors picking up his words loudly and clearly.

"Ah, Jedi. So pleased to see you. I am Sor'n Bac. Please, follow me." The Devaronian greeted with a notable accent. The four individuals retreated inside a nearby building, giving Wraith plenty of time to trigger his cloaker and creep up on them. Once he was within range, he continued to listen.

"Here it is." The Devaronian was saying. "We've kept it under lock and key."

"Tell me everything you know. The Jedi are most interested in what you have to say." Sha'a Gi asked him.

"We found it on Dantooine, while scavagening Separatist weapons from a recent battle. We do not know where it comes from, only that it holds an unusual effect on each one of us." Wraith quickly dissected the information. He knew Mace Windu had fought an extensive campaign there, perhaps these pirates were attempting to collect the remains of the prototype separatist weaponry used during those fights.

"What kind of effect?" Gi asked.

"Anger, mostly. We become irritated and perturbed for no real reason. I myself have experienced it. It is almost as if my anger is looking for a place to take root... looking for something to be tied to." Arching an eyebrow beneath his helmet, Wraith deemed that odd. Clearly this was no average item the Jedi wanted.

Maybe there was more to this than he first realized.

Deciding to act, Wraith pulled one of the oldest tricks known and knocked on the door. He watched with amusement as the people inside stood up, more than likely afraid. "You two! Check that out! We should be alone here!" The informant gruffly commanded. Still invisible, Wraith waited silently in the shadows as the door opened and the two Devaronian guards stepped out, a pair of blaster rifles aimed out at the foggy landscape.

Once they had travelled a suitable distance from the door, Wraith struck.

Triggering both arm blades he drove them through the backs of their heads, blood dripping from the wounds as the two guards fell limp. Withdrawing his weapons, letting both bodies hit the ground, Wraith turned around and deactivated his cloaker, revealing his presence to the terrified Devaronian and the Jedi.

" _You have something that belongs to us._ " He growled, cracking his knuckles.

"You... Y-You must be mistaken..." The would-be informant stammered.

" _It was recovered within Separatist territory, therefore, it is property of the CIS._ " Wraith reiterated. " _Hand it over and I will grant you a quick death._ " Sha'a Gi was not one to give up so easily and quickly ignited his green saber.

"Get to cover Sor'n!" He commanded. Wraith quickly sized up the youthful Jedi, noting his sandy-brown hair, the stubble around his chin and the Padawan braid hanging from the left of his head.

Too easy. The Jedi should've sent someone stronger.

Drawing his pistol, Wraith gunned down the fleeing Devaronian with three shots, killing him instantly. Holstering his weapon, he returned his focus to the Jedi, unfazed in the slightest.

Sha'a Gi didn't stand a chance against him.

Barring his attacking swing with one hand, Wraith promptly severed Sha'a Gi's arm with his arm blade, cutting it off with a spray of blood. Gasping in pain and shock, the Jedi looked up in fear as Wraith drew his arm back and brought his blade down hard, burying its sharp edge deep in the young Jedi's skull. Wrenching his weapon free, Wraith was showered by a stream of blood as the Jedi collapsed. Surrounded by bodies, his own body stained with fresh blood, Wraith was in his environment. As the moment passed, Wraith retracted his blade and sought out the corpse of the would-be informant.

It was time to see what all the secrecy was about.

Retrieving the sealed box held by the now deceased Sor'n Bac, Wraith made his way back inside the building, sealing the doors behind him. He approached a small stand, where he set down the simple box. Using his strength to simply break the small lock on the front, Wraith cracked open the lid and revealed something quite unexpected.

Inside lay the hilt of a sword.

It was very rectangular and slender in design, narrow and slim, not nearly as cylindrical as the hilts he'd seen every other Jedi carried. He knew it to be some kind of lightsaber, given there was no blade attached to it. But he had to wonder what kind or, more accurately, what color it was.

What was so special about a lightsaber it took an informant and a Jedi rendezvous to keep secret from everyone else?

Curiosity getting the better of him, Wraith held the hilt properly in his hand and pressed the blade ignition switch.

What happened next surprised him beyond words.

A thin column of flame shot out from the top of the hilt, forming itself into a blade-like design. It was easily a foot or two longer than his arm blades and glowed yellow as the chaotic flames licked and rolled in a continuous pattern. Staring at the sight in awe and wonder, Wraith could say with the utmost amount of confidence that he had never seen anything like this before.

" _A... fire... sword? Saber? What in the...?_ " He mumbled, trying to determine what this thing was.

He needed answers.

Just as he was reaching up to actvate his comms, he suddenly felt something within him begin to pulse and beat, flaring up as though something had summoned it. While Wraith could not pinpoint exactly what it was, the fiery blade seemed to be reacting in sync with the sensation. It were as if the fiery weapon was reaching out to him, connecting with him, bonding with him.

All at once, Wraith suddenly felt calm again. The saber returned to normal as well, flames calmly licking and rolling in a simple state fo existence. But there was something different about him...

He felt one with the sword, united with it. He could not explain it, but he felt as though this blazing weapon had been tied to his very soul. His very feelings and emotions were now tied to the fervor and power of this blade.

He even felt a little stronger.

" _Scipio, come in._ " Wraith calmly radioed, finally regaining his senses. " _I need your help._ "

"What do you need, my boy?"

" _I hope the AV broadcasting system is working, 'cause you need to see this._ " He replied. Intrigued by his words, Scipio did so... and was surprised by what he saw.

"By the stars!" He gasped. "What is that?"

" _It was the thing the Devaronian wanted to hand over to the Jedi._ " Wraith replied. " _I'm heading back now. Think you can do some digging into what this is?_ " He asked.

"I'll see what I can come up with." Scipio informed him as Wraith needed the link. Quickly turning to the holotable, Scipio pulled up the Galactic Holonet, hoping to find something regarding a fiery blade that might have ties to the Jedi. He did a great deal of historical research, pursuing normally off-limits sections until, finally, he found a simple paragraph regarding to not just any one blade, but to a broader series of blades from thousands of years ago.

 _Elemental sabers. Ancient Jedi weapons, constructed even before the days of the Old Republic. One such blade was formed in an attempt by ancient Element Masters to weaponize fire. The weapon was to be in tune with the user, a steady column of pure flame channeled by the serenity of the user's nature. The more wild and angry the nature, the more deadly and powerful the flame, thus a harmonious balance was required and much dedicated meditation necessary._ The passage read. Scipio leaned back in his seat and stroked his chin, mulling over the details presented to him.

Perhaps Count Dooku knew more about this 'firesaber'... if not, he would certainly want to know bout it.

"Interesting." He said at last. Turning to his comms, he called Wraith once more. "My boy, when you return, there is something I think you should read."

* * *

 _Later..._

"A firesaber?" Dooku exclaimed in surprise. "I had no idea such weapons still existed."

"It sounds like it is a rare tool, indeed." Scipio agreed, Wraith standing. "Do you know anything more about this, my Lord?" Dooku paused and mulled over his knowledge, reflecting back on the histories and lessons he studied during his time as a member of the Jedi Order.

"Among the Jedi there were often tales of masters of the elements, those capable of using the Force to bend the very powers of nature to their will. They were even mentioned in the 'Path of the Jedi' text." He explained. "It would stand to reason that, given the existence of a 'dark saber' in contrast to a lightsaber, perhaps both a fire and icesaber also exist."

" _One of them certainly does._ " Wraith mused.

"What shall we do with the saber, my Lord? Dispose of it in some matter?" Scipio asked. Dooku again took the matter under consideration. The Jedi were actively seeking to acquire this tool, which would mean they would be wanting to try to reclaim it once more. They would need some heavy duty security...

Perhaps some security that was standing right in front of him.

"The Jedi sought to obtain it... so why not entrust its safekeeping to a man so dangerous the Jedi would think twice about even attempting to claim it." Dooku stated. He turned to the super-solider. "Wraith? Think you can find a few uses for a new instrument of destruction?" Wraith was surprised, then excited. Dooku was giving him this weapon!

" _I most certainly can, my Lord. Thank you for considering me for safeguarding this tool._ " He replied, being from the waist.

"All I ask is that you keep it safe and do not lose it." Dooku replied. With a final regard to both of them, the communication ended.

"Well then. I should say that was a most profitable venture." Scipio noted with a slight grin.

" _Didn't think I'd get to keep it. What a nice boss._ " Wraith agreed, eyeing the gleaming hilt in his hand.

"I think you should give this new acquisition of yours a name." Scipio decided. "I know it may sound trivial, nor is it something you usually do, but giving such a special tool a little personality seems so befitting."

" _Hm. Interesting thought, Doc._ " Wraith mused. " _I know Clone troopers who give names to their weapons. One of them called his rifle 'Judge Ju'dee'... whatever that's supposed to mean._ " He added, shrugging at the thought. " _And you're right, it does seem a little trivial..._ "

"Purely a suggestion, my boy. No need to really follow up on it-"

" _No. It's a good idea._ " Wraith interjected. " _If this Firesaber is really as rare and unique as history claims, then it does deserve a name._ " Pausing, Wraith looked back to his new tool and started to think long and hard on a name. It had to be perfect, something people would learn to fear or at least something they could associate with terrifying. Names like Incinerator, Blazemaster, Fireburst and Devastator passed through his mind. But none of them seemed to really fit the motif he was going for. He decided to go back through history and see if there was a name he could borrow... perhaps during the older days, thousands of years ago... " _And I think I know just the one._ " He announced. Scipio said nothing but inclined his ear to listen to his creation. " _On the planet of Zakuul there exists, to this day, a religion based around a pantheon known as 'the Old Gods'. They represented various emotions; passion, sorrow, just to name a few._ " Wraith explained. " _But there is one member who is much more my flavour._ " He continued. " _He is known for leading armies to victory, raising his fist in triumph, stained with blood. He is merciless and ferocious, a killer and a fighter. A leader and a warrior._ " While he was not one for believing in religions, the very notion of a being who was much like him who was also revered as a god sort of excited him. " _He is Tyth: the avatar of rage... and the god of war._ " Wraith glanced down at the hilt in his hand. " _And now he is here, in the palm of my hand._ " Scipio slowly nodded, thoughtfully digesting the name Wraith had chosen.

"That sounds like the perfect name." He quietly agreed. Wraith nodded in agreement and held up the hilt before igniting it, the yellow blade of pure flames casting a bright glow throughout the room.

" _Doctor, meet Tyth._ " Wraith whispered.

* * *

 **Author's Note: again, apologize for the shortness, but I wanted to get this new tool introduced. Shoutout to SAK-96 once more for the idea that turned what would've been an unstable red bladed lightsaber into this all-new Firesaber!**


	47. One Bad Day

**Author's Note: Okay, this one comes from, of all people, my dad! Someone who wants to see something funny happen in the midst of some super-serious super-soldier sinistry! (Is that a word?... Sure, I'm calling it a word.)**

 **Anywho, belt up and get ready as the Republic tries their hand, once more, at conquering the unconquerable (or is he?)!**

* * *

-Chapter 26: One Bad Day-

Location: Makem Te

"Sometimes the impossible idea is the solution to an impossible problem."

Obi-Wan Kenobi was concerned.

He was currently on Makem Te along with his friend Anakin Skywalker. It was an arid world full of pebbles and nothingness, and yet the local Swokes Swokes species called it home. The planet had originally succeeded from the Republic at the start of the Clone Wars to join the Separatists. But now that the Republic was making gains along the Perlemian trade route, Makem Te had fallen into their crosshairs and needed to be taken. While Separatist defences were minimal, the local population wasn't very willing to aid their cause.

But Obi-Wan had a feeling that their conquest of a Separatist world would not go unnoticed.

The Jedi Master was presently standing on the bridge of his cruiser, mulling over the situation at hand. As he did, Anakin arrived from behind.

"We've secured the eastern banks, as I'm sure you've heard." He announced.

"Good. That should help solidify our position." Obi-Wan replied as Anakin stepped beside him. The Jedi Knight was quick to note his friend's distracted gaze.

"Everything alright Master?" Anakin wondered.

"For the moment, yes. But I am considering the future." Obi-Wan informed him. "I'm worried our winning efforts here will be enough to attract the attention of The Wraith. The last thing we need is for him to show up now."

"You're telling me." Anakin agreed. "Remember the mess he made of Brentaal, just after Master Ti took control? I'd hate for Makem Te to wind up like that." Obi-Wan nodded. He remembered with little fondness the moment the Togruta master had reported a prison break resulting in the loss of many captured insurgents.

But it was her appearance that worried them the most.

With a bruised face and split lip, Shaak had certainly seen better days. They all grimaced when she reported that her injuries were due to the arrival of The Wraith, who had rescued General Losan and had personally torn through his Clone guards himself.

Just when they thought they had ended him on Mygeeto too...

"Wraith seems to strike me as one of those mythological creatures who keeps coming back no matter what." Obi-Wan mused. "Even though Commander Thrawn truly gave him a run for his credits, he still managed to walk away from the fight... eventually."

"Yeah, and I'm getting real tired of it." Anakin huffed, personally preferring that downed opponents stayed down and didn't get back up. "He can be beat. He's not immortal." The Knight muttered, delving into his own personal thoughts. "You know, maybe we should prepare for his arrival. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if he showed up here all of a sudden."

"I agree." Kenobi nodded. "I'm just wondering what we could possibly do to stop him from ruining our work. An orbital bombardment doesn't work, neither does dropping a few tons of ice on him." The two Jedi fell silent as they started pondering some kind of solution they could turn to. While Obi-Wan began to consider more 'acceptable' solutions, Anakin was thinking outside the box. He was starting to realize just how impossible a foe Wraith really was and decided that no known tactic could possibly take him down, given how none had so far, meaning he would have to invent a few of his own. He was becoming renown for his unorthodox battlefield tactics, but maybe this time they could be completely justified.

Especially if they took down the infamous Wraith.

"What if we set a trap, like Commander Thrawn said we ought to try?" Obi-Wan suggested.

"Maybe. But what kind of trap would it be?" Anakin wondered. "I get the feeling if we just rig it with explosives, he's likely to just walk away from it."

"Good point. It would have to be something elaborate. More than what we might prepare for the average Separatist." Obi-Wan's words suddenly gave Anakin some inspiration.

"Well... maybe instead of beating him, we could try humiliating him." He theorized. Obi-Wan shot him a quizzical look, raising an eyebrow.

"Humiliating him?" He repeated.

"Yeah. You know, if we can't beat him physically then maybe we can beat him mentally." Anakin replied, explaining his reasoning. Obi-Wan thought the approach different, but maybe just what they were looking for.

"And how do you propose we do that?" He asked, wanting to learn more. Anakin quickly began to recall what equipment they had in their arsenal and cargo that might prove handy. What would be the best method to utterly humiliate The Wraith.

Suddenly, a plan that was both insane and brilliant.

"We do have those marker dyes..." Anakin mused, a grin growing on his face.

"You mean the ones used for painting the landing zones?" Obi-Wan queried.

"Yeah. Got at least four different colours to choose from." Shaking his head in disbelief, the elder Jedi was quick to clue in to his friend's absurd plan.

"Let me get this straight: you want us to _paint_ The Wraith?" He wondered.

"No!" Anakin exclaimed. "I want us to use explosive marker bombs to paint The Wraith." He stated with a grin. Obi-Wan's jaw dropped.

"Marker bombs!?" He loudly repeated. "Anakin, that's the worst idea I've heard since one Clone trooper tried to insult another by saying 'Who's your daddy?'" Attempting to digest the absurdity of that statement, Anakin waited to see if Obi-Wan had more to say.

He didn't.

"Do you have a better-?"

"No. Let's try it."

* * *

 _Sometime later..._

The lone Aka'jor shuttle touched down in the middle of the barren, rocky plains. It matched the rest of Makem Te's geography: arid and pebbly. Surrounded by distant mountains and rock outcropping resembling canyons, this was perhaps the best place to make a discreet entrance. Disembarking from the shuttle, Wraith stood tall and proud, his newly repaired duster shining brightly in the arid sunlight.

Not to mention he had a new toy to play with this time.

Scipio had redesigned his belt to give Tyth a proper holster on his back, the flat design of the saber helping it to blend in with the rest of the belt.

Wraith could only imagine the look of surprise on his enemies faces when a portion of his belt transformed into something far deadlier.

Suffice to say, the Separatist's number one super-solider was in a good mood.

He had been sent here to collect a data tape on the Republic's movements, in preparation for an upcoming counterattack. With the Republic making gains and already in a heightened state of awareness, who better than The Wraith to infiltrate their base.

" _Doc, you read?_ " He asked into his comms.

"Loud and clear, my boy. I'm impressed with the available signal reception Makem Te has to offer." Scipio responded.

" _Not bad. Just figured I'd do a systems check before I got to work. You said the data tape would likely be in one of their more secure storage buildings, right?_ " Wraith asked.

"Correct. The Republic would more than likely try to keep such things away from prying eyes and on a 'need-to-access-basis'."

" _Then that's where I'm going first._ " The commando responded. " _Wraith out._ " Setting his proximity sensors to their maximum range and triggering his cloaking device, Wraith disappeared into thin air, the only evidence of his existence being a set of boot prints being left behind in the dirt.

* * *

Captain Rex and a group of other Clones finished dumping a crate full of thermal detonators onto a table in front of Anakin.

"That's the last of them, General." Rex reported.

"Geez, this is a lot of firepower." One of the Clones mused, picking up one of the explosives.

"They won't be explosive for long." Anakin explained, picking up one himself. "You happen to grab the marker dye, Rex?" The captain nodded and lifted up three buckets.

"Right here, sir. Purple, neon green and yellow." He announced.

"Good, good." Anakin nodded with a grin. "Alright, here's what we're going to do: we're going to remove the harmful stuff and replace it with these marker dyes." The Clones all stopped what they were doing and looked to Anakin with askew glances.

"Beg pardon, sir?" One of them asked.

"So... we're going to turn these into... what, paint bombs?" Rex clarified.

"Basically." Anakin nodded. "The goal is not to hurt Wraith physically but rather to pop his ego-bubble."

"But sir, won't that make him... I don't know... mad?" Rex wondered.

"Maybe. Which is why I'm working on a 'just in case' plan." Anakin replied. "We want to be able to take everything from him and give him nothing in return. Obi-Wan is working on relocating our base several hundred miles to the south, which will give us enough distance for Wraith to be stuck without anything to pursue."

"I'm not sure how solid of a plan that is, but I guess I'll have to see it in action." Rex mused with a shrug.

"That's the spirit, Rex!" Anakin beamed. "Now, there's this canyon to the west that I think we can use..."

* * *

 _Sometime later..._

The looming shadow of a low-hovering Venator-class cruiser reached far across the terrain beneath it. Like some giant symbol of war or the greatness of the Republic, it was something many people knew well.

It was also a sign that Wraith had found his objective.

" _Do you guys even believe in subtlety?_ " He wondered, still invisible thanks to his cloaking tech. Jogging under the massive Republic craft, Wraith immediately sought out a cluster of buildings positioned directly beneath it. " _Man. Maybe a little overkill on the security measures._ " Wraith mused as he glanced up at the looming hulk of durasteel above him, deeming it to be some kind of protective measure for whatever was within the confines of those structures.

Which was more than likely the very thing he'd been sent to collect.

Slowing his pace, knowing too much movement could give away his location, Wraith crept into the camp and snuck past a few companies of orange and blue striped Clones, recognizing them to be belonging to the 212th and the 501st, respectively. Definitive evidence of Skywalker's and Kenobi's presence.

Now he just had to figure out which building held the Republic's data tapes. Where would they keep something that held tactical positioning data, topographical data and troop movement?

Switching to his electrical scanners, he looked about for some cluster of energy that might offer him a clue to where his target would be. His thoughts lay in the idea that wherever they stored their data there was likely similar items stored close to it, which would result in the production of a large amount of similar electrical energy.

Something he was discovering in a building to his right.

Even better, Wraith discovered it wasn't guarded.

Darting over to the entrance, Wraith double-checked his surroundings before he slipped inside, making sure there were no Clones around to witness the doors open seemingly on their own. Once he determined he was alone and the doors had sealed, Wraith triggered his cloaker once more and returned to being visible. Before him lay a single server that was hooked up to multiple wires, a classic mobile data server setup. Similar to the Forward Commander Centres the Republic had used during previous battles, but far heavier on the intel side of things and far less mobile.

" _Please be in here. Please be in here somewhere._ " Wraith muttered as he set to work examining the device.

* * *

 _Elsewhere..._

Through a set of hidden security cameras, Wraith's actions and presence were being transmitted live to Anakin and Obi-Wan who stood alone in another building.

"Good call using the security modules Anakin." Obi-Wan praised him.

"I had a feeling they might come in handy." His friend replied with a slight shrug. "Besides, with all the electrical output being done by the server, their own signature would be hidden."

"Forward thinking. I'd say this is a first for you." Obi-Wan joked.

"Ha ha, real funny." Anakin responded, rolling his eyes as he reached for his wrist-communicator. "Rex, are you and your men in position?"

"Roger that, sir. We're ready to go." The captain positively replied.

"Wraith has taken the bait, he's inside the building." Anakin detailed. "Spring the trap, we're on our way over."

* * *

Having plugged into the server, Wraith was having a hard time sifting through the available data. The system was slow and a little old, making his interception harder to do as he was suffering from a few compatibility issues. So far, the data he sought was not in reach.

And seemed to be even further out of his reach when the doors suddenly opened and Clones came rushing in.

Wraith didn't have time to question the 'how' of this situation as he quickly freed his gauntlet from the server input and drew his blaster pistols, opening fire without hesitation. Several Clones fell before him and two quickly rushed him just as Obi-Wan and Anakin burst into the room, drawing their lightsabers. Wraith pistol-whipped one Clone, knocking him senseless before stowing his weapons, dodging the trooper's attack with the butt of his blaster and then grabbing him by the throat and hoisting him up.

"Stop right there, Wraith!" Obi-Wan commanded. Looking away from the Clone in his grip, Wraith regarded the two Jedi before him.

They would prove to be a quick distraction from the task at hand.

" _Ah, Skywalker,_ " Wraith greeted, dropping the Clone to the ground, " _long time no see. I was starting to feel due for a rematch against you. I do so enjoy beating you into the ground._ "

"Do your worst, Wraith. Whatever you want, you're not getting it!" Anakin bluntly informed him.

"' _Do my worst', eh? As you wish._ " Taking great triumph in revealing his new acquisition, Wraith drew Tyth from behind him and ignited the blade, a column of yellow fire shooting up from the hilt.

Wraith chuckled even more when he saw the expressions of shock on the Jedi's faces and the terrified looks on the Clone's helmets.

"Since when does he carry one of those?!" Anakin cried.

" _It seemed like all the upper-tier commanders are carrying lightsabers these days. Dooku and Grievous for sure. I just wanted to fit in with the greats... and then some._ " Wraith explained, twirling his blade around in his hand. " _Why the shocked looks? It's only a few tiers above a Kage electro-sword._ "

"That's... That's a firesaber." Obi-Wan realized.

" _Correct. I call it Tyth after the Zakuul god of war._ " Wraith explained, showing off his blade for them all to see. " _Care to see what it can do?_ " He asked with a smirk, eager to find out himself. Spying the Clone he dropped still near his feet, Wraith promptly flipped his blade over and plunged its fiery end right into the helpless trooper.

The effects were twofold. Not only did Tyth cut through him like a regular lightsaber, but he also lit him on fire.

The Clone started screaming, first at the pain of being impaled and secondly at the sensation of being burned alive. The Republic affiliates looked on in horror as one of their own was soon completely enveloped by flames, his body thrashing about before going still and the smell of burnt flesh beginning to fill the room. Wraith tore his blade free of the corpse and eyed in admiration. " _Damn, I love this thing._ " He remarked before shifting his gaze back to the Jedi. " _Now imagine each one of your men suffering the exact same fate._ "

"Alright, alright, enough's enough." Anakin sudden stated, deactivating his lightsaber. "What do you want?" He asked. Wraith tilted his head a little.

" _You would roll over so easily? Whatever happened to the staunch General Skywalker of the Five-Oh-First Legion?_ " Wraith mockingly wondered.

"I'm only backing down for the sake of protecting my men." Anakin replied, telling Wraith a complete half-truth.

" _How nauseatingly noble of you._ " Wraith sneered.

"Don't worry about us, General." Rex suddenly chimed in. "We can take 'im!"

" _Care to put your words to the test, Captain?_ " Wraith wondered, levelling his blade at Rex. " _Or, more accurately, test your mettle in the fire?_ "

"Stand down Rex. Anakin is right, we can't afford any casualties." Obi-Wan reminded him, stowing his own lightsaber. "Now what is it you want Wraith?" He addressed the super-soldier.

" _Simple. I want all your tactical data: troop movement, terrain data, everything you've got that's been helping you take back Makem Te._ " Wraith demanded. " _And unless it's here, on this server, you had better tell me where it is or I will turn this base into an unstoppable inferno!_ " He threatened.

"Relax, would you? Sheesh, I've never seen someone so uptight. We do have a data tape of that stuff, but we moved it off site." Anakin lied.

" _Then I suggest you take me to it._ " Wraith informed him. Taking a few steps forward, Wraith grabbed Rex by the arm and pulled him close. " _And I'm taking him as insurance. You better not be lying to me Skywalker... for his sake._ " He growled, holding Tyth menacingly close.

"Then I suggest you keep up and follow me. It's in a canyon to the west."

* * *

 _A short while later..._

Anakin, Obi-Wan and a cluster of Torrent Company members escorted Wraith and the captive Rex out of the base camp and down to the canyon Anakin had sent them to earlier, where their surprise for Wraith was patiently waiting. They arrived at the mouth, the entrance to the long and winding corridor made of dirt and rock where Anakin gestured to Wraith.

"It's right here." He stated. Wraith glanced at the lay before him and nodded.

" _Then lead on._ " He directed, firesaber glowing hotly. He wasn't stupid. He wasn't about to even fake walking into a trap just so Skywalker could pull a fast one on him. He wanted to make absolutely certain nothing was about to happen to him. Anakin relented and stepped down into the canyon, Obi-Wan motioning for Torrent Company to stay behind.

He did want to have a good view to see Anakin's absurd plan play out.

Wraith followed Anakin, Rex still in his grip and Tyth in the other, half-expecting Skywalker to execute some kind of trap.

He had no idea he was actually walking into a trap.

"I'll have to use the Force to move some rocks. But first, let Rex go." He explained, bargaining for his friend's freedom. With the way he had positioned things, Wraith was standing directly atop his paint bomb trap.

Behind him, the excited Clones were having a hard time keeping it together to avoid spoiling the surprise.

" _Interesting way to prepare, Skywalker. Not exactly a tactically sound place to hide a data tape._ " Wraith commented as he released Rex from his grip. But before the captain could leave, Wraith held up Tyth in front of him, effectively cutting off Rex with a fiery barricade. " _Go ahead._ " Wraith urged Anakin. Calming his mind and hoping he could create a distraction big enough to buy Rex some escape time, Anakin raised his hand and summoned the Force to start moving a few rocks that were already off to one wall of the canyon. They had been here beforehand and now he was using them to make Wraith think that was where the alleged data tape was. He made a show of moving the rocks far apart, ensuring he had Wraith's total focus.

Now was as good a time as any.

"Rex! Now!" Anakin commanded. Knowing the plan was in motion, Rex ducked under wraith's blade and bolted back to his teammates. Seeing his motion out of the corner of his optic, Wraith brought Tyth down hard in a fiery arc, but missed by a few seconds. With Rex safely out of harm's way, one of the Clones, known as Fives, quickly readied the detonator.

"Chew on these, Bucket-head!" He called, pressing the trigger. Seeing red lights from thermal detonators light up in the dirt all around him, Wraith realized he'd been played and reached for his shield generator when the explosives suddenly detonated.

But instead of being enveloped in a thermal cloud of explosive power and shrapnel, Wraith found himself in the midst of a rather multicolored cloud of... something.

Having shielded his face at the last possible second, the commando looked down to see splotches of color across his arm and across his body.

" _What the hell...?_ " He wondered, examining his hands through his optics. " _Is this... paint?_ " Looking down at his body, Wraith's optics adjusted to reveal the presence of bright patches of color that stained him from head to toe, a bright yellow splotch concealing the Separatist logo on the left of his chest while his boots were now bathed in bright green.

Wraith was now covered in large splatters of neon green, purple and yellow dye.

To the Clones, he looked like rather comical. His helmet and arms were decorated in purple and yellow, the two colors mixing to form pink.

The Wraith, in pink!

His once menacing appearance had now been dulled by very bright colors, reducing him from an intimidating super-solider to something rather clownish.

"Point and laugh, boys! Point and laugh!" Rex chuckled encouraging his men to do so. The Clones all started chuckling, before it evolved into full on laughter.

Their jeering shouts were enough to knock Wraith from his stunned state and accelerate his anger.

" _YOU DARE?!_ " He shouted, advancing towards them, reigniting his firesaber.

To the surprise of those watching, Tyth suddenly changed color, escalating from yellow to red, with a hint of orange flashing in between the two of them.

But an unfazed Anakin stretched out his hand and held Wraith in place with the Force.

"Yes Wraith, I do dare." He replied with a smirk. "But you know what? You've got no one to blame but yourself. You fell for this trap hook, line and sinker." Frozen in place, Wraith could only listen as Anakin continued. "There is no data cache on any tactical movements! When I'm in charge, I don't keep any terrain data, let alone troop movements!" He declared, startling Wraith. "You came here for nothing, and you'll leave with nothing, too." With that, Anakin used the Force to throw Wraith into the right canyon wall, then the left, before lifting him up and dropping him headfirst into the ground, his body standing straight up with his head buried in the dirt for a brief second before he fell over, knocked out with Tyth deactivated but still in his grip. The Clones started celebrating, cheering and whooping as they took in the sight of the defeated Wraith. Anakin crossed his arms, smiling in confident victory. But Obi-Wan gave him a curious glance.

"You don't record those kinds of things?" He wondered.

"Uh... That was, um, just acting, Master." Anakin replied, knowing he needed to do those.

"Right." Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "In that case I need to see those terrain reports when we get back."

"Uh, yeah. Sure thing..." Anakin nervously agreed.

* * *

 _Some time later..._

With a groan, the multicolored Wraith came to with his face in the dirt. He had no idea how long he'd been out for, but he anticipated it wasn't that long.

He was hoping the Jedi and the Clones were still around for him to attack and take revenge for this humiliation.

His muscles tensed and his hand clenched tight, he felt the grip of Tyth in his hand and was relieved to know the Jedi were too dumb to have grabbed it while he was out. Jumping to his feet and igniting his firesaber, Wraith looked around for any sign of the Republic.

There was none.

Quickly pinging his scanners and sensors, Wraith hoped they were close by so he could exact his revenge.

But they weren't. In fact, his scanners indicated he was all alone.

They had humiliated him and then hung him out to dry without a single piece of information to bring back in victory. He would be forced to return empty handed, the mission a complete and utter failure!

That single thought was enough to make Wraith mad, his even demeanor shifting to growls and heavy breathing as his emotions escalated.

Letting out a mighty roar wrought from pure frustration, Tyth's fiery blade started flickering, the flames suddenly transitioning from calm yellow to a vibrant blue color as Wraith channelled his anger into one enormous bellow.

It really was tied directly to his anger.

* * *

 **Author's note: again, this was just a fun little tension-breaker my Dad inspired me to do. Hope y'all enjoyed. If not, next chapter is back to the super serious awesomeness!**


	48. Wraith's Log: Entry 7

Wraith's Personal Log - Entry 7: They will pay...

" _It took forever to get the dyes washed out of my uniform. Cursed Skywalker, trying to have a little fun at someone else's expense. This will not go unanswered, mark my words. While I may not have my revenge immediately or any time in the near future, Skywalker will come to regret humiliating me like that._ "

 _..._

" _I was discussing the matter with Scipio, after I had cooled off and explained what happened to Count Dooku... that was an unpleasant conversation. We've come up with a few ideas and Scipio's putting in for a shipment of marker dyes, specifically purple, neon green and yellow, to arrive with the next supply drop. My revenge will be sweet and succulent, that is for certain. So many different ways to take it and seemingly not enough time to do so... I may have to get a little inventive with these 'crazy' ideas, but I will make each one of them happen and I will persist in making Skywalker's life a living hell!_

" _For I never forgive... and I never forget!"_

End of Log


	49. Unlikely Allies

-Chapter 27: Unlikely Allies-

Location: Unknown

"Circumstances tend to force the impossible to happen."

Darkness. Impenetrable, all-consuming. The inky blackness of unconsciousness seemed to last forever. Whatever brought this on was clearly strong enough to put someone in a completely subdued state.

And it was in this state that Ahsoka found herself.

She had a hard time remembering how she ended up like this, but she felt like she'd been out for ages. Her body felt sluggish and weak, it would probably take her a while to get back to full strength once she woke up.

The question was, where would she be when she woke up? And who was responsible for knocking her out like this?

Finding the strength to open her eyes, Ahsoka groaned and blinked a few times as she regained her vision, as bleary as it was. Giving her head a little shake, she soon regained feeling in her arms and discovered they had been tied above her head.

So she was imprisoned. Again. Great...

Wait, wasn't her master with her? And Obi-Wan? Had they been separated? She couldn't remember, everything was still a bit fuzzy and blurry.

As the darkened room slowly came into focus, Ahsoka decided to see if she was alone.

"M... Mas-ter...?" She groggily wondered. Her voice was weak and still returning to her. Clearing her throat, she tried again, stronger this time. "Master?" She heard a groaning to her right.

"Umph... Right here Snips..." Anakin slowly mumbled in reply. "Ugh... What... What happened?"

"I... I don't know..." Ahsoka told him, still waking up. "Where's... Where's Master Obi-Wan?"

"I'm... right here." A voice to her left answered. Turning to look, there was Obi-Wan, his hair a little disheveled but he was fine, tied up in the exact same way they were.

All three of them were tied up and left alone in this... oddly designed room.

"Well, it seems whoever captured us was smart enough to take our lightsabers." Obi-Wan noted, seeing no silver hilt on his belt or on his friends'.

"You wanna bet it's the Separatists?" Anakin theorized. "Won't surprise me if this was Wraith's doing." He grumbled.

"Regardless of who, we should figure out where we are and maybe figure out a way to escape, if that's possible." Obi-Wan told him, sounding doubtful of his last statement.

"I prefer the glass-half-full option." Ahsoka mused. Now more fully-awake, the young girl looked about the room they were imprisoned in. There was no source of lighting within the room, save for a glow that emanated from what appeared to be a pair of doors; one in the wall before them and one in the wall to their right. Thanks to those glows, she could see pretty clearly what the room they were in looked like. The floor, ceiling and walls were covered in a very odd design that reminded her a lot of forest undergrowth or structures made of vines, very organic and very much alive. This design was carved into a dark material

Was this room alive? Was it made completely from organic material?

Her curiosity piqued, Ahsoka looked up at her bonds and felt the black cords that were sturdily wrapped around her wrists. They felt like leaves or vines, maybe even some kind of thatch material, very much alive in terms of feeling. In addition, the ropes seemed to be coming out of the wall, not hooked to or tied to anything else.

Just what kind of room was this?

"Anyone else finding this room to be a little wierd?" She asked aloud.

"Indeed. The composition is most peculiar." Obi-Wan agreed. "I can't say as I've ever seen a design like this."

"Any idea where we might be?" Anakin asked, struggling against his bonds.

"I can't be certain. We could be anywhere." Obi-Wan replied.

"Well, maybe not just anywhere." Ahsoka objected, her memory coming back to her. "We were cleaning up on Virujansi when we got knocked out, right?"

"Yeah. The natives called me a hero... something about me having 'no fear'?" Anakin agreed, a slight smile on his face.

"Of course you'd remember that." Obi-Wan joked. "Good thinking, Padawan Tano. We must be relatively close to Virujansi then." He added, praising Ahsoka.

"Maybe we're just hidden underground somewhere. Maybe there's a pocket of resistance that we missed that got the upper hand." She suggested.

"Wait, hang on, if there were a pocket of resistance, wouldn't we have sensed them through the Force?" Anakin wondered, bringing to light a fact that made them all pause and think. "I mean, how did they get the drop on us like that?"

"And, more importantly, what did they use to knock us out cold?" Ahsoka wondered, now following her master's train of thought. "I mean, there was no stun net, stun blast, nothing typical that the Seppies would use." The Jedi fell quiet, now analyzing the sudden bizarre circumstances surrounding their capture.

"Wasn't it a gas?" Obi-Wan wondered. "I think it was... or, at least, it was some kind of fumes."

"Which means it might have been plant-based, or straight up engineered." Anakin added. "Must've been powerful stuff to knock us out."

"So, if I can just theorize for a moment," Obi-Wan started, "say it wasn't the Separatists that caught us and say it is an enemy we've not yet encountered."

"What are you getting at, Master?"

"I'm just wondering if we're the only ones captured. Are these people kidnapping us specifically because we're Jedi? Is it becuase they know we're members of the Republic? Or are they kidnapping randomly and we just happened to fall into their crosshairs?" The older master stated. "And if the latter is the case, are we alone?" Anakin glanced around the room.

"Well, we certainly look to be alone." He mused.

Then, all of a sudden, the door to the right started to bend and buckle, as if it were being attacked from the other side.

The three Jedi turned and watched as the door, made from the same strange material as the walls of their cell, cracked and broke as significant force was applied to it from the other side. A crack formed in the door before a pair of hands were thrust through and, with enormous strength, tore open the whole before they launched through, shattering the material it was made of. The Jedi looked away from the ensuing cloud of debris, but when they turned back, the identity of the individual startled them.

It was Wraith. Only he looked a little... different.

He was not wearing his jacket, which revealed a dark gray shirt covering his broad chest and thick body, with sleeves that ran down to his elbows, revealing the pale, scarred skin of his forearms before ending with his gloved hands.

His gauntlets were missing.

His legs were still encased in armored boots and his helmet was still on his head, but he was also missing his gun belt. The super-solider looked about the room as if he was figuring out where he was. When his gaze landed on the imprisoned Jedi, he sighed.

" _You've got to be kidding me._ " He grumbled. " _Of all people to be stuck here with..._ "

"Nice to see you too." Anakin sarcastically replied, none too thrilled by the fact Wraith was here with them... and freed.

"I'm actually a little surprised you were captured by these people, Wraith." Obi-Wan noted aloud. "I thought you had a penchant for being 'unstoppable'."

" _They're using equipment and materials I've never seen before._ " Wraith informed him. " _Ergo, I wasn't fully prepared to deal with the threat they posed._ " As he spoke, Wraith carefully evaluated his situation and determined it would be good if he had some help while he was working to fight back against whoever these creatures were.

And out of these three Jedi, there was only one he truly trusted.

"Likewise. I remember they used some kind of noxious gas for us." Obi-Wan explained.

" _They tried that with me. Then I fought back and they used other, more strange methods._ "

"Then you got a good look at who they were?" Ahsoka wondered as Wraith walked over to her.

" _A look, yes. But not a good one._ " He stated as he set about undoing her bonds, hands fiddling with the ties of the cord.

"They took our lightsabers." Ahsoka continued.

" _And my hardware._ " Wraith added. " _They tried removing my helmet too, but that didn't work out so well for them._ "

"Why's that?" Anakin asked, very curious.

" _I have failsafes installed._ " Wraith cryptically responded, refusing to give Anakin any indicators about how he worked. Returning to his task, he summoned his brute strength to tear the cords off of her and off the wall. " _There we go._ "

"Thanks." Ahsoka whispered as she flexed her hands and examined her wrists.

"How did you break through that stuff? I've been working at it forever." Anakin wondered, also concerned by how Wraith chose to save Ahsoka first.

" _I can bend durasteel with my bare hands, Skywalker. This organic material is paltry by comparison._ "

"And yet it appears to be what this room is made of." Obi-Wan noted, glancing around at the similarly crafted walls and ceiling. "It also appears to be immune to the Force, or is Force-inhibiting at the least. If it really is organic, I can't seem to connect with anything in here."

" _Fascinating. I may want to study this more._ " Wraith mused, eyeing the cords that had been wrapped around Ahsoka. " _But I'll save that for later._ " Turning to the young Togruta, he gestured to the door. " _Let's get out of here._ "

"Wait just a minute!" Anakin snapped. "Where do you think you're taking her?"

" _To find out who's responsible for kidnapping us. Duh._ " Wraith explained. Ahsoka realized his plan, but knew it would be smarter for her to be accompanied by her masters.

She was still too nervous to be left alone with him.

"Wraith, you should really let them join us, you could probably use the additional help." She explained.

" _The only help I need is you, Ahsoka._ " Wraith told her. " _Besides, Kenobi and Skywalker would just slow us down. You're far more goal-oriented than either of them._ "

"Please? They might be discovered if we leave them here, then the element of surprise is out the window." She pleaded. Wraith was forced to admit she had a point. Although he'd rather do things his way, and Skywalker was bound to want the exact opposite, he would also prefer it if their captors, whoever they were, remained oblivious to their escape.

Besides, Ahsoka probably wouldn't cooperate with him if he left Kenobi and Skywalker imprisoned.

" _Fine. But Skywalker stays bound. I don't trust him at all._ " He relented.

"The feeling's mutual." Anakin grumbled.

* * *

After freeing the other Jedi, and ensuring Skywalker could not free himself, Wraith broke open the other door to their cell and cautiously stepped outside. He was on edge and very unhappy with whoever it was that had captured him, but he needed to stay focused if he wanted to get out of here... and keep his tag-alongs from screwing up his efforts. His helmet's proximity sensors would also need a moment to recalibrate, leaving him temporarily blind to the presence of anyone besides these Jedi.

It turned out, the rest of this place was made from the same, wierd, dark organic stuff that their cell was made of. However, Wraith did note that the narrowness of the hallway and the general design of the corridor made it look far more like a ship than an actual base. A series of lights, embedded in the walls and made from some gelatinous material lined the walls and ceiling, granting sufficient illumination

He really needed to figure out where this was.

"No guards. Strange." Ahsoka commented from beside him.

" _A dumb move, considering who they've imprisoned. Had they truly known, I'm sure the opposite would be the case._ " Wraith mused. He quickly deduced that these individuals were not from around this galaxy, for most inhabitants knew who Jedi what were and what they were capable of... not to mention who _he_ was. Anakin and Obi-Wan stepped out from behind them and into the hallway.

"Well, this is certainly fascinating." Obi-Wan stated as he stroked his beard. "I can't say as I've been in a place like this before."

" _It is wierd how they do not build with durasteel._ " Wraith replied. His sensors pinged as they finished recalibrating. He was now ready to go. " _Alright, Jedi, here's the deal: I'm in charge and I will need your total cooperation if we want to be able to get out of here in one piece. Is that clear?_ " He announced. Anakin looked indignant.

"Why should we let you lead? I'm a far better leader, just ask my men." He countered.

" _You mean the men I've slaughtered in droves while they were under your command?_ " Wraith retorted. " _As much as I'd like to ask them, I can't communicate with the dead._ " He joked.

Anakin didn't find that too funny.

"Why you little-!" He growled, reaching forward with his bound hands open before Obi-Wan pulled him back.

"Anakin, he is apparently a tactical genius. Maybe it would be wise to fall in line this time." He recommended. Wraith slowly nodded.

Obi-Wan was a far more sensible Jedi.

"Fine." Anakin huffed, reluctantly agreeing to Wraith's command of the situation. The commando nodded and began to walk forward.

" _Follow me and keep quiet. Any chatter is to be whisper-only._ " He commanded. If they were going to play this safe, his audio receptors needed to be able to hear anything and everything.

"I hate having to take orders from this guy." Anakin complained in a whisper.

"We've been imprisoned in an unknown location by unknown assailants. I can think of worse scenarios to be stuck in." Obi-Wan calmed him. "Look on the bright side, Wraith's been captured too. So this can't be that bad."

"Or it could be worse. I mean, who is capable of even capturing him?"

" _Quiet you two._ " Wraith growled from the front. He was hugging the wall, right near an intersection, no doubt checking for any opposition. The Jedi quickly joined him.

"Do you see something?" Ahsoka wondered.

" _Possibly._ " Wraith whispered. " _I'm picking up a strange thermal ripple. Could be an entity, could be nothing._ " He explained. Focusing on the readings his optics were showing him, Wraith adjusted his scanners ever so slightly in an effort to broaden his view of the thermal energy he was detecting. It was so weird in the sense that it registered just like the average person's thermal readout, but there was no person around to detect.

And it was coming in waves.

Testing a theory, Wraith slowly dropped to a crouch and pressed his hand to the ground. The first thing he noted was just how hard the ground was and yet how organic it truly felt. It reminded him of tree bark in a way or like that of bone, a conclusion he would have to reach later as his touch detected what could only be the source of the ripple. He could feel a thrumming pulse, a rather rhythmic flow of what could only be thermal energy coming through the floor. " _Strange._ " He whispered before looking behind him. " _Ahsoka, a moment of your time._ " He asked, motioning for her to crouch with him. She did so.

"What is it?"

" _Touch the floor, use your fingers._ " He instructed, wondering what direct contact would feel like for her. The Togruta did so and made a curious face as she did. " _What do you feel?_ "

"That's so odd. It feels like the engines of a starship. I can feel them practically vibrating in the floors all the time when we're on the Resolute." She answered.

" _Indeed._ " Wraith slowly nodded his head, mulling over her statement. Ahsoka suddenly looked up at him, her blue eyes radiating with wonder and surprise.

"Wraith... are you saying we're on a starship right now?" She asked. Anakin and Obi-Wan were slightly bewildered.

"A starship?!" Anakin exclaimed, prompting Wraith to silence him.

" _I'm not saying anything. But the similarities are intriguing._ " He continued, turning to Ahsoka. " _I simply don't know, my dear._ " He told her.

"But who builds a starship out of this... this stuff?" She wondered. Wraith was about to reply with another 'I don't know' when his sensors detected another thermal reading.

This one was definitely a person.

" _Get back and duck down!_ " He ordered, helping Ahsoka scramble back so they were all pressed against the wall. Moments later, they heard footsteps coming down the hall, growing louder with each step. A shadow appeared on the wall, shrinking in size the closer it got. Wraith tentatively moved his arm so he was shielding Ahsoka, ensuring he came between her and whoever this was should they be spotted.

Anakin noted the move and frowned, as did Obi-Wan.

The four of them waited with baited breath, not quite sure what to expect from who was about to walk down this corridor. They hoped they were out of sight, not wanting to be seen. Obi-Wan tentatively reached out with the Force, hoping to find out who this approaching being was.

But his senses brought up nothing.

Finally, the being entered their line of sight... and his appearance both startled and horrified them.

He was tall and heavyset, possibly around Wraith's own height and build. His yellow beady eyes stood out as a stark contrast from his dull, gray skin. He had a sloping, almost ridge-like forehead, his face bearing more resemblance to a skull than an actual organic head. His nose was short and stub-like, so much so one could assume it was practically missing from his face, and his ears were small, unnaturally so. It were almost as if they'd been slowly cut down to such a diminutive size. He wore black, bone-like armor, that covered every part of his body, save for his head. Protruding decorative spikes along the shoulders, arms, boots and neck plating gave him a far more menacing look in addition to his already creepy face. It reminded Wraith like a kind of crab in its design.

Beings who wore crab-like armor... this day was getting weirder and weirder.

"What is that thing?!" Ahsoka asked, sounding disgusted just from looking at it.

" _While I share your sentiments about its horrid appearance, my dear, I honestly have no idea._ " Wraith replied. They all watched as the creatures turned away from them and continued down the hall, oblivious to their presence.

"How strange..." Obi-Wan muttered. Wraith turned to face him.

" _What is it, Kenobi?_ "

"I was trying to sense him through the Force. But I felt nothing. I can clearly see him now, but he's practically invisible to me." The Jedi told him. Wraith cocked his head.

" _You're telling me he's immune to the Force?_ " Wraith wondered, suddenly considering the scientific and technical advancements he and Scipio could make with this knowledge.

"Not so much immune as much as he is outside the Force." Obi-Wan explained. "Like he simply does not exist within the range the Force can sense." Anakin and Ahsoka tried to do the same and discovered Obi-Wan was right, confirming his statement.

" _And the Force is purportedly everywhere in the galaxy._ " Wraith mused. " _This is truly an unknown species. I've never seen, heard of, or encountered it before... And I would certainly remember one that the Force fails against._ "

"Great. And why are we following you again?" Anakin sarcastically wondered. Wraith rolled his eyes beneath his helmet.

" _I'm assuming you know more about them than I do?_ " He retorted. Anakin stayed silent. " _Figured._ " Wraith growled, standing up. " _We should go this way._ " He stated, gesturing to the hallway the being had just come from.

"And go where uglier-than-you just came from?" Anakin remarked as he and Obi-Wan stood, Wraith helping Ahsoka to her feet.

" _I'll kindly thank you to keep your insults to a minimum, Skywalker._ " He said with a sigh. " _While they do not affect me, they are amateur at best and grow tiresome after a while._ " Anakin rolled his eyes.

"I thought it was funny." He mumbled.

" _You would._ " Wraith shot back. " _If we continue straight, we'll just be following that thing. I'd rather we not find out what it's capable of just yet._ "

"Wraith's got a point. We should learn more about where we are before we try fighting anyone." Ahsoka said, agreeing with him. "And besides, what else can we do right now?"

"Insult him some more?" Anakin jokingly suggested.

" _I am this close to tearing out your vocal cords!_ " Wraith growled in exasperation.

Only a few minutes into this venture and he was already sick of Anakin's presence!

* * *

The group of unlikely allies continued to creep through the corridors of the mysterious place they found themselves in. The Jedi followed Wraith's advice and suggestions, Anakin being a less-than-willing participant, and journeyed deeper into whatever this place was. They walked in silence, Wraith leading the group with Ahsoka right behind him and Anakin and Obi-Wan bringing up the rear. The narrow hallway seemed to stretch on forever, given the symmetrical design of the walls and the identical building material of... well, everything. The group was in a continual state of heightened awareness, Wraith constantly making them stop and wait for his scanners to find anyone else in their path before they continued. With the knowledge of an unknown species here with them in this place, they were always on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary.

They came to another intersection in the hall, leaving them with the option of either going left or going right. Wraith halted and the others followed as he pinged his scanners. An uneasy quiet settled in as the Jedi waited. Feeling just a little too creeped out by their surroundings and preferring a conversation to the unnerving quiet, Ahsoka decided to chat things up... with Wraith.

"So... Wraith," she hesitantly addressed him, "where were you before you ended up here?" She wondered.

" _I had just arrived on Virujansi and was going to help coordinate the counterattack against the invading Republic forces._ " He answered, still looking away from her.

"No way! We were on Virujansi too!" Ahsoka replied, sounding surprised. Wraith ceased to focus on his instruments and turned to her.

" _All three of you?_ " He asked. She nodded in response. Wraith paused as that information registered with him.

His mind quickly recalled patterns and tactical maneuvers he'd studied over the years. The fact that all four of them had been on the same world at the same time when they were captured opened up a new realm of possibility concerning the purpose and identity of their captors.

" _This... may help us piece together what happened._ " He slowly mused, thinking hard. " _The fact that all four of us were on Virujansi at the same time confirms that these beings, whoever they are, have potentially only been to this planet. We were not captured in random incidents._ " He said, speaking his thoughts out loud. He was starting to think these people might've been on some kind of an expedition to this world and had picked the four of them to be nabbed for study. " _But this now begs the question as to who else might've been captured._ " He added. Obi-Wan quickly caught on to his train of thought.

"Are you suggesting there may be Virujansians also held captive in this place?" He asked him.

" _Or Clones. Or droids. Just a thought but not one outside the realm of possibility._ " Wraith replied with a shrug. He turned back to Ahsoka. " _Thank you for that information, Ahsoka. You might've helped us learn a bit more about our enemies._ " Then he glanced over at Skywalker. " _See what kind of gains you can make when you're civil and not obsessed with insulting your opponents?_ " He wondered, partly taunting him. " _For a Jedi Knight and mentor, you've gotta lot to learn still._ " He jabbed before turning about and continuing down the hall.

"This guy is really starting to get on my nerves." Anakin grumbled with an exasperated sigh. "Are you sure we have to follow him? I mean, can't we just head out on our own?" He wondered.

"Anakin, think about our situation. We're alone in an unknown facility with an unknown species who are immune to the Force. If anything, Wraith is our best bet to surviving this. If anyone's strong enough and smart enough to figure out a way to escape this, it's him." Obi-Wan explained. Wraith was half-surprised that Kenobi would go so far as to say such things about him. However, he thought this to be an example of Obi-Wan's superior intelligence; he knew when to differ command to someone stronger or more adept than him.

" _You give me too much credit, Kenobi._ " Wraith mused, turning to the Jedi. " _Not all Jedi are Skywalker's level of dumb. In fact, some of them are rather ingenious and very intuitive._ " He continued, turning to Ahsoka, making it known he was referring to her. Anakin was about to growl something about 'stay away from her' when Obi-Wan continued.

"Besides, we've been through worse. Remember when we were captured alongside Count Dooku on Florrum?"

"Yeah. I wanted to strangle him, too." Anakin stated, remembering the whole affair with little fondness. "Must be a running theme with you Separatists." He commented, looking to Wraith.

" _Believe me when I say we all want to kill you too._ " Wraith growled in response. " _But I won't do that... not yet, anyway. You may still have some use._ " Anakin rolled his eyes.

"I'm flattered. What kind of use?"

" _Should we run into some of those creatures and they're hostile, I'm using you as live bait._ " The super-solider replied. The two traded withering gazes as negative feelings stewed in both of them, Obi-Wan immediately picking up on them.

"Masters, Wraith, I don't mean to interrupt, but can we get going? This place is giving me the creeps and I kinda wanna get out of here." Ahsoka asked, suddenly breaking the tension. Wraith turned to her and nodded.

" _Of course._ " He'd had enough of Skywalker's insufferable nature. But before he could tell the group to go to the left, his scanners picked up an incoming heat signature coming from the right. " _Get down and hug the wall!_ " He ordered. The Jedi followed his lead and waited with bated breath as they looked to see what Wraith had detected. Footsteps began to echo through the hall as a being drew closer and closer to their position. As it entered their line of sight, the group saw it to be yet another one of those horrible-looking beings, only this one wore less armor, exposing scarred and wounded flesh along his shoulders and chest, and had a mean-looking axe strapped across his back. Wraith quickly identified the weapon to be two-handed and heavy, evenly weighed and truly devastating when used correctly.

A weapon that could pose a threat to them.

Although he continued to hope no one had bothered to check on their now-empty cell, should a guard or soldier like this discover them, they would be severely 'outgunned' by a sheer lack of weaponry. With this thought in mind, Wraith's course of action became quite clear.

Motioning for the Jedi to stay put, Wraith crept up behind the being before executing a kick to the back of his knees and following it with a leg sweep. The surprised creatures dropped like a bag of rocks and Wraith quickly pounced upon his fallen form, grabbing the back of his head and slamming his face into the ground five times in quick succession. With the creature knocked out, Wraith slowly stood as the Jedi walked over.

"A tad excessive, much?" Anakin wondered with a raised eyebrow.

" _It was him or us._ " Wraith retorted. As the Jedi looked over the scary-looking being, Wraith knelt and picked up his axe. Holding it and weighing it in both hands, Wraith was pleased with this new acquisition as his bioscanners gave it a once over. They soon confirmed it was made from bone, despite being black in color, much like primitive species wraith was familiar with. " _Nice axe. Even if it is made only from sharpened bone._ " He commented aloud. Obi-Wan looked to him, a curious look on his face.

"Bone? Really?"

" _Yes. Just like their armor._ " Wraith replied, his bioscanners once again confirming the composition of the dark suit the creature wore. " _These creatures seem to have an affinity for organic-based material only. There's no metal anywhere, not even on them._ " He commented, gaze switching between the axe in his hand and the unconscious creature before them.

What kind of a society was this? Even the more primitive ones in the known galaxy used metal to some degree...

"And that means...?" Anakin pried.

" _Nothing. I don't think..._ " Wraith quietly responded, growing deep in thought. Recalling the strange composition of the walls, the bone axe and the bone armor, Wraith was struck with a sudden thought. " _Wait a moment..._ " Walking to the nearest wall, he triggered his bioscanners and gave the wall a once-over. The scan was completed soon enough and the results greatly surprised him. " _This stuff, the stuff the walls are made of... it's like coral!_ " He announced. The Jedi were surprised.

"Coral? You mean like... the same stuff that grows underwater?" Ahsoka asked, wanting to clarify.

" _It's not nearly as familiar a genus as the types that grow on Mon Cala or Manaan, but yes, this ship is made from a coral-like substance._ " Wraith replied. He mentally kicked himself for not having thought of using his bioscanners earlier. They could've provided much more clues as to who they were dealing with and where they were.

Why hadn't he thought of this before?

"How bizarre." Obi-Wan mused, stroking his beard. "Still, this could attest to the idea we're dealing with a very advanced civilization, one that knows how to turn simple organic products into weapons and building materials." He added. Wraith nodded as he slung his new axe over his shoulder, a move Anakin quickly noticed.

"Hold on, are we just going to overlook the fact we're letting Wraith have a weapon?" He suddenly blurted out, shifting the topic of discussion.

"It may be wisest to let him use it, Skyguy. If these beings are violent and unpredictable, we do want someone stronger than them to protect us." Ahsoka told him. Anakin stared at her in shock.

"Are you even hearing yourself, Ahsoka? We're Jedi! We don't need someone to protect us!" He exclaimed.

" _Then you would rather strike out on your own and face off against innumerable members of an unknown species who are immune to the Force, your so-called 'greatest ally'?_ " Wraith chimed in, coming to Ahsoka's defence.

"Even if we can't fight back against them, what makes you think you can?" Anakin shot back.

" _Because, Skywalker, it has been scientifically and physically proven that I am stronger and more durable than any known species. If we are going to encounter these creatures under any foul circumstances, I am the best suited for handling their machinations no matter their form._ " Wraith replied. Anakin tilted his head and gave him an odd look.

"And the Basic translation of that sentence would be...?" He wondered. Wraith chuckled a little.

" _If my verbiage is too grand for your intellect then perhaps your intelligence quotient could stand to be broadened, if only to aid in your comprehension of the vast possibilities found within the basic galactic lexicon._ " He replied, flexing his knowledge and command of grammar all while irritating Anakin.

Score one for him.

" _Do I need to break that down for y-_ "

"No. I know what it means." Anakin growled, shoving past Wraith. "Can we move on?" Beneath his helmet, Wraith wore the smuggest of grins.

This game of one-upmanship was tilting in his favor.

* * *

The group continued walking through the corridors, Wraith once more taking the lead with his axe at the ready, just in case. As they arrived at yet another intersection, the discovered to their complete amazement a set of large viewports lining the wall before them.

Viewports that looked out on to the black emptiness of space.

"Oh Sithspit! We _are_ on a starship!" Ahsoka exclaimed, dashing over to the nearest one and peering out. Wraith was quick to accompany her, the sight of stars a welcome change from the seemingly endless halls. The other two joined them as the realization sank in that they were in the middle of space on a foreign ship with an unknown species.

Not a favorable situation to say the least.

As Wraith continued to scan across the stars, his gaze quickly landed on a nearby sphere. A planet that he recognized.

" _Look, over there. That's Virujansi off in the distance._ " He said, pointing to a distant planet. The Jedi followed his line and quickly found the planet in question. " _We're not far from it._ "

"But we are far enough." Ahsoka dejectedly realized. Virujansi was quite small, meaning they were a good distance away from it.

" _At least we're somewhere recognizable._ " Wraith replied, knowing the collective worry of being transported somewhere totally unfamiliar had now been lifted. " _Now we just have to get back._ "

"I couldn't agree more." Obi-Wan nodded in affirmation.

"But how?" Anakin wondered. Usually he was the one to think of an outside-the-box plan to save the day. But this time, he was all out of ideas.

Wraith, on the other hand, was not.

" _We have two options: either we try to find a way to send a signal back to our forces on Virujansi and tell them to look for an out of place ship, or we find a way to the bridge of this ship and take control._ " He explained, bringing forth the only two viable options that would be best for them.

"Uh, speaking of taking control, is it just me or does this ship seem really quiet?" Ahsoka wondered.

" _It is odd that our absence from our cell has not yet been detected. Surely security would've been increased tenfold by now._ " Wraith agreed, hopeful that these people were a little on the dumb side.

"Why do I get the feeling out luck is about to run out?" Obi-Wan grimly commented. Too many times had he been in situations where everything seemed to go his way only for them to completely turn on him in the end.

" _Let's try to stay positive, Kenobi. At least Skywalker hasn't led us into any life-threatening predicaments._ " Wraith joked. Anakin, in response, rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Don't you ever get tired of doing that?"

" _Are you kidding? I've got a holotext full of insults I've been saving for an occasion like this._ " Wraith replied, practically beaming.

"Whatever." Anakin sighed, deciding he was appealing to the wrong crowd. "Look, Obi-Wan, Snips, why don't you let me take charge on this one? I know my way around a starship, even if we're captured!" He implored.

" _Yes, I'm sure this is a regular Zhellday for you._ " Wraith snickered.

"But do you know your way around a starship belonging to a species you've never encountered before?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin.

"Sure! Every ship has similar components: crew quarters, engine room, a bridge, you know, all the vital components." Anakin told him, slowly revealing his plan. Wraith cocked his head, deeming this another bout of Skywalker nonsense.

" _And? Your point?_ "

"My point is we can find our way around this ship just by looking for the right areas, Bucket-head. If we figure out where we are, we can make our way to the bridge more easily." Anakin retorted, throwing in the insult Fives had come up with on Makem Te. "Look, we're right near some viewports, so my guess is there's a crew quarters or a mess hall around here somewhere." Suddenly turning around, Anakin took off down the hall.

" _Skywalker, you idiot! Wait!_ " Wraith commanded. " _We don't know where the crew might be!_ " But Anakin was too intent on following his own directive. " _Dammit!_ " Wraith grumbled. He turned to the Jedi. " _Come on, we've got to stop him before he gets us in trouble!_ " The three took off in hot pursuit, Wraith gripping his axe tightly as they pursued Anakin.

Of course he would be the one to get them into trouble. Such was his nature.

"I think there might be something this way!" Anakin called over his shoulder, not stopping.

"Master! Slow down! Wraith is right, we can't rush into anything!"

"Relax Snips! I know what I'm doing." Anakin replied as he turned a corner. The others were quick to catch up with him. "Here, there should be a-" Anakin froze in his tracks and stopped speaking as he came face to face with an open door...

That revealed a multitude of the beings they had seen previously.

As the other three arrived beside him, a plethora of eyes turned to see their arrival.

" _Sithspit._ " Wraith growled, seeing how the crew was now aware of their escape.

"Uh oh." Ahsoka said nervously.

"Remember the part I said about our luck running out?" Obi-Wan mused. The creatures started to get riled up, jumping from their seats and making a general clamor of snarls, grunts and cries as they readied themselves for battle.

With the Jedi rather restricted in their uses, Wraith knew it was up to him to clear the path.

" _Here's the deal,_ " he started, turning around to instruct them, " _you all stay put while I deal with them. Especially you, Skywalker!_ " He rumbled, levelling a finger at him. " _I've had enough of your antics!_ " He growled.

"What are you going to do?" Ahsoka wondered.

" _What I do best._ " With that, Wraith turned and started walking towards the hordes of battle-ready creatures. They grew excited to see him step forth, starting to brandish weapons of all kinds. They appeared to be melee-oriented, meaning there were no ranged options to worry about. Having never fought these things before, Wraith had no idea what to expect from them. He glanced down at the axe in his hand. " _One man, one axe, alone against an army of unknown warriors..._ " He mused, glancing at the horde before him. " _I like these odds._ " He rumbled, gripping the handle tightly. One of the warriors charged him, wielding a crude yet wicked-looking blade. As soon as he was close enough, Wraith swung his axe and buried it deep in the being's side before ripping it free and bringing the axe down on his head, nearly splitting it in two. The Jedi cringed at his merciless attack, imagining the horrible pain that came with it.

But such was Wraith's nature. No one survived an assault from him.

Pitch-black blood spurted from the open wound, showering Wraith as he shoved the body aside and kept moving, swinging his axe hard at the next nearest being and cleanly chopping its head off. Turning and throwing his axe past two creature and imbedding it in the face of a third, Wraith lunged forward and executed a split kick that connected with the heads of both beings before he tore his axe free and slammed it into the gut of one of them. Doubled over, the creature was powerless to stop Wraith as he pulled his axe free, raised it high and swung down hard, decapitating the creature. Moving quickly, Wraith kicked the opposite creature in the gut before he attacked with an upward swing, burying the axehead in its jaw. Moving behind the creature, Wraith pulled hard on the handle of his axe, tearing off the head of the being along with its spine. Shaking his axe to knock the head off, Wraith pushed past the brutalized body and hacked into another creature, nearly cleaving it in two. The being screamed as he was torn open, only to be silenced as Wraith buried his axe deep in his skull, just like he had to many of his fellows.

"Wraith! Behind you!" Ahsoka shouted in warning. Heeding her cry and turning about, Wraith saw a group of five creatures all getting ready to rush him. They saw how he had torn through their fellow warriors without hesitation and were now getting ready to see if he can handle many of them attacking at once.

Wraith was marginally impressed. These things learned faster than Clones did.

Standing his ground and gripping his blood-stained axe with both hands, Wraith waited for the beings to draw close enough before he swung hard with a mighty roar, successfully decapitating all of them in a single swing. Black blood spurted from their opened necks as their bodies fell, dousing the floor in slick fluids. One final creature lept high into the air, hoping to bring a whip crashing down upon Wraith. But the super-soldier hacked into him with his axe, knocking the warrior to the ground before he pulled his axe free and swung again, cutting him in two. The creature writhed and screamed before Wraith silenced him with a quick blow to the head, splitting open his skull. Pulling his axe free, Wraith surveyed the room full of corpses, rolling his shoulders and letting out a satisfied sigh.

" _Damn, I'm good._ " He muttered happily. The Jedi remained standing where they were, looks of horror and disgust written across their faces.

"That was... excessive. Even for me." Obi-Wan said, cringing at the sight before him.

"Usually nothing fazes me, like, ever... but I think I'm gonna hurl." Anakin groaned.

"Ew. And he's covered in blood. Gross." Ahsoka commented, making a face before she sniffed the air. "Oh, and it smells too! Yuck!" She exclaimed, pinching her nose. Wraith turned back and walked over to them, slinging his blood-stained axe over his shoulder.

" _Don't tell me you're all germaphobes._ " He commented, not fazed by his appearance or his work in the slightest.

"No. But we don't have soft spots for excessive violence either." Obi-Wan replied, taking a step back along with his friends as Wraith left the room.

" _This? Bah! This is by no means 'excessive'. This is just one battle with an axe._ " Wraith informed him, stepping fully into the hall.

"Can we please take a vote on who to follow now?" Anakin wondered, scrunching up his face at the sight of Wraith's bloody form.

" _Right. Either you follow the weakling who's about to retch at the sight of blood, or you follow me, the man who can handle himself._ " Wraith retorted. He stood silent for a moment, waiting for an answer. " _No competition?_ " He wondered. The Jedi stayed silent. " _Good. Then let's move on. And I'll be keeping an eye on you Skywalker. Pull another stunt like that and you'll be meeting the business end of my axe... and be needing another prosthetic limb!_ " He growled.

* * *

Reluctantly deciding to pursue Skywalker's advice about the similarities of starships, Wraith led the group back to the viewports in order to determine where they were on the ship. Leaving a trail behind thanks to the blood on his boots, the Jedi were sure to stick to Wraith's sides rather than right behind him.

" _Thanks to Skywalker's blunder, anyone who enters that room now knows we aren't in our cells. So we'll have to do this quickly and quietly._ " Wraith explained as they once more stood before the vastness of space.

"You mean, thanks to your rampage." Anakin corrected him with a glare.

" _While I would like to dive into the semantics of how I wouldn't have had to attack them if it weren't for your little stunt, we haven't the time._ " Wraith retorted.

"So what are we doing back here?" Obi-Wan wondered.

" _We're going to see what we can see of the ship through these viewports. Hopefully they'll give us a clue where we are and will help orient us so we can find the bridge._ " Wraith explained, craning his neck and peering out as far as he could, his helmet pressed against the glass. Ahsoka did the same, looking in the opposite direction.

"Wait a minute. Are you saying you're doing what I suggested?" Anakin queried, a grin growing on his face.

" _That's not what I-_ "

"Ha! Score one for the good guys!" Anakin exclaimed, pumping his bound fists.

" _Ugh. Shut up already._ " Wraith growled, shoulders slouching. It was then that Ahsoka noticed something, not beside them, but below them.

"Wraith, what do you think those are?" She asked, pointing down. The super-soldier shifted to her viewport, one arm going around the Padawan as he peered over her shoulder.

Anakin and Obi-Wan noted his move and shared looks of disapproval.

What Ahsoka saw was a series of low-hanging curved structures that jutted out from the bottom of the ship. They were rigid, made from the same material as the rest of the ship, yet reminded Wraith of an insect in mid-flight.

" _My guess is they're some kind of aesthetic feature or some kind of flight strut to help with stability._ " He suggested.

"By why would this ship have those?" Ahsoka wondered. "None of ours have anything like that. They're all angles and straight lines."

" _This may be characteristic of the species themselves, they do have a fondness for organic material. However, their shape comes from a simple aerodynamic principle. The best way to improve flight capabilities and make aesthetic choices actually work? Have all the curves facing away from the front of the ship. Makes for less resistance from... space wind...?_ " He trailed off, his thoughts sudden disturbed by the fact there was no wind in space.

But there was on planets.

" _Wait... this ship is designed for interplanetary travel. Fascinating._ " He realized.

"So these beings hop from world to world?" Ahsoka added, following his train of thought.

" _Maybe. This might give more credence to the theory that these things are new to this corner of the galaxy and they got curious, decided to collect some locals for study._ " He agreed, continuing. He suddenly realized just how close their heads were and felt a bloom of warmth cross his face. Wraith had never been this close to Ahsoka before. Ahsoka realized the same thing, but she could also feel the heat radiating off his unarmored body.

She blushed a little too, her montrals darkening in color.

" _Well, they kidnapped the wrong locals._ " Wraith surmised, standing up straight and returning to the hall. " _Thank you Ahsoka. Now we have a rough idea as to where on this ship we are._ "

"And that is?"

" _Somewhere in the middle, given the symmetrical design of those struts on both sides._ " Wraith answered. " _Which means we need to go back the way we came._ "

"Aha! See? I _was_ on to something!" Anakin victoriously exclaimed.

" _Even the imbecile have their uses._ " Wraith retorted. " _Now shut up and get in line._ "

"Sheesh, fine... Bucket-head." Anakin grumbled compliantly, muttering that last part under his breath.

" _I heard that._ " Wraith growled. With their course of action decided, the group of unlikely allies moved on, back towards what they hoped to be the front of the ship.

Finding a way up was much harder, though.

They eventually discovered what could only be described as a crude, organic turbolift. They took it as high as they could go before they were dropped off on a level of the ship that looked identical to the last one. With everyone gladly leaving the confined space of the lift, they continued their search for the bridge... but met with little success.

Wraith was primarily relying on his thermal imaging scans, hoping he could locate a cluster of beings that would lead them forward. But with all the organic material of this ship adding their own radiation, he was getting mixed readings that was making this very difficult.

Rounding a corner and coming to a three-way intersection, the group paused as Wraith realized he needed to do something different. This was simply not working.

"Why does this look so familiar?" Obi-Wan wondered, glancing around at the walls.

" _Probably because everything's built from the same stuff._ " Wraith replied as he recalibrated his scanners. His reply was short and it needed to be, he was busy with other matters. " _Come on... give me something!_ " He softly growled as his tech continued to provide befuddling results.

"I'm telling you, he's leading us in circles!" Anakin declared, wishing his hands were unbound.

Why hadn't Obi-Wan or Ahsoka untied him already?

" _And I'm assuming your omnipotent Force, which is malfunctioning here, can tell you where we are and where we need to go, without the use of full-spectrum scanners and a geographical heads-up display?_ " Wraith retorted, looking to his least-favorite Jedi.

"Normally, yes. Yes it can." Anakin confidently replied.

" _But this isn't normal, is it Skywalker? No. This is completely out of the ordinary. And your typical shenanigans are of no use to us here, so you better just shut the hell up and accept the fact that I am infinitely better suited for this than you are!_ " The super-soldier demanded, levelling his axe at Anakin.

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka quickly sensed a confrontation was brewing, one that would more than likely end poorly for Anakin.

"You're just jealous 'cause you don't have the Force!" Anakin retorted.

" _And why would I be jealous of that? You have the Force and I can still beat you to a pulp whenever I choose to!_ " Wraith sneered. Anakin growled, glaring daggers at Wraith.

"That's it! I'm going to scramble your thoughts so hard you won't be able to remember your own name!" He stomped forward, hands raised as he got ready to use the Force.

" _Bring it, you arrogant, oversized Jawa!_ " Wraith rumbled, grabbing his axe with both hands. But they were quickly held back as Obi-Wan stepped between them before they could come to blows.

"Anakin! Wraith! That's enough! Fighting won't get us anywhere, in fact, it will make it easier for these beings to find us." He firmly stated, hands on both of their chests in an effort to keep them apart. The two said nothing, still giving each other withering gazes. "Ahsoka, help Wraith cool off while I take Anakin aside." He instructed, slowly guiding Anakin away. Ahsoka was surprised by his request and eyed Wraith warily.

"Uh... Yeah, sure thing Master..." She hesitantly responded. Obi-Wan led Anakin back to the far wall while Ahsoka did her best to usher Wraith over to the opposite wall.

"Are you crazy? Leaving her with him?" Anakin wondered, looking his friend straight in the eye.

"She is far better suited for dealing with him than you or I are." Obi-Wan calmly replied.

"But don't you see it? That's the problem! The more cooperative she is with him, the more she fuels whatever sick fantasies he has for her inside that twisted head of his!" Anakin retorted, not comfortable with Wraith even being near Ahsoka and believing he had things figured out.

But in his hot-headed state, Anakin seldom had things completely figured out.

"Anakin, calm down. Getting riled up will only make things worse." Obi-Wan told him, attempting to abate his fluctuating emotions. "Wraith is not someone to be dealt with, let alone worked with, with raw emotion alone. Remember what Thrawn said? We have to think around him, outsmart him."

"I _have_ been doing that. Haven't you heard my insults?" Anakin replied.

Obi-Wan promptly facepalmed.

"Your insults are wrought from emotion, they are not intelligent or tactical." He explained with a sigh. "Besides, I doubt Wraith would try to do anything to Ahsoka with us here."

"I wouldn't put it past him to try." Anakin growled.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka's efforts were proving much more effective.

"Master Obi-Wan is right, fighting won't get us anywhere." She was saying.

" _Tell that to Skywalker._ " Wraith grumbled.

"Come on, Wraith. Aren't you supposed to be like a tactical genius or something?"

" _Yes..._ " He hesitantly replied.

"Well... is this the 'tactical' thing to do? Is arguing with Anakin going to help us leave?" She continued, trying to appeal to logic. Wraith remained silent as her words settled in his head.

She was right. Of course she was right. Skywalker always brought out the worst in him. He had to avoid succumbing to his level of idiodicy.

" _You're right._ " He agreed with a sigh. " _Of course you're right._ " Ahsoka smiled a little, glad he was willing to accept that he was wrong.

That was something Skyguy could seldom do.

" _You are very calming, Ahsoka. Although I know this must be a difficult situation for you, I am happy you are here._ " Wraith said.

"Thanks... I guess." She whispered, a little unsure of how to respond. Then again, maybe she could use this to her advantage. "I know Skyguy can be a handful, but just... I don't know... try to work with him. Please? For me?" She asked, touching his arm.

" _For you... anything._ " He affirmed in reply. While his words might've made things a little awkward, Ahsoka believed she'd found the key for keeping Wraith on task: her own pleadings. Obi-Wan escorted Anakin back into the hall and Ahsoka, with Wraith right behind her, joined him.

"I trust we've come to a suitable understanding?" The elder Jedi inquired.

"Wraith is... fairly pliant... especially when I'm doing the talking." Ahsoka replied.

" _What can I say? She's got a way with words._ " Wraith shrugged. " _Or maybe it's that subtle Togruta accent I find so attractive._ " He added, smirking beneath his mask.

"Are you quite finished?" Anakin wondered, sounding annoyed. "Because I want off his ship."

"Indeed. As long as you two can get along, we should be just fine from here onwards." Obi-Wan said.

" _No promises, Kenobi._ " Wraith replied. " _I can't guarantee that Skywalker won't do something that'll-_ " Stopping in mid-sentence, Wraith was suddenly aware of a series of incoming electrical signatures coming from behind the wall in front of them.

Electrical readings that were unique and strikingly familiar. But how to get in...?

" _Skywalker... can you shift, maybe... two paces to your right?_ " He suddenly asked, interrupting his own train of thought. Anakin raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" With a quick gesture from Obi-Wan to say 'just do as he says', Anakin begrudgingly walked the two paces that put him in front of the wall.

" _Now face me._ " Wraith instructed. Skywalker was unwittingly playing right into his plan. The bound Jedi turned on heel so his back was to the wall. " _Perfect._ " Suddenly charging forward, Wraith dropkicked the surprised Anakin so hard he sent the Jedi crashing through the wall behind him. Shattered building material rained down around the stunned Jedi as Wraith vaulted over him, further surprising the two creatures in the now-exposed room. Leaping over the downed Anakin, Wraith swung his axe hard and beheaded one of the creatures before he turned and threw it at the other, the axehead sinking deep into the being's face and killing him instantly. As his body sank to the floor, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan poked their heads into the room.

"What was that all about?" The Togruta wondered as she stepped inside.

"Wraith, what did I just say about cooperating?!" Obi-Wan snapped, helping Anakin to his feet.

" _What? I just needed a blunt, dumb object to help break the wall._ " Wraith innocently replied. In his mind, no harm had been done, save to those two creatures.

But Anakin had to disagree.

Climbing to his feet with a growl, the Jedi lunged at Wraith, arms outstretched like he wanted to choke him.

"Anakin, no!" Obi-Wan commanded, grabbing his friend and holding him back while he continued to struggle.

"Just one little throat hug! Just one...!" Anakin growled, hoping Obi-Wan would let him get away with hurting Wraith just a little bit.

"No!" Obi-Wan firmly stated. "Regardless of how you feel, we need him."

"Like hell we do!" Rolling his eyes at Anakin's less-than-threatening demeanor, Wraith turned about and pulled his axe free from the corpse. Taking a moment to size up the body as Ahsoka joined him, also curious and wanting to get a better look at these things, the two of them realized that the being's head possessed a series of circular scars where chunks of flesh had been cut away. Two stood out on his each cheek, right next to a blue eye sack, making them very hard to miss. Wraith dropped to his haunches for a better look. He quickly discovered there was no ragged edge to them, like they were earned during the chaos of battle. Instead, they were smooth and precise, like they were intentionally cut.

This lead him to a single conclusion about their race.

" _These wounds appear to be intricate and deliberate, not random. I would hazard a guess and say they were ritualistic._ " He commented. Ahsoka recoiled at the suggestion.

"Ew. Why would anyone want to scar themselves like that?" She wondered, sounding a little disturbed.

" _Don't really know, Ahsoka._ " Wraith replied, shaking his head. " _I sympathize with your revulsion, though. Such a practice is queer at best and downright disturbing at its worst._ " While the two of them shuddered at the thought of permanent scarring as a means of honor or status, however these beings worked, Obi-Wan calmly interpreted it as a learning opportunity.

"A society that revolves around pain. How peculiar." Obi-Wan mused, stroking his beard.

" _And dangerous._ " Wraith commented. Kenobi caught the aside remark.

"How so?"

" _If they're not afraid to injure themselves, imagine what they wouldn't mind doing to us._ " Wraith stated, leaving his sentence up for determination.

Suffice to say, the Jedi could not conjure any pleasant thoughts.

"Right, uh, maybe we should get out of here now." Ahsoka hurriedly suggested, not wanting to stay on this ship any longer.

" _Agreed. But first,_ " Rising to his feet, Wraith turned and followed the electrical readings that had brought him here to begin with. Using his axe to hack open what could only be described as a strange footlocker made from a foreign wood, Wraith stooped down retrieved a series of items, " _it appears you all owe me one._ " He said, turning around and revealing the Jedi's lightsabers in his hands.

"Our lightsabers!" Ahsoka exclaimed as Wraith handed over hers. He knew the design of hers by heart and recognized them easily. "Wait, what about your stuff?" She asked.

" _I'm going to cross my fingers and hope it is somewhere back on Virujansi. I haven't been able to find it this entire time._ " The commando replied as he handed back Obi-Wan's. Now they would prove to be a little more useful, at least in combat.

But Anakin's he clipped his own belt, still determined to leave Skywalker bound.

"Hey! That's mine!"

" _Not while you're tied up it's not._ " Wraith retorted. Moving to leave the room, Anakin softly growled as he walked past him.

"Anakin, heel." Obi-Wan grunted as he followed Wraith out.

"Are you serious?!" Anakin exclaimed, incredulous of the fact that his friend was taking his rival's side.

" _Act like a mutt, be treated like a mutt. That's what I always say._ " Wraith added with a chuckle as he stepped into the hall. Now armed and ready to leave, the group moved out once more. Having learned from this little experience, Wraith adjusted to his scanners to electrical. Although this ship seemed to be primarily comprised of organic material, Wraith suspected there could be biochemical readings that produced bio-electricity for him to register.

And sure enough, there was.

Following a fresh reading that grew stronger and stronger with each step they took, Wraith hoped that it was some kind of instrument system that he was reading. Feeling a fight on the horizon, Wraith gripped his axe tightly, finding the lack of beings in the halls odd. Quickly adjusting to his thermal scanners, he observed the presence of numerous beings some distance ahead of them. Deciding it was time for a plan, Wraith motioned for the Jedi to join him in kneeling on the floor next to a wall.

" _Looks we might be coming up on the bridge, or maybe a control room. I count, maybe a dozen beings inside it. We need to strategize, plan this out carefully so they don't get the upper hand._ "

"Okay. So, what do we do?" Ahsoka asked.

" _These beings seem to like using primitive weapons, so expect close quarters combat. If anything, you all distract them while I take them out._ " He explained. " _You three will take point, being the first ones to enter and drawing their attention. Then, once they are occupied with you, I will step in and see to it the room is ours._ " The Jedi nodded in understanding, even Anakin. " _We move on my command. I will count down to your entry._ "

"What makes you so certain the doors will just open for us?" Anakin wondered. "So far you've had to force everything open." This was true. It surprised Wraith that Anakin was suddenly being so helpful, instead of his usual, irritating self.

" _We'll cross that path when we get to the bridge._ " He replied, uncertain as to what their exact course of action would be. He needed to see the facts first, before he made a decision of any kind. Anakin could see the uncertainty in his body language and decided to try Obi-Wan's approach: appealing to logic rather than raw emotion.

"Look, Wraith, you need to untie me." He stated. The commando whipped his head around to face him.

" _Why?_ "

"Because you need a fourth player. I can fight, plus, if you leave me tied up like this, I'll just be a liability to you." Anakin explained. He did have a point. It seemed likely that he might get captured and turned into leverage against them. While Wraith had a feeling he could do battle without the Jedi's assistance, the true extent of these beings were still unknown to him, meaning he had no idea what might await him if he were to become the only one battling them. That and they could very well put Ahsoka in harm's way. Something he refused to allow to happen.

From behind Anakin, Ahsoka mouthed 'please do it', something that forced Wraith to accept Anakin's request... for her sake.

" _Fine._ " He relented. The group stood up and Wraith walked over to Anakin, snapping his bonds with his hands. Retrieving the lightsaber clipped to his belt, Wraith held it up but did not immediately return it. " _Do not make me regret this._ " He growled. And he meant it. Should Skywalker cause this plan irreparable damage, there would be a lot of pain in his immediate future.

"No promises." The Jedi cheekily replied with a smirk, using the Force to take back his weapon.

* * *

Twelve of these mysterious beings stood tall on the bridge off their ship, carefully charting a course through the galaxy. The four pilots who sat near the front all hat their heads connected to a spine-like device that was wired to the controls of the ship.

Everything, even the controls, were organic in nature and function.

The dozen creatures wore far more ornate armor than the ones Wraith had butchered in the hall below, indicating they were individuals of a possibly higher rank or caste. They were the ones in control of this ship. They were the ones responsible for the 'collecting' of the four individuals from the planet they had just visited. The rest of the crew were resting comfortably, waiting to be reawakened when it was time for the next phase of their expedition.

They would return to the war world and deduce the threat these beings posed. If it were great, then their corpses would be dumped and the mission written off. If it were minimal, then they would return with greater numbers to claim the rest of this galaxy for their own. For the glory of the empire.

Suddenly, the access door behind them was torn open, the masked being with red eyes leaping ahead and followed by the three other strangers.

They had escaped. The prisoners were loose!

Those present began to shout in their tongue, rallying everyone to fight, to defend the pilots. Brandishing ornate swords and tools of all sorts, they stood ready for a fight. Snarling and growling in a threatening manner.

But Wraith was _always_ ready to fight.

" _Show no mercy!_ " Wraith called, gripping his axe tightly, " _For they will show you none!_ " Lunging towards the nearest creature, Wraith swung his axe with such force the being's raised sword splintered on contact and the axe was driven deep into his chest. The Jedi, lightsabers ignited in a colorful display, engaged the nearest creatures, primitive swords clashing with glowing blades of light. Surprisingly, their weapons did not break, indicating they had been forged from a resistant material. Obi-Wan quickly started dueling the creature nearest to him, his blade crossing the primitive tool in a manner he knew well. So many times before had he fought beings of similar caliber, he had a feeling this one would be no different.

But he was about to receive an unexpected surprise.

The being fought ruthlessly and relentlessly, forcing Obi-Wan to go on the defensive. Needing same space from the snarling, ugly mug of the creature, Obi-Wan stepped back and summoned a Force-push with enough strength to land any other being on their back. But this creature stumbled, a move barely even noticeable, clearly unfazed by the Force.

"They're immune to the Force! We can't even knock them back!" Kenobi exclaimed in surprise.

" _Then don't use the Force!_ " Wraith called over the din. " _Your lightsabers aren't just for show!_ " He said, hacking into another being and getting sprayed with pitch-black blood. He now had three kills under his belt, while the Jedi were struggling with the opponent's they had started with. Obi-Wan begrudgingly accepted his advice and, albeit forcibly, resorted to lightsaber combat.

Wraith lept off a nearby wall and brought his axe crashing down on another being, splitting his head in two with his swing. Leaving his axe imbedded in the creature, Wraith lashed out with a hook kick and a hard jab that sent another two creatures staggering.

Despite his lack of armor, he was still more than capable of delivering bone-crushing blows.

Retrieving his axe from the corpse behind him, Wraith beheaded one of the staggered beings and then the other, becoming a death-machine on the move.

The pilots, alerted to the fight and aware that their commanding officers were losing, did their best to pitch in by suddenly and violently turning the ship hard to starboard. Everyone standing was knocked to the ground by the move, thrown by the turning of the ship.

All that is, save for Wraith.

Jumping towards the pilots, Wraith hacked into one from behind before grabbing another being by the head and throwing him across the room and into a wall. The other two suffered an axe to their throats before Wraith turned on the remaining beings in the room, only to see that the Jedi had disarmed them. Literally.

" _Didn't think you had it in you._ " He mused, walking over.

"We Jedi do what we must when it is necessary." Obi-Wan replied.

"Aaaand you're covered in blood again." Anakin noted, wrinkling up his nose to the gruesome sight of the blood-stained Wraith.

" _When am I not?_ " The super-soldier retorted, slinging his equally-bloody axe over his shoulder. He looked around the room. " _Well, on a different note, I'd say the bridge is ours._ "

"Now to get back to Virujansi." Ahsoka said. "Any ideas how to work those controls, Wraith?" She asked.

" _What controls?_ " Wraith replied. " _There are none, save for those headpiece-things._ "

"Perhaps that pilot you left alive can take us back." Obi-Wan suggested. "We can get him to fly this thing, surely he knows how to."

"But how are we going to explain that to them? We can't understand what they're saying and we don't speak their language." Anakin questioned. The Jedi began to think hard on this problem. When the option to learn ther language via a force-probe through one of their minds briefly surfaced as a possibility, they quickly remembered that these things were immune to the Force and that a probe would likely be ineffective.

There had to be a way.

" _I have an idea._ " Wraith said, stepping towards the downed pilot. " _Simple communication can be achieved through the easiest of visual aids. A universal language, if you will._ " The creature in question had shaken off the violent throw and was returning to full cognition when he realized Wraith was towering over him. Stained with the blood of his allies and his optics blazing with power, the being shrank back, positively afraid of whoever this was before him. Moving his axe slowly so the pilot could follow his moves, Wraith pointed his axe at the controls of the ship before pointing to the now-visible Virujansi. Once this was completed, Wraith moved his axe under the creature's chin and applied slight pressure to his neck, hoping he had gotten his point across.

The being slowly nodded, understanding what he wanted, and what would become of him if he didn't obey, quite clearly.

* * *

Having secured the bridge and dealt with the crew, the advanced scout ship landed back on Virujansi and dropped off the Jedi and Wraith. Touching down in an empty plateau, the Jedi and Wraith exited through a hole the Jedi had cut in the hull of the ship. While they used the Force to leap down safely, Wraith simply jumped, his agility training paying off as he crashed down next to them.

"Solid ground." Ahsoka breathed. "Thank the Force."

"What? Didn't enjoy that little adventure, Snips?" Anakin quipped as he took a deep breath of fresh, planet-based air.

"Like you did, Master. You were tied up the whole time." Ahsoka shot back. Wraith, still holding his new axe, had to chuckle at her comeback.

However, the moment was brief as his mind switched to far more resting matters that required his immediate attention. There was still a mission for him to accomplish.

" _Now that that's over..._ " He mused, turning and starting to walk away, axe slung over his shoulder.

"Wraith, a moment." Obi-Wan called after him, causing him to pause and turn back. "You helped us escape and for that, we are grateful."

"We are?" Anakin wondered with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. We _are_." Obi-Wan repeated, as if to say 'shut up, Anakin'. "Which is why I would like to propose we peacefully go our separate ways. I know you've got your orders and we undoubtedly have ours, but after all we've been through, maybe we should simply take a break from fighting each other." He suggested.

" _After working with you all, fighting you would be a welcome change._ " Wraith replied, crossing his arms. Then he stopped to consider the situation they were in and what they had just been through. " _However, what you're suggesting would be the amicable choice... and I'm inclined to agree to your terms._ " He said. " _You call your men off and leave me be while I make my way back, and I'll let you return to your forces without hassle._ " He added, clarifying what 'separating peacefully' ought to look like.

"Deal." Obi-Wan agreed, extending his hand. Although hesitant, Wraith shook it, before turning on heel and quickly leaving. The Jedi too made to leave, having had enough for one day but also believing they had learned quite a few lessons along the way.

Not to mention they could also say they had worked side-by-side with The Wraith... and survived to tell about it.

The strange beings that comprised the crew of the advanced scout ship returned to their home, shaken to the core. When the priests and leaders asked what happened, they explained as best they could. They talked of the corpses of their allies being found rent and torn apart, their blood covering both walls and floors. Those who survived the direct encounter told a much darker tale. They spoke of one who fought like Yun-Yammka incarnate, whose fury and ferocity were unbridled. A true champion of the Slayer if ever they had seen one. The priests believed this to be a bad omen. Their visit to the other worlds had brought the wrath of the war god upon them, their party devastated because they displeased him.

In repentance, many blood sacrifices were offered in the following days. The survivors of the expedition personally sacrificed themselves as atonement for their perceived sins against the god of war, wishing to not bring any divine harm to their tribes or their families.

* * *

 _Later that night..._

Returning to Coruscant after securing Virujansi, Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka told their tale to Chancellor Palpatine and Masters Windu and Yoda, with Thrawn standing close by in Palpatine's office. The details intrigued all of their listeners greatly, especially how they worked side-by-side with The Wraith in order to make their escape.

"It seems rather surprising that Wraith would be open to such cooperation." Palpatine mused.

"We all thought the same." Obi-Wan agreed. "However, it may have been simple logic that drove him to cooperating with us in the first place."

"Of course, we had to play by his rules the whole time." Anakin added, still not happy with exactly how their escape unfolded. "Some of which were rather... absurd."

"Like how he left you tied up nearly the whole time, Master?" Ahsoka wondered.

"Let's not bring that up, Snips."

"We're grateful for your survival, regardless. Master Kenobi, we would appreciate it if you could brief the rest of the Council back at the Temple. The possibility of an unknown species with hostile intentions and Force-immunity is something everyone should know about." Mace said, feeling his account to be of great importance.

"Master Skywalker, if you could please remain and deliberate with us further, perhaps Commander Thrawn might be able to offer us more insights should these beings return." Palpatine asked. The two Jedi nodded, Obi-Wan making to leave alongside Yoda and Mace while Anakin and Ahsoka stayed behind for the time being. Once the Jedi were out of earshot, Obi-Wan decided to broach a topic that had been sitting uneasily with him for some time.

"Masters, a word." He said, calling their attention. Once he had it, he continued. "I purposefully stayed silent on this while explaining to the Chancellor, but in the presence of Jedi I simply have to share it." He stated. "While we were on that ship, feeling our way around with the Force, I detected a very faint Force-signature... it was coming from Wraith." The other Jedi froze as the normally stone-faced Mace turned to Obi-Wan with an incredulous look.

"You don't think...?" He slowly wondered, trailing off.

"I don't know what to think. That's why I'm telling you now." Obi-Wan explained. "I don't want to worry anyone about the possibility of Wraith being Force-sensitive, especially if I'm wrong. But if I'm right, we could have a major crisis on our hands." The Jedi fell silent, pondering Obi-Wan's words. He was right. Not only the Jedi but the Republic would also have a crisis on their hands if The Wraith turned out to be strong with the Force.

The outcome of the entire war would be at stake.

"In all living things, the Force is. A living being, The Wraith is." Yoda stated. "Worry about it, you should not." He said, reassuring Obi-Wan that he was probably focusing so hard he was able to detect the living Force in Wraith.

While he chose to accept Master Yoda's words, Obi-Wan had to wonder if that was really the case...

"Go get some rest Snips. You've had a long few days." Anakin instructed his Padawan.

"With pleasure." Ahsoka agreed, politely taking her leave of the Chancellor before she followed the other Jedi out, desperate for some shut-eye.

"General Skywalker," Thrawn began, "the beings you described, while unknown to the Republic, are not to me." He stated, drawing Palpatine's attention.

"You are aware of who they are, Commander?" He asked, wishing for more insight into these strange creatures that, until now, were unheard of.

"I am." Thrawn simply replied. "The Chiss Ascendency has encountered this species several times during our voyages to other regions. It is of some concern that you have discovered them here, so deep in the galaxy-at-large." He continued. Having witnessed this race himself, he knew exactly how dangerous they were and how lucky the Jedi were to be standing before him right now.

Perhaps it was destiny that Wraith was captured too, if only for him to be their savior.

"Well, then, who are they?" Anakin wondered, asking the question that was also on Palpatine's mind.

"In my native tongue of Cheunh, my people call them the 'Far Outsiders'." Thrawn explained. "However, I've heard that they refer to themselves as the 'Yuuzhan Vong'."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Dun dun dun! And now the Republic knows of their existence! But will the Yuuzhan Vong return? Or was Wraith's savagery enough to keep them at bay? We shall see...**


	50. Scipio's Log 723A

**Author's Note: Fifty. Thousand. Views. And almost 140 favourites/followers apiece. Thank you! Just... thank you!**

 **Just want to take this insert to drop a quick note on updates. Real life has been getting in the way of my writing, what with new shifts at work and some summer school courses that I've recently started (with immediate due dates to boot). However, I want to thank you all for sticking around, loving this story and praising it so much. And I'm also am glad you all enjoyed the Yuuzhang Vong reveal, as you've all been raving about it... I do like to surprise you all every now and then (hint hint, wink wink, teaser). A full chapter will be coming, that's a promise!**

* * *

Scipio's Log: Entry 72.3A - New Data

" _Wraith's little detour on Virujansi, and his encounter with those beings, may not have been part of his directive to help repulse the invading Republic forces but it did yield some very interesting data for me to analyze..._

" _Having looked into the blood on his clothes and the composition of the axe he acquired, I have learned some startling new information about the beings he encountered. Their inability to be affect by the Force in any way is a truly staggering biological ability that must be studied further. I take great pride in being one of the first to venture this far forward into uncharted scientific territory, but surely Wraith must receive some credit, for he did bring back the axe... and the blood. All of it._

" _With this new material to study, perhaps some new armor and maybe a new look are in order. In working with my fellow Techno Union scientists, we have developed a new firearm for Wraith, one I'm sure he will enjoy using very much. However, what concerns me now is how to incorporate this 'Far Outsider' biology into far more manageable scientific means... but once I've achieved a breakthrough, there will be plenty of room for upgrades."_

End of Log


	51. Survival of the Smartest

**Author's Note: this one comes from, once again, my dad! He was looking for some Wile-E-Coyote stuff so I took some inspiration from that episode where Ahsoka and the Younglings fend off Hondo's pirates...**

 **Also, a quick life update: I haven't been able to do much writing due to me starting some advanced summer courses and my job. With the fall semester just around the bend, it'll probably be some time before my next posting. Don't worry, I'm not done yet!**

* * *

-Chapter 28: Survival of the Smartest-

Location: Republic Listening Post, Anoat's Moon

"Old tactics do not produce new results."

"After some careful examination of the blood found on your new axe, I have discovered that the beings you encountered on Virujansi possess a kind of Force-inhibiting microbe which I am tentatively calling 'antichlorians'." Scipio detailed, pointing to a still holoimage of the microscopic discovery he had made. "They are very similar to midichlorians, save for the fact that they do not conduct the Force but, rather, prevent it from working within or on the individual." Having finished his research and applied it properly, Scipio was giving Wraith a rundown of his discoveries. While much would be saved for a far more thorough report to be sent to his superiors within the Techno Union, it seemed fair that Wraith, having supplied so much of the available material, be let in on his finds as well.

" _Interesting. So these people were born Force-immune..._ " Wraith mused, pondering over the nature of those weird beings from Virujansi.

"In a way, yes. Much in the same way that midichlorians exist within every known species here, in this galaxy, thus tying into the 'ever-present Force' the Jedi claim exists, antichlorians must exist within these people and their related materials. That would be why Kenobi could not sense or feel anything in the rooms." Scipio continued, agreeing with his creation.

That sole revelation opened up a single possibility that Wraith desperately wished to exploit.

" _Please tell me you can find a use for this. Rendering me completely immune to the Force would make me invincible!_ " He asked. Scipio sighed, an indicator that slowed Wraith's hopes.

"I had a feeling you would ask that. I have been researching the possibilities and I have to come to the conclusion that the science and the potential to infuse you with the samples I have is... well... impossible." The Pau'an replied, sounding disappointed. Wraith was incredulous to that answer.

" _Impossible?! Come on, Doc! I am technically impossible but you made me happen!_ " He exclaimed, urging him to try again.

"My boy, you were born with midichlorians in you. If I were to introduce antichlorians into you, the results could be catastrophic. You could be torn apart from the inside out!" Scipio explained. That made Wraith pause, forced to stop and realize the ramifications of equal opposites butting heads.

" _I hadn't thought about that._ "

"So it's a good thing I did." Scipio noted, crossing his arms. He knew Wraith was disappointed about his findings, but that didn't mean the option was ruled out completely. "I'll see if I can't find some use for these antichlorians. May have to do some reverse-engineering, but only time will tell if my efforts will work." He added. Wraith digested the information, nodding in understanding as Scipio moved on. "On to more immediate matters, I believe I've found a suitable replacement for your slugthrowers. Are you familiar with the Point-Forty-Eight Enforcer Pistol?" The doctor wondered as he produced a case from the floor and set it on a nearby table.

" _Designed and manufactured by the Morellian Weapons Conglomerate, specifically for Morellian Enforcers during the Old Republic era._ " Wraith answered, recalling the weapon he had studied once. " _They say it packs one helluva wallop for a slug-pistol. Armor-piercing rounds that can demolish a landspeeder, even._ "

"Correct." Scipio agreed, opening the case. "Several of my associates and I have been working on upgrading the design, building a weapon made especially for you." He explained before holding up a truly massive hand-held weapon. "Behold, the Point-Fifty Enforcer Pistol. Built by the Techno Union, forged from a durasteel-cortosis alloy and able to blow the head off a Clone trooper!" He announced excitedly. Wraith stood up and took the weapon from Scipio, feeling it's hefty weight and eyeing the squarish barrel. It obviously needed to be reconstructed in order to account for the two-point increase in slug power.

" _You mean to tell me this thing fires fifty-caliber slugs?!_ " He wondered in amazement. Scipio nodded.

"Correct. The kickback for those weapons is enormous, so I hear. I would recommend that you spend some time practicing with them so you can understand just how powerful they really are." The Pau'an cautioned him. "Think you can handle it?" He inquired.

" _The gun, yes. But I don't think I can handle these levels of excitement!_ " Wraith quipped with a chuckle, twirling the gun around his hand. " _Doc, you're the best._ "

"Oh, go on." Scipio bashfully replied with a grin. Reaching back into the case, he pulled out a second and a set of ammo clips. "You've got eight rounds per clip. I know it's two less than what you're used to, but some sacrifices had to be made."

" _Duly noted._ " Wraith replied, taking the second pistol and practicing aiming downrange. The iron sights mounted along the barrel were just fine.

"I can possibly work on some mag-extenders for you. Something to grant you a little extra firepower when necessary." Scipio commented, a sudden thought coming to him.

" _Sure thing. I just can't wait to try these out._ " Wraith replied, gazing at the weapons in his hands.

"An opportunity may come sooner than you think." Scipio responded, suddenly moving over to the holotable to bring up a new dossier. "You've got another assignment ahead of you. High-command has discovered a Republic listening post on the planet Anoat's moon. They seem to be checking out possible Separatist traffic in the Anoat Belt." While he was not completely familiar with the area, Wraith believed the idea of using the nearby asteroid belt as cover. They would make for perfect cover should a high-priority vehicle be passing through. However, there was no Separatist traffic in that system to his knowledge. Anoat was very much out of the way, a desolate and empty place.

" _Isn't that place really out of the way? Why would they be looking for traffic there?_ " He wondered, joining Scipio over by the table. Scipio leaned closer to him, voice dropping as he conveyed a secret.

"Because, Wraith, there is traffic going through there. Special courier traffic. We cannot let the Republic find out about it." He whispered. "Not to mention the Anoat System is very close to Separatist territory. Should the Republic try broadening their scanners, who knows what chatter they might pick up." The super-soldier nodded slowly, the importance of this seek-and-destroy mission growing in his mind.

" _That makes this a whole different game, then._ " Wraith realized as he made to stand. " _When do I leave?_ "

"The sooner the better, I would say." Scipio informed him. "I've outfitted your shuttle with a cloaking device to make the approach stealthier. It's not great tech, nor is it bad, but it will render them unable to detect you until it's too late." He added, highlighting the recent upgrade to his craft. "Now suit up and get out there!"

* * *

Located between the Hoth System and the Bespin System in the Outer Rim, the world of Anoat was one of six in the self-titled Anoat System. A generally habitable planet, it had been discovered shortly before the beginning of the Clone Wars by the Figg Excavations group and swiftly turned into a mining world populated by human colonists. Under normal circumstances, Wraith would've rushed right over at the mention of a Republic presence, as Figg Excavations was a member of the Mining Guild: a founding member of the Separatist Alliance. However, the company had lost respect in recent years when it was discovered they were hiring pirates to attack their own convoys as a means to gain the protection of the Anoat sector police forces and split from the Mining Guild. They were shamed and considered to be of ill-repute.

But with the knowledge that Separatist couriers _were_ using the nearby Anoat asteroid belt as a means of secretive travel, the destruction of the Republic listening post had shot to the top of Wraith's to-do list.

What the Separatists wanted to be a secret would remain a secret.

Exiting hyperspace above the hazy white and blue world, Wraith was quick to perform a routine proximity scan before he triggered his new cloaking mechanisms.

" _Scans indicate there's no other ships currently in the system, Republic or otherwise._ " He reported, reading the results.

"I suppose the reported presence of the Republic might be enough to deter any activities." Scipio replied through his comms. "It's up to you to restore order and clean things up." Wraith grunted in understanding as his now-invisible ship veered away from Anoat and headed towards its moon. A cold, dark and rocky world, it seemed ideal to the Republic. A perfection position from which to spy on the Separatists.

But little did they realize just how much trouble they were about to be in.

* * *

Clone Commander CT-6112, or 'Rik' as many called him, stood tall at his post on the main level of Anoat Base. His job as site commander, was to monitor all communications and to report any suspicious activity to the Republic. While some might think that a listening post would be the worst position to take, Rik deemed any means to serve the Republic an honor.

A sentiment that was not necessarily shared by those under his command.

He'd earned the nickname 'Hardhead' from this latest batch of Clones: CT-7899 'Guzzle', CT-3307 'Tac', CT-7831 'Vault', CT-1632 'Singer', CT-4388 'Lash' and CT-2211 'Zeke'. A collection of Privates ordered out here for duty and only half of them were enjoying themselves. With each member sitting at a respective console, everything seemed to be running like normal. Machines were humming, reports being fed into the system...

And Guzzle was making snide remarks that could almost be classified as complaints.

"Well, another hour and a whole lot of nothing has happened." He yawned, stretching his arms. "Force, this has got to be the worst assignment ever."

"Ah, it can't be that bad, Guz." Singer replied, making notes on a holopad. "At least we get to do other things while we're monitoring all this white noise. There are worse jobs to have."

"Can you name one?" Guzzle retorted. Singer said nothing, partially ignoring him. "See? You can't!"

"Simmer down, CT-Seven-Eight-Nine-Nine." Rik commanded him. "This position is not about the immediate but about the future. A future where everything goes horribly wrong because _we_ missed something."

"With all due respect, Commander," Lash piped up, "but Guzzle does have a point. This shift can be pretty boring at times."

"Ever thought about bringing something to read, Private?" Rik responded.

"No sir. I'm on duty, no distractions." The Clone explained.

"Next shift, you have my expressed permission to bring something. That goes for all of you." Rik stated, loud enough for them all to hear.

"Until then," Guzzle muttered, stretching again. "Hey, Zeke, wanna arm-wrestle?" He asked his brother.

"Why? So you can lose again?" The Clone retorted, earning a chuckle from his fellow troopers.

* * *

 _Outside..._

With no guards or security measures in place around the single landing pad, Wraith was able to make his approach and landing with relative ease. Either the Republic had some lax practices when it came to securing valuable military intelligence assets or these Clones were not in top condition.

Both options spelled good fortune for Wraith.

Triggering his own cloaking device as he exited his shuttle, Wraith quickly dashed up to the facility's entrance.

" _No alarms. So far so good._ " He mused, crouching against a wall. He took a look at the security access panel which would allow him inside. It was a classic two-way visual communicator. Anyone who wanted access needed to speak with the Clone guards directly via face-to-face communication. Only then, after stating their intent and business on the moon, would they be allowed inside.

Wraith certainly didn't look like a Clone, which meant there was now an obstacle in his way.

" _Gonna have to hack it. There's no other way._ " He mused. Cracking open the computing equipment mounted on his gauntlet, Wraith decided to tap directly into the hardware of the security locks. " _The only way to make this look legit is if I hide my break-in._ " A plan was already forming in his mind. By tapping into the very computation codes that ran this security system, Wraith could manipulate the signals that designated a breach and those that designated an 'all-clear' sign. All he had to do was properly time the reversed signals so that his breach registered as an all-clear.

But first, he had to hack the network.

Sitting by the door, his wires plugged in and a multitude of data flooding his HUD, Wraith used the controls on his gauntlet to bypass their meagre failsafes and safeguards and plug deep into their network. The door would be fairly easy to open. It was a matter of programming a false signal that would be difficult.

Fortunately, he had been studying computer science and programming in-between studying combat and tactics. He had been planned to do everything, after all, and a good solider knew his way around any kind of computing systems.

That's what put him above Clones. While they needed a specialized 'Slicer' to do the job, he had everything he needed to do it himself.

Lines of code passed before his eyes as the network schematics were uploaded into his personal systems. With every piece of programming now at his fingertips, Wraith could successfully hijack their systems without them noticing. He quickly traced through the various codes until he found their alarm systems and picked apart the codes until he found the signalling mechanisms. " _Bingo._ " He whispered. " _Now for a little rewiring in the broadcast department..._ " Wraith began editing the signal feed, altering the output frequencies and switching the triggers. His hope was to be able to manually control the frequency triggers so that they worked according to his timetable. It would take some precise coordination, something he had.

Now it was just a matter of flawless execution.

Readying himself to start moving, Wraith first triggered the all-clear signal before he activated the door and popped out his wires. Quickly sprinting through the open door, Wraith allowed it to close behind him. Successfully inside, Wraith deactivated his cloaking systems and rolled his shoulders, confident he was now inside and that the Clones were unaware of his arrival.

But he was wrong.

A series of monitor cameras had been placed throughout the hall, giving the Clones in the central hub a complete view of Wraith's activities.

It was Lash who spotted him first.

"Commander! You gotta take a look at this!" He cried as the motion detectors came online and the monitors relayed an image of The Wraith standing in the hall.

"Oh Sithspit." Rik cursed as he laid eyes on the feed. "What's he doing here?"

"Sir, what do we do? We can't fight him, we all know what he's capable of! We don't even have any kind of firepower to hold him off with!" Tac exclaimed. Rik thought hard as the men under his command gathered around him. The situation looked bleak and Tac was right, there weren't very many options available for them to run with.

"We may not have the firepower to stop him... but the Republic does." He realized, speaking as he gathered his thoughts. "This facility is capable of transmitting a distress signal. All we have to do is hold him off long enough for it to reach the Republic."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Zeke wondered.

"Improvise, men. We'll improvise." Rik replied. "What have we got to work with?" He asked. While some of the Clones started scratching their heads, unable to recall anything apart from their blasters, Singer was already working on something.

"Sir, according to manifests this place as a few crates of Marksman-H training remotes for scouting purposes." He announced. "We could re-wire them for combat purposes and have them assault Wraith in waves."

"Good thinking soldier." Rik commended him. He turned his attention back to the other Clones. "Lash, Guzzle, let's go get those crates."

* * *

 _Later..._

Wraith was casually making his way through the lower levels of the post. Believing he had still gone undetected, and unaware of the security systems watching his every move, he chose to walk instead of run through the facility... a testament to the Republic's failure, that he could simply walk in and level the place.

While one would assume his electrical scanners would've alerted him to the presence of these security systems, they were too busy registering every other electrical signal in the building, which was a lot considering this listening post was filtering communications from an entire region.

The click of his boots against the metal floor echoed throughout the empty hall as he continued to walk. He half-wondered if there was even anyone here for him to kill.

It would be unfortunate if there wasn't any.

Mere moments after this thought crossed his mind, a series of circular objects rounded the corner before him, coming from the hallway before him. The super-soldier paused to determine what these were. His instincts told him they might be some kind of probe droids. But as the four of them neared his position, he realized these were far simpler machines.

" _Marksman-H training remotes. Typically used by the Jedi Order... but I've heard of the Republic using them too._ " He commented aloud. Just as he was about to wonder why there were four of them here, two of the drones attacked with bursts of laser energy. The rounds struck him in the chest, knocking him back. Then the other two started firing and soon a cacophony of high-intensity stun bolts started blasting Wraith in waves of unrelenting fire. Struck from all angles, Wraith had no choice but to shield himself and try to push through the barrage.

Up on the command deck, Rik and the other Clones were observing the effectiveness of their drones through the observation systems. They collectively chuckled and patted each other on the back as they watched the drones relentlessly pound Wraith with stinging barrages of blaster fire. Singer was busy controlling the drones with a remote link he had established when Rik clapped him on the shoulder.

"Nice work, solider. Now set those drones on automatic, maximum level intensity. They should buy us some time." He ordered.

"Roger that, sir."

Wraith could feel each one of the bolts as they slammed into his armor, as unbelievable as that sounded. Each one carried a slight electrical shock that his armor did not protect against. With each zap, his armor was charred and his body was electrified. Thinking quickly, he reached down and triggered his shield generator. The protective bubble quickly enveloped him, absorbing the barrages.

Why hadn't he thought of this sooner?

Wraith straightened up and eyed his blackened armor. Someone was going to pay for this...

But first, he needed to stop these things.

Reaching for his belt, Wraith drew his new slugthrower.

" _Let's see what this can really do..._ " he muttered. Having not had the time to properly test it yet, Wraith knew that the metal slug would be enough to completely chatter the metal spheres attacking him. Snapping up his arm and taking aim through the iron sights, Wraith squeezed the trigger as soon as he had a drone lined up.

Scipio was right. The kickback _was_ enormous.

His normally steady arm was snapped back to a ninety degree angle and a loud _CRACK_ drowned out the sounds of blaster fire as he fired a single shell. The slug ripped through the air and through the drone, tearing through it and leaving a shower of sparks and broken electronics fizzling in its wake. The drone dropped to the ground offline and in a permanent state of disrepair. " _Damn..._ " Wraith mused with a grin at the power in his hands. He would definitely have to work on mastering and understanding the recoil of this fifty caliber gun. Turning on heel, he blasted two more drones before turning about and downing the last one, all of the drones hitting the ground as empty shells, fizzling and sparking. Shoving his slugthrower into its holster and powering down his shield, Wraith was feeling better about this. But the presence of those remotes heavily suggested somebody was here. " _Now that the distractions have been dealt with..._ " he rumbled, ready to move on.

The Clones were shocked that Wraith had been able to tear through their drones so easily. Any average individual would've been forced to stop or retreat.

"Well that didn't work." Guzzle grumbled.

"We still got a few more remotes. Permission to rig them up, sir?" Singer asked Rik.

"Permission granted. We need to send every one we have after him, we need more time to get a single off to the Republic." Their commander replied.

"Sir, if I may," Zeke piped up, "maybe we could have some of them explode. You know, bring a little extra fire to our defences."

"Good thinking Zeke." Rik commended him. "Singer, how long to turn one of those remotes into an explosive?"

"Just give me a few minutes, sir!" The Clone replied.

* * *

Wraith was on the move, making his way through the facility at a quicker pace. The presence of those drones indicated security and he needed to deal with them before something happened. His scans indicated a turbolift was nearby, one that should take him to the nerve center of this place.

Then he could begin destroying everything.

Suddenly a single training remote flew in from around another corner. Wraith slid to a halt as soon as he saw it.

" _Not this time!_ " He growled, drawing his slugthrower. But instead of opening fire, the drone simply stopped in mid-air and hovered in place. Seeing this, a wary Wraith trained his sights on the remote but didn't fire just yet. The drone slowly started to float closer to him. " _Odd._ " Wraith mused, keeping his watchful eye on the approaching drone and anticipating a sudden move. " _Why isn't this one opening fire-_ " the remote suddenly exploded with enough force to throw Wraith back against the wall and leave a massive scorch mark behind. His blackened armor blended in with the blackened walls around him, his body resting in a sizeable dent he had made on impact. " _Oh. That's why._ " He grumbled. Easing his body out of the wall, stood up and wiped some of the soot from his optics. " _Somebody's gonna die tonight!_ " He vowed. Turning back to the hall, another group of remotes appeared. These ones opened fire as soon as they were close enough. Wraith quickly recalled the obstacle courses of his younger years and started sprinting, leaping, ducking and rolling around the barrages of training bolts, firing when he could and scoring a successful hit each time. Another one of them drew close enough to explode, throwing Wraith forward. But the super-soldier turned it into a combat roll and was back on his feet once again. Jumping and spinning, Wraith fired off four rounds in rapid succession, displaying impressive adaptability to his powerful new weapon. Four of the remotes were quickly gunned down as Wraith landed back on his feet and sprinted around the corner.

And there, at the end of the hall, was the turbolift.

Breaking into a sprint, Wraith was desperate to reach his destination before he had to suffer another barrage from those unpredictable remotes. Sure, he could use his shield generator, but why waste the energy now that he understood what he was up against?

Reaching the closed door and slamming the 'open' key, Wraith turned a squeezed off a few more shots at the oncoming remotes as they fired back. Rounds slammed into his armor, peppering his body with rather precise accuracy. The door slid open behind him and Wraith quickly backed inside, firing a few more shots as the door closed, cutting off the remotes. Breathing a sigh of relief, Wraith ejected his spent ammo clip and loaded a fresh one into the slugthrower. " _That was annoying._ " He grumbled. In the quiet of the turbolift, his commlink suddenly chirped.

"Come in Wraith." It was Scipio. "What's your status, my boy?"

" _Whoever's in here decided to wire up some Marksman-H training remotes for their security system. No problem, but a real pain in the keister._ "

"Those are practice blasters, then. They don't cause any damage but they do leave a nasty shock behind." Scipio noted.

" _Tell me about it._ " Wraith rumbled in reply. " _When I get back, my suit needs a layer of anti-shock protection. I can take it, but it still hurts like hell._ "

"Duly noted. How's the destruction process coming along?"

" _Nearly at the command deck now. Once I take out the station crew then all hell can break loose._ " Wraith explained.

"Keep up the good work, Wraith. Let me know when you're finished. High command is counting on you." Scipio responded before shutting down the connection. Wraith cracked his knuckles as he got ready to storm the deck, knowing he only had a few seconds once he was inside to wipe out the entire staff in one swift assault. Adjusting his sensors to his thermal scanners, Wraith soon pinpointed the locations of the seven Clones on the command deck. He knew that according to Republic protocol, listening posts were not issued a large staff, so these had to be the only Clones here. The lift stopped and the doors slid open, prompting Wraith to switch off his scanners.

Right before him was the entrance to the command deck.

Triggering his arm blade, Wraith stalked over to the door and proceeded to use his brute strength to pry the door open...

* * *

"Incoming!"

"Form a defensive line!"

"Look out! Look out!" The Clones were shouting and scurrying about as they tried to muster one last attempt to hold Wraith off as the door was slowly wrenched open. But Wraith was too quick and burst through the entry, blades ready. Lash was the first to be taken down, his body thrown to the floor before Wraith's blade pierced clean through his head. Not wasting a second, Wraith sprinted headlong towards Tac, who opened fire with his blaster. Wraith launched a hook kick to knock the blaster away and spun back to drive his blade through the Clone's helmeted head. Withdrawing his bloody blade and retracting it, Wraith drew his slugthrower and took aim, firing two shots that completely obliterated Guzzle's head in a shower of blood and flesh chunks. Rik dashed in, not caring for his own safety, and tried to wrench the pistol out of his hand. But the super-soldier's superior grip and sheer brute force was too much for Rik and Wraith promptly blew a hole in his gut, chest and head, Clone blood splattering across the floor. Turning his sights on Zeke, Wraith fired two more shots that tore off the Clone's arm before firing one last round that blew off a portion of the Clone's head. Pressing his advantage, Wraith stowed his weapon and leapt forward. His still-extended left arm blade sliced through Singer's neck with a deadly swing and his right fist bashed Vault across the helmet before his drove his blade into the Clone's back and tore upwards, splitting his upper body in half. The corpse hit the ground and Wraith retracted his blade, preferring to be covered with Clone blood instead of scorch marks.

" _That felt good._ " He growled, rolling his shoulders. " _Looks pretty good too._ " He added, surveying the bloody floors and various corpses scattered about. He triggered his comms again. " _Scipio, mission success. I'm done here. Time to blow this joint. Literally._ " He reported, launching some explosive disks into his hands. " _Whatever we're moving through this system had better be worth all this trouble._ "

"Trust me, my boy, it very much is." Scipio replied. Wraith was satisfied with that answer and set to work on destroying this place.

 _Later..._

Walking away from the listening post, Wraith pressed the trigger on his gauntlet and sent the remote signal to his explosives. Each one of them detonated simultaneously, engulfing the entire facility in a massive fireball. Climbing into his shuttle and taking off, the facility collapsed and was consumed by flames, terminating whatever access the Republic had to Separatist communication lines.

However, Wraith's actions had some unintended consequences...

The Republic had originally installed the listening post in the Anoat System in an effort to follow up on some rumors concerning the presence of couriers using the asteroid field. Wth the destruction of this place, those rumors were now confirmed.

The Separatists were up to something...


	52. Ship of Horrors

**Author's Note: It's October 31 and that means I owe you all a chapter! Special shoutout to SAK-96 who encouraged me to not save this idea for Rebels and to use it in a Clone Wars setting instead. I hope this chapter gives you a few Halloween chills (or else I need to try harder!). Also shoutout to SAK-96 for the idea for Wraith's 'treat' in this episode... you'll see what I mean.**

 **Oh, and housekeeping some updates: due to my lack of attention to detail, I've edited the story to change Wraith's armor to being made of phrik. Cortosis will actually short out a lightsaber, which his armor's never done. Plus, phrik was actually mined by the Separatists on a regular basis. This is canon folks, and I'm a sucker for keeping things canonically accurate!**

* * *

-Chapter 29: Ship of Horrors-

Location: Drackmar System

"Nothing natural needs to be feared. The unnatural is a different story. That you should be afraid of."

Standing before the holotable in his base, The Wraith was in a meeting with Count Dooku and Doctor Scipio concerning his next assignment.

"Morseerian scientists have been working on a special bioweapon for use against the Republic's Clone troopers. So far it's been a rather tight-lipped secret, known only by its title of 'Project Dreadwind'. Rumors say it was based on a viral agent found on Odacer-Faustin, but none of us know for certain." Scipio was explaining.

"With the location of Merj such a closely-guarded secret among the Morseerians, we were not concerned about it until this morning when it was reported that the Separatist laboratory on Merj was raided." Dooku added.

" _I'm assuming the Republic has raided this laboratory._ " Wraith mused as he crossed his arms.

"That is correct. An Arquitens-class light cruiser, carrying a team of Clone commandos, raided the facility and made off with a hefty sample of the Dreadwind virus. It must be recovered immediately to prevent the Republic from understanding its full potential and creating countermeasures." Dooku informed him.

" _If the Republic already knows about this stuff, maybe it should be moved offworld. We take it back to Merj, they'll just try again._ " Wraith noted, spotting a potential pattern.

"A wise insight, Wraith. I shall make arrangements for transport to another facility." Dooku replied, nodding in agreement. He was pleased that Wraith was able to determine and catch the pattern before even he realized it.

" _Any idea where this stuff is?_ " Wraith asked.

"We've received reports from some agents that the cruiser, called the Bravado, has been sighted in the Drackmar System. You may want to hurry Wraith, we've also received reports of a Republic force attacking the planet Drackmar." Dooku explained. Wraith nodded, understanding and sharing Dooku's feeling that these two incidents were somehow connected.

" _I'm on my way._ " He stated. Dooku tipped his head and ended the communication as Wraith readied to leave.

"Before you go Wraith," Scipio stopped him, producing a syringe as he did, "your arm please." Wraith understood and removed his gauntlet before rolling up the sleeve of his duster.

" _What's this?_ " He wondered as the doctor stuck the needle in his arm.

"You might call it a 'super-antivirus'. It'll protect against whatever is within Project Dreadwind." Scipio replied as he finished injecting the contents and withdrew the needle.

" _You mean you don't know for certain?_ " Wraith wondered in a questioning tone as he unrolled his jacket and strapped his gauntlet back into place.

"I was assigned to Project Sunstorm, Wraith. I'm primarily a geneticist, not a virologist." Scipio answered with a measure of sarcasm. Throwing the needle away, the Pau'an picked up a pneumatic dispenser. "Here's a second dose, just in case." He stated, passing off the device.

" _You're not exactly instilling a lot of confidence in me, Doc._ " Wraith commented, tucking the device into a pocket within his duster.

"What did you expect? That I would have all the answers?" The doctor shot back.

" _You have so far..._ " Wraith muttered, rolling his shoulders.

"Well consider today a rarity." Scipio mused in reply as he gave Wraith a quick once-over. He gave a quick nod as he deemed Wraith mission-ready. "Now get going, before the Republic makes off with Project Dreadwind!"

* * *

 _Later, in the Drackmar System..._

Arriving in the Drackmar system out of hyperspace, Wraith kicked his shuttle's thrusters to their maximum power as his scanners quickly discovered the exact location of Arquitens-class cruiser. Quickly triggering his stealth field, Wraith disappeared from view as the cruiser drew closer. The shape was unmistakable as it grew larger the closer he got, a real Republic ship if ever he'd seen one. Prior to his departure, Scipio had uploaded a code to his shuttle that, when transmitted, would bypass all security measures protecting the cruiser's docking ring and allow him total access for a few seconds. Wraith thought it risky to park his shuttle on the side of an enemy warship, but there were very few options and this was the best one.

Queuing his scanners, Wraith quickly swept across all available Republic channels. No chatter was coming to or going out from the ship. This was good. As long as they were quiet, they would not be sending a message any time soon. A pity he didn't have any jamming technologies, but his shuttle could only carry so much tech.

His scanners also announced the ship was moving at a very low speed, not nearly as fast as it could go or should go, considering it was running away from Separatist space. His thermal scans then indicated the cruisers engines were running at low power.

How odd. With such a valuable cargo one would think they would make all possible haste back to Republic space, even if there was a military force close by.

Flying to the starboard side of the ship, Wraith broadcasted the shutdown signal as he neared the docking ring. With careful precision, he aligned his craft with the entrance and locked them into place.

Stepping inside, Wraith discovered that the lights were off in the entry, leaving the room a dark, cold, empty space that seemed uncharacteristic of a Republic vessel.

Interior lights off, engines running low... something seemed off about this ship.

 _Is it just me, or is this too quiet for a Republic vessel?_ The voice suddenly within his head suddenly asked. Wraith grunted in reply and started moving deeper into the ship. The echo of his boots clicking against the metal floor resounded in the empty hall, adding to the cold and unnerving feeling that something was wrong with this place.

Drawing his pistols and venturing down the next corridor, Wraith found the lights on and assumed an infiltration approach. While there may be no immediate crew to deal with, they could still be around.

" _Now, where would they store a potentially volatile bioweapon?_ " He asked himself. " _Watch it be the cargo hold..._ " Rounding a corner, pistols pointed forward, Wraith found another door that opened to yet another corridor...

A corridor that yielded a rather gruesome surprise.

A massive splatter of blood painted the opposite wall, covering nearly the entire length of the panel from floor to ceiling. Wraith paused and holstered a pistol, pressing two fingers against the wall only to pull away seconds later and find the blood was still in its liquid state.

It was fresh.

 _I've got a bad feeling about this._ Voice mused. Wraith couldn't help but agree. Now very wary, the soldier slowly continued on, adjusting his scanners to thermal. So far he registered nothing, no sign of life anywhere. If the blood on the wall was any indicator, it seemed some violent fate had befallen the crew.

Question was, what was it and was he in any danger of it?

His scans detected a mass of heat radiation further ahead, past another door. Curious, the super-soldier moved on, allowing his scanners to guide him. He could see the door now, the heat signature being just past it. It opened for him automatically, just like all the other doors on this ship. The heat mass was right there on the floor...

And was twice as gruesome a sight as the blood on the wall.

A pile of flesh and innards lay splattered along the corner intersecting the floor and the wall, a streak of blood trailing down through the hall and leading around the corner at the intersection ahead. Wraith paused in mid-stride and slowly knelt, his optics scanning over the pile of fleshy organ pieces. The thermal readings were bright and high, suggesting they had been torn out of their victim only recently.

 _First of all, that's gross. Second of all, that's not right. Something bad transpired here._ Voice mused.

" _And I get the feeling I'm about to be in the thick of it._ " Wraith grimly replied. There was definitely something afoot on this ship and he was determined to stay on high alert until he could fully comprehend this threat.

A ravenous munching sound could be heard coming from around the corner, like something was enjoying a feast. Choosing to investigate, Wraith stood up and holstered one of his pistols, favouring mobility and response time over extra firepower. With a firm two-handed grip on his weapon, the super-soldier crept down the hall, following the trail of smeared blood as his scanners detected yet another heat mass. This one was even bigger than the one behind him. As he prepared to round the corner, and the sound of eating grew louder, Wraith steadied himself and took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever lay ahead.

He took one wide step around the corner, back straight and his pistol pointed straight ahead. The sight that greeted him was so unnatural it nearly unnerved him.

A Clone trooper was tearing into the corpse of an officer, its hands rummaging around in the chest cavity. Blood splashed on the ground and the body jerked as innards were torn free and flesh was consumed, quickly shoveled into the Clone's mouth.

 _Ew... that's nasty._ Voice audibly grimaced. _Nor is that normal behavior. Think we found the problem._ Quickly diagnosing its behavior as cannibalistic, Wraith was starting to piece together what fate had befallen this ship.

Taking another step into the hall, Wraith's metal boot clicked against the ground, creating a loud enough echo that resounded in the semi-empty hall. The feasting Clone suddenly froze, its hands still buried in the body before it. It seemed to have heard him, indicating it was not an entirely ravenous creature, only determined to eat. Wraith tensed up as the Clone turned towards him, allowing him a good look at it. Part of its helmet had been shorn off, revealing discoloured green skin that had been torn in places, exposing raw bone and muscle along its jaw. Its mouth and teeth could also be seen, all of it blood-red with crimson excess dripping down its chin. It was then that Wraith realized the majority of the Clone's legs had been ripped away, revealing dangling flaps of discoloured green flesh surrounding shafts of raw bone. While his upper legs and feet were still encased in white armor, nothing but leg bone connected them. " _What the hell...?_ " Wraith quietly murmured as he slowly sheathed his pistol and reached behind him for his carbine.

This situation required something a little more powerful than his sidearms.

Drawing his weapon and arming it, the loud clicking seemed to be enough to attract the creature's complete attention. The thing let out an ear piercing shriek as it started to run towards Wraith, half-stumbling on its barely-there legs as it displayed surprising amounts of speed considering its condition. Taking aim, Wraith fired repeatedly only to find his shots weren't slowing it down. They hit, but appeared to do no damage. The Clone continued to run until it was close enough to pounce on The Wraith...

* * *

 _Drackmar Airspace..._

Standing on the bridge of the Resolute, Anakin was pleased with their progress so far.

Republic forces had arrived suddenly and without warning, engaging Separatist naval forces immediately. With the blockade effectively dismantled, Obi-Wan Kenobi took charge of both the 501st and the 212th in leading them down to the surface against the ground forces. Anakin would've preferred to have been on the ground too. However, instead of leading his men down on the surface, he was forced to stay behind and wait for the Bravado to arrive, if only to maneuver his forces into a protective formation so the cruiser could make a clean getaway. The three Jedi involved in this mission were well aware of the Bravado's sudden collection of a Separatist bioweapon and that this assault on Drackmar was merely to provide the ship and its crew an escape corridor.

But the Bravado had yet to arrive.

Growing impatient, Anakin was really struggling to stay put on the bridge. With Obi-Wan on the ground and Ahsoka cleaning up the remaining naval units, Anakin was feeling left out.

"I'm getting real antsy just looking at nothing, Admiral." He griped to Yularen.

"Might I recommend checking in with the Bravado, sir?" The Admiral recommended.

"Can't. They're supposed to maintain radio silence until they come in contact with us. So far they've only been able to chat with Coruscant." Anakin explained. "I hate waiting games."

"Don't we all, General?" Yularen replied. Suddenly, an incoming communication captured both their attentions.

"About time." Anakin muttered as he switched on the holodisplay and an image of Mace Windu shimmered into clarity. "Master Windu, how can I help?" Anakin greeted him. The reply was instant... and odd.

"Anakin, we need you to check on the Bravado." Mace informed him. Anakin raised an eyebrow.

"But I thought they were supposed to maintain radio silence." He replied.

"They've been silent for too long. They were supposed to check in some time ago, but they never have." The Jedi Councillor explained.

"Sounds like the Separatists found them." Anakin grimly mused, crossing his arms.

"Maybe so. But we won't know until we check them out." Mace added. "We've sent you their final broadcast transmission along their coordinates. Extrapolate their current location and then send someone to scout them out." He commanded.

"Will do." Anakin nodded before ending the communication. "Admiral, have someone decipher this stuff ASAP." He ordered Yularen.

"Right away, sir."

"I'm gonna have Ahsoka fly out and do a quick recon." Anakin determined, switching his comms back on. "Snips, you read me?"

"Loud and clear, Master." Came the reply.

"Up for a little trip? I need you to check on a set of coordinates for us." Anakin told her.

"Any idea what I'm looking for?" Ahsoka wondered.

"An Arquitens-class light cruiser called the Bravado. Might be derelict, might be under attack, we're not sure. We need you to find out their condition." Anakin explained. One of the navigational crew gave him a thumbs-up, indicating they had an idea where the ship might be. "Head on back to the Resolute and grab a shuttle. We'll get you set up with the coordinates."

"Copy that, Master."

* * *

 _Some time later..._

Fortunately for Ahsoka, the Bravado was fairly easy to track down.

The suggested coordinates turned out to be relatively accurate to where the Bravado actually was and Ahsoka soon had the cruiser in her sights.

However, after several attempts to hail them, she received no response.

This was the first worrisome sign. The second was that the ship was not running at full power. After conversing with Anakin, Ahsoka planned to dock with the ship and investigate from the inside. Having switched out her interceptor for a Eta-class shuttle, she could dock with the ship and climb aboard if need be.

And right now, she needed to.

In actuality, she was glad to be getting away from any heated action for a bit. Prior to Drackmar, Ahsoka and Anakin had just wrapped up another campaign and had just returned to Coruscant when the call came in that they needed to be part of a distraction. Although reluctant to go, especially after having just finished with another war zone, Anakin agreed to join in. Ahsoka, however, went along reluctantly. She hadn't had a chance to do any self-maintenance and, after a particular incident beforehand, this left her slightly disadvantaged in the clothes department. However, she refused to let Anakin know and decided to just act normal, hopefully throwing off any suspicions.

She'd been confined to a starfighter and the interior of a ship for the past while, which was fine by her. Hopefully this little recon would be just as straightforward.

Docking with the larger ship, Ahsoka climbed aboard and stepped into an empty corridor. She glanced back and forth, hearing and seeing no one.

"Hello?" She called, looking about for some sign of life. She started to wander, starting down a random hall as she continued to search for the crew. Time passed as she explored wherever she could, venturing down random directions as she tried to find someone who could tell her what was going on. "This is so weird." She muttered. "You'd think I'd at least hear someone..." As a social-centric species, Ahsoka was starting to get restless being all alone. Togruta's needed interaction of some kind and couldn't stand to be alone for prolonged periods of time. This solitude was starting to wear on her, building up antsy feelings within her. She needed to find someone... then again, maybe the lack of crew should worry her.

This was starting to remind her of one of the ghost ships Anakin told stories about. The ships that were found adrift without a crew, rendered a mystery forever.

But then, as she turned a corner and travelled down another corridor, she heard something.

It was a series of sounds, each one different from the last. There were little scrit-scratches of something being raked across the durasteel wall, briefly reminding Ahsoka of the scattering noises small clawed creatures made when they started running. There was also the odd groan or grumble, sounding primal and beastial, and the scuffle of multiple feet shuffling down the hallway before her, coming from around the corner. It sounded like it belonged to a group of... something. She crept a little closer, hoping to discern who or what was on this ship. Shadows were cast on the opposite wall, thanks to a single, flickering light in the same hall, growing in size as the shuffling crowd grew closer.

But before Ahsoka could get any closer, or be seen by the horde, a pair of strong arms reached out, grabbed her and pulled her into the storage closet they'd come from.

Suddenly finding herself in a semi-dark room, a hand around her mouth and her back pressed against someone else, Ahsoka was more than a little freaked out.

"MPH! Mm mmm!" Her cries were muffled by the large hand over her mouth.

" _Do not scream. They are hypersensitive._ " A voice whispered from behind her. Ahsoka immediately recognized Wraith's mechanical tone. She heeded his advice and stayed quiet as the sound of shuffling footsteps moved past the door, along with some scattered grunts and growls. Craning her neck so she could see through one of the slits in the door, her eyes widened as she realized who was walking by outside.

It was a group of Clone troopers. Only they didn't look right. In fact, they looked downright... horrifiying.

They shuffled by on half-existent limbs, staggering and crawling past the locker looking more dead than alive. Their armor torn and bodies swollen, begetting the appearance of bloated corpses. Bone and innards protruded from various tears and holes in their sullen gray skin. Ahsoka released a muffled gasp of horror as she tried to piece together what happened to those poor Clones. She'd never seen anything like this before and if Wraith was hiding from them, this must be a really bad situation...

Wait. Why was Wraith here to begin with? Did he have something to do with this?

Her mind began to slowly form a suggestion she quickly accepted, now believing that this was a Separatist experiment gone wrong. She turned her head a little and show Wraith a questioning, withering glare. Sensing her shift, Wraith glanced down at her glare and put two and two together. " _No, I didn't cause this._ " He quietly told her. His answer not enough to convince her, Ahsoka chose to say nothing more until they were in the clear. Their gazes returned to the shuffling horde, watching the undead Clones move on in utter silence. When the last of the cluster was out of sight and no further sound could be heard, Wraith released his hand from around Ahsoka's mouth. Breathing deeply, Ahsoka whirled about as best she could in the closed space to confront the Separatist.

"Wraith! What're you doing here?!" She wondered in a hushed voice.

" _I came to collect Project Dreadwind._ " He explained. Ahsoka gave him a quizzical look.

"Huh?" Her response indicated to Wraith she had no idea what Project Dreadwind was and that she was unaware of the Bravado's mission.

" _Hm... so you don't know either. Guess this ship's mission really was a tight-lipped secret._ " He mused, stroking his metal-encased chin. " _And what are you doing here?_ " He asked.

"I was asked to check on the Bravado. We lost contact with them." Ahsoka explained. "And just what the heck happened to those poor Clones?"

" _That, I believe, is Project Dreadwind at work._ " Wraith answered, a grim tone in his voice. " _It was an experimental bioweapon we were working on as a means of dealing with Clones en masse. Unfortunately, the Bravado absconded with a sample and I think the fools handled it incorrectly._ " He surmised, having had some time before her arrival to develop a theory. Unfortunately, due to the hide-and-seek nature of this mission, he hadn't had an opportunity to confer with high command yet.

"The Seppies are developing bioweapons now?!" Ahsoka exclaimed, momentarily forgetting their need for quiet.

" _Keep your voice down!_ " Wraith growled, glancing out the slits in the locker door. " _And yes, it's nothing new. Ever heard of THX eleven-thirty-eight?_ "

"No..." Ahsoka hesitantly replied, "wait, wasn't that the stuff from Honoghr?"

" _Indeed._ " Wraith affirmed. " _But this is far more deadly that that._ " Ahsoka couldn't help but agree. Honoghr had suffered from a kind of acidic rain that had completely destroyed its ecology. This stuff had turned Clones into... well, the stuff of nightmares.

But how did they get this way?

"What exactly did this... 'Dreadwind' do to those Clones?" Ahsoka asked, still wanting to learn more and still thinking Wraith might be responsible for some of this.

" _It appears to have killed them and then turned them into reanimated corpses with cannibalistic urges._ " Wraith replied, stating what he had seen but was also in need of concrete answers.

"Are you sure they're dead?" Ahsoka skeptically inquired, knowing for a fact that the dead didn't walk.

" _That's just it. My optical sensors don't register them like they would anyone else. In every physical and scientific sense of the word, they're dead._ " Wraith explained. Proof didn't lie. " _But they walk and function as though they are alive._ " He added, stating the obvious.

"So they're... what, the walking dead?" Ahsoka theorized.

" _That is one way of describing them. I've noted them working together, they don't attack or feast on each other. Only on the healthy living. They comprise a literal army of the dead... or, more accurately, the undead._ " Their descriptions sounded absurd, but were completely accurate. The ship's entire crew of seven-hundred and fifty people, plus any additional passengers, had now been turned into these walking corpses.

"We can't just stand around here." Ahsoka determined. "We have to do something."

" _I haven't been able to do much. I found one and killed it when it lunged for me. Then a much bigger horde showed up and I've been hiding until now._ "

"So if we move, make any noise, encounter them at all, we're in trouble."

" _Big trouble._ " Wraith agreed. " _What do you recommend we do?_ " Ahsoka threw him a bewildered look.

"You're asking me? Aren't you supposed to be a tactical genius?" She replied.

" _Yes, but I wanted to make you feel important._ " Wraith informed her. Partially taken aback by his aparent thoughtfulness, even now, Ahsoka paused as she tried her best to come up with something. But her lack of insight into the situation demanded she turn the reigns of this conundrum over to Wraith.

"Well... What do you recommend we do?" She wondered.

" _As much as I would like to recommend escape, I get the feeling we're parked on opposite sides of the ship. To help one would certainly doom the other._ " Wraith mused, crossing his arms. Ahsoka nodded glumly. " _Then that leaves us with one other option: we try to learn more about this virus... and then see if we can escape... somehow._ "

"Way to instill me with a lot of confidence." Ahsoka sarcastically replied, crossing her arms too and giving him an aside glance.

" _A plan doesn't have to be great to work._ " Wraith muttered in response, triggering his multiscanner once more. " _Before we go..._ " He mused, reaching into his jacket and withdrawing the spare injector Scipio had given him before leaving. Moving quickly before Ahsoka had time to act, Wraith pressed the injector into her arm and emptied its contents into her.

"Ow!" The Padawan cried out, recoiling as Wraith pulled back. "What was that?" She wondered, rubbing the spot where the needle had pricked her. It was then that she saw the empty injector dropped on the ground and put two and two together. "What did you inject me with?!" She demanded.

" _An antivirus. It should keep you from suffering any adverse effects. The same substance is coursing through my veins._ " Wraith replied. Ahsoka rubbed her sore arm.

"You could've warned me first." She pouted.

" _Aw, I'm sorry. Did that hurt?_ " He asked, voice taking a notably sarcastic tone. Ahsoka frowned.

"Are you done?"

" _Yes and no. We need to figure out where we're going and how we'll get there._ " He responded, pinging his sensors for any sign of electrical radiation or heat output. " _You know these ships a tad better than I do. Where should we look for a canister containing a deadly virus?_ " It didn't take Ahsoka long to come up with an answer. To be honest, it seemed like a bit of a no-brainer.

"Probably in the cargo bay. It should be up near the bow of the ship." She explained.

" _Terrific. All we have to do is bypass scores of zombies to get there._ " Wraith grumbled.

"Is there a better way?"

" _Well, either we try to fight our way through halls filled with the undead, which is a bad idea in every sense..._ " Wraith trailed off, his scanners picking up air currents in the roofing above them, " _or we see if we can't do this quietly and move through the ceiling air ducts._ " Again, another no-brainer of a solution.

"I vote air ducts. I've seen enough of these... undead troopers for one day. They make my skin crawl." Ahsoka decided, shuddering a little at the thought of seeing those walking corpses again.

" _A wise decision._ "

* * *

Carefully stepping out into the hall, Wraith first ensured the area was clear before he motioned for Ahsoka to follow him. The two crept down the hall as quietly as they could, Wraith regretting the fact his boots were made entirely of metal and made the loudest sounds. The air was thick with the stench of death and decay, no doubt wafting through the halls as the dead roamed the ship. Wraith could smell it now, having deactivated his olfactory scrubbers for the time being. Generally they filtered out anything that wasn't oxygen, but a few times Wraith had purposefully disabled them so he could breath deeply and take in the smells of a battlefield. The stench of smoke and fire mixing with split blood and charred bodies often excited him, igniting some hidden directive in his brain that fuelled his bloodlust.

But this scent was different. The death that surrounded him was unnatural and foul, it didn't excite him but, rather, it sickened him. Still, it helped him track where these zombie Clones had been, despite it's horrid nature.

Walking over to the nearest access panel, Wraith plugged in the equipment of his gauntlet and cycled through the available data before he retrieved the maps he was looking for.

"What're you doing?" Ahsoka asked in a hushed voice.

" _Downloading the schematics to this ship. Hopefully it'll help us figure out where we're going._ " Wraith replied in equally quiet tones. The download successful, Wraith uploaded the map to his HUD, granting him a greater understanding of the ship. It was then that he spied the grate above them. " _There's our point of access._ " He pointed, firing a grapple and tearing away the cover, only to catch it before it clattered to the ground. Ahsoka was about to jump up, sensing Wraith's desire to be chivalrous and say 'ladies first'. But remembering her wardrobe predicament, Ahsoka knew she couldn't take the lead.

"You first." She quickly said.

" _If you insist._ " Wraith replied before firing his other grapple and pulling himself up. The opening was small and made for a really tight fit, Wraith's already wide body and additional armor not helping the process in the least. " _Urgh... These were not designed with someone of my build in mind._ " He grumbled, forcing his waist and hips through the narrow passage. The ductworks he'd last used at the Republic prison were much bigger than this. Once he had finally wriggled his way inside the vent and disappeared from view, Ahsoka launched herself up and inside with the Force, making Wraith's arduous task look easy.

"What about the vent cover?" She wondered, looking back at the opening.

" _Let's hope these things are as mindless as they appear._ " Wraith responded, beginning to crawl forward.

Time ticked on as the two slowly worked their way through the ventilation shaft, partially out of a desire to maintain total silence so to not alert any of the zombies and partially because Wraith was having a hard time moving fast in these cramped spaces. The endless stretch of gray air duct paneling growing monotonous with each passing second. Ahsoka dutifully kept up with Wraith's six-foot four-inch body, crawling directly behind him as he worked his body through the tight space. She was starting to wonder if she might wear out the knees in her leggings, adding yet another problem to her laundry predicament.

They were suddenly halted when an unnatural cry resounded through the vents, coming from somewhere below them. Wraith and Ahsoka froze in place, the Separatist pinging his sensors while Ahsoka reached out through the Force to try and sense the presence and location of whatever had cried out. Then, off in the distance from somewhere else aboard the cruiser, another voice echoed the cry, almost as if it were in response.

"What was that?!" Ahsoka wondered, fear starting to get the better of her.

" _The undead._ " Wraith grimly replied. " _It... It sounds like they're... communicating._ " He added, speaking slowly. The echoing cry reminded him of Loth-wolves and how they howled over vast distances as a means of communication. Had these things developed such a means too?

"Please tell me they're not." Ahsoka said worriedly.

" _I don't know for certain._ " Wraith replied, also hoping he was wrong.

 _Mental note: ask the higher-ups about what this stuff is supposed to do._ Voice mused. _Were they actually trying to turn Clones into walking corpses? 'Cause that's kinda messed up._ Wraith couldn't help but agree. He may not have a squeaky-clean mind, but he wouldn't wish this on anyone. When he killed Clones, sure, it hurt. But to be reanimated soon after? That was crossing more than a few lines...

The two kept crawling until they discovered the duct suddenly ended. They were in the mess hall and the passage before them had been completely torn out, the vents ripped away and lying on the floor. Wraith pinned the blame on the walking corpses congregating around the bloody room below. He quickly deduced there had been a number of Clones in here when the disease broke out, given the copious pools of blood on the walls and floor of the room and the half-eaten ration meals on a few of the tables.

The place looked like a warzone... after he'd been through it.

His thoughts returned to the task at hand. They could no longer continue this way, not without drawing the attention of the Clones. Wraith's HUD map still urged him to continue forward, obviously not in sync with its surroundings.

" _Well, this is not an option any longer._ " He muttered to Ahsoka. The Padawan could see the problem and backtracked, remembering something.

Sure enough, only a few feet behind them, the vents turned up, running vertically towards the upper levels.

"Here! We can go up a level and then keep going." She announced. Wraith looked over his shoulder to spot her discovery, nodding in agreement.

" _Lead on, my dear._ " He stated, slowly crawling backwards himself. Ahsoka took the initiative, feeling rather desperate to get away from the zombies, and started climbing up the shaft. Wraith was a little slower to join her, his bulky body still proving to be an issue in these tight quarters. He growled as he forced his shoulders into the narrow opening of the verticals shaft, half wondering if this one was smaller than the others. " _Look at the bright side, these things must not be that intelligent, or else they would've come stampeding towards all the noise I'm making._ " He dryly commented as he squirmed and wriggled the rest of his body into the vent. Ahsoka didn't comment, focused on moving up. Wraith tilted his head back to see if he could judge how far they had to go, only to find out that Ahsoka was directly above him... and that he was looking right up her skirt. As his optics adjusted to their new condition, they suddenly revealed in crystal clear detail the fact that Ahsoka had gone commando today.

For a fraction of a second, Wraith was completely frozen in place.

 _What're you looking a-daaaaaamn!_ Voice suddenly exclaimed as he laid eyes on exactly what Wraith was seeing. _I know we should look away... but that is... wow!_ Wraith said nothing as his mind rapidly memorized the sight before him and quickly created a reason to start moving again. Bracing his feet against the side of the vent, Wraith propped his body in a resting position as he tried to make it look like he had not been sneaking a peek up his crush's skirt.

Ahsoka, in mid-climb, remembered her wardrobe malfunction and was horrified that Wraith was now beneath her. Knowing that her currently position was likely bearing all, she decided to be blunt and asked,

"Wraith? You better not be looking up my skirt!" Her tone of voice was far more commanding, indicating that he had better heed her words. However, Wraith had been anticipating her comment and had an answer ready.

" _I'm not. I'm busy watching the hall below through my scanners._ " He lied, tilting his head down before she could look to complete the appearance. " _Why, should I be?_ "

"What? No!" Ahsoka exclaimed, looking down to see only the back of Wraith's silver helmet. It sure seemed like he was telling the truth and Ahsoka decided to accept his answer. "Thank you for not looking." She quietly said, moving to a position where her legs were pressed together, her skirt hiding her error.

" _I respect you, Ahsoka. You deserve your modesty and privacy._ " Wraith replied from below, being honest this time. Ahsoka have a slight chuckle as she continued climbing.

"Maybe you're more of a gentleman than I thought." She quietly mused, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. He may be a warrior, and a bloodthirsty one at that, there was an element of humanity to him that was unmistakable.

It was the reason why Ahsoka was so determined to help him. She took it to be a sign of the good man locked away behind the appearance of a deadly super-soldier, peering through the cracks she was slowly forming in his facade.

 _One day._ She thought.

Wraith, however, looked back up to the ascending Ahsoka and recalled the tantalizing sight he'd witnessed. Now that was a pretty little something you didn't see everyday. The voice in his head also agreed, whistling as Ahsoka moved on.

 _I'm not gonnna condone that lie, but that was pretty hot._ He mused.

" _And here I thought you were the 'noble' one._ " Wraith quietly jabbed.

 _Hey, this is my body and my hormones to begin with._ Voice shot back.

" _Whatever._ " Wraith rumbled as he continued to crawl, grinning as he did.

This misadventure just got a whole lot better.

* * *

After their detour, Wraith and Ahsoka continued on, Ahsoka no longer worried about taking the lead, knowing Wraith respected her privacy. After a few more minutes, which felt like hours, of crawling through the ducts, they had arrived at their destination: the cargo hold.

" _We're getting close. Just another few feet._ " Wraith announced.

"That'll put us right overtop of the hold." Ahsoka guessed, realizing Wraith wanted to avoid having to opening any doors for fear of alerting the hordes of creatures still aboard this ship. "But... what if we run into more of those undead Clones?" She wondered, not knowing if she had the stomach or the willpower to actually fight those horrid things.

" _You will leave them to me, my dear._ " Wraith replied, knowing he had the plans and the equipment to deal with those things... as long as he could plan his battle before hand. They kept crawling for a few more seconds, Ahsoka's hearing picking up what sounded like grunts and growls from the room below. Her montrals provided her with a kind of echolocation, which enhanced her hearing capabilities far beyond that of any being with simple ears, and made it practically impossible for anything or anyone to get the drop on her.

And yet there had been more than one occasion where Wraith had snuck up on her.

An open grate in the floor ahead of them revealed their way inside. Ahsoka reached it first, and peered through to the room below... her worst fears confirmed.

The cargo hold was full of zombified Clone troopers. While it wasn't necessarily enough to constitute a massive horde, but there was certainly a crowd of them. And there was certainly enough to pose a problem.

"Great. Now how are we going to get past all of those things?" She wondered, gazing at the zombies below them.

" _You are going to wait here. I've got the tools to clear them out._ " Wraith replied, the wheels of a plan already turning in his mind. After a recent upgrade from Scipio, his duster and body now had the storage capacity for any necessary weapon. Reaching down to the waist of his duster, Wraith pulled out a simple chain and fastened it to his gauntlet in two places. He did the same to the other side, the chains winding down through the tails of his coat to a pair of pockets sewn into the fabric.

For hidden in these pockets were his chain blades.

Wraith brandished his weapons, the silver edge of his blades gleaming in the light.

"Where did you get those from?" Ahsoka wondered, turning to stare.

" _I made them myself._ " Wraith replied. " _Now, if you wouldn't mind opening the door for me._ " Ahsoka nodded and crawled to the opposite side of the grate before she turned and used the Force to open it. Wraith gave her a quick nod in thanks before dropping through to the room below.

 _Showtime!_ Voice mused. A single undead Clone was standing directly beneath him and became Wraith's first casualty as the super-soldier dropped down on top of him, driving both blades into the back of his skull. Wraith wasn't quite sure if killing the dead would actually work, but he did decide that if these things could walk and function then that meant they had a brain. If there was any one thing he should target, it would be their heads.

A zombie to his right started shrieking, recognizing the presence of fresh blood. Wraith promptly silenced him by spearing his head with a blade, splitting his head in two. Pulling his blade back to his hand, Wraith lashed out with his other chain blade and decapitated another zombie before slamming his other chain down to cleave yet another Clone right down the middle. The others in the room, now recognizing Wraith's presence, began to close in with remarkable speed, surrounding him. The super-soldier took hold of the chains tied to his arms and began to swing and twirl about, cutting through any who dared to get close to him. Wraith's blades tore through the screaming, howling crowd, splitting skulls and tearing apart heads as Wraith did what he did best. His blades were soon covered in sickly dark-red blood as he butchered the horde without hesitation. One Clone found his head torn off, impaled on Wraith's blade. Another fell as both blades speared his torso, tearing him open. Yet another died as his head was cut in two, the blades swinging by and cutting through others as they did. Wraith moved fluidly with such refined precision and speed that none of the zombies could touch him, falling dead in various states of bisection, their remaining innards splattering across the ground. Wraith ceased to move as he pulled his blades from the last zombie, one he'd torn in half personally. The corpse hit the ground as Wraith stayed standing, shoulders rising and falling in time with his breathing. He gave a few quick glances around the room to ensure only he was still standing. " _We're all clear, Ahsoka._ " He called up to the vents. " _You can drop down now._ " The Padawan suddenly appeared as she lept from the duct over to one of the crates in the room.

"I'd prefer not to land on a pile of corpses, if it's all the same to you." She replied, crouching on top of the crate. Wraith shrugged.

" _As you wish._ " Storing his chain blades back in his duster and removing the chains from his gauntlets, Wraith began stepping over bodies as he adjusted his optics to find any unusual chemical signatures.

It didn't take him long to find a broken canister with a blackish liquid oozing from its cracked shell lying on the floor.

" _Found you._ " He mused, stepping over another corpse before stooping down next to the canister. Finding some ground that wasn't covered with blood or corpses, Ahsoka hopped over and landed next to Wraith. She peered over his arm at the black puddle of semi-fluid liquid spread across the ground, her eyes full of curiosity and intrigue.

"Is this... it?" She wondered. "What is that?"

" _It's chemical signature is unlike any known or natural combination. It has to be Dreadwind._ " Wraith told her. Reaching out, he slowly tipped the canister back, his optics roaming over the shape and design of the construct before him. It certainly matched many of the qualifications for biological sample containers. The THX1138 sample he'd recovered from Honoghr had been in a similar canister, leading him to draw the conclusion that this was, without a doubt, Project Dreadwind. " _This is a far more complete sample than I first imagined._ " He continued. Ahsoka glanced at him, wondering where his unfinished thought was going.

"Meaning?"

" _Meaning this canister should come with a scientific instrument package._ " He answered. " _It'll have all the data we need._ " Reaching for the lower end of the canister, Wraith pressed down on a panel which responded to his actions by springing up via an ejection sequence, revealing a single microchip. " _Bingo._ " Wraith took the chip and inserted it into his gauntlet, powering up the built-in computing device. A projected holoscreen appeared before him and Wraith began to pick apart the data within the SIP, sifting through records as he slowly began to comprehend exactly what Project Dreadwind was. Ahsoka remained crouched beside him, waiting with anticipation for him to reveal the truth about this stuff.

"Well? Anything?" She anxiously asked, equally invested in learning the answer.

" _It appears this is an unfinished form of the virus._ " Wraith reported, scrolling through files. " _The original intent of Project Dreadwind was for it to be a semi-sentient virus that took control of the host's brain and then force them to kill their allies in an immediate vicinity before expiring._ "

"That's... pretty disturbing." Ahsoka commented with a grimace, vaguely reminded of the Geonosian brain-worms she and Barriss had been forced to fight off. They had taken control of the Clones aboard their medical frigate and had tried to kill them more than once.

" _It gets worse._ " Wraith went on. " _The semi-sentient part of the virus backfired during this phase and started doing things in the reverse order. It killed the host outright and then took control of the corpse, turning it into some kind of... puppet for it to use._ "

"For what purpose?" Ahsoka asked.

" _To kill any other living thing in the area._ " Wraith explained. He paused for a moment as he realized the single, malevolent reason for the existence of this virus. " _Its soul purpose is to kill, for the sake of killing._ " He surmised. For a brief moment, he noted a sort of kinship between this virus and his own secondary nature.

Was this all the Separatists wanted? Killing machines?

 _Makes you wonder, doesn't it?_ Voice piped up. _About whether or not this is really the path to be on?_ Wraith said nothing, his thoughts automatically consuming him in an effort to drown out Voice. _You know, if you do need a way out, I'm pretty you'll find one right beside you..._ It added, trailing off. Wraith glanced over to Ahsoka, momentarily dwelling on the idea Voice presented to him.

But while his desire for her was strong, his Separatist programming was much stronger, and those thoughts soon vanished in favor of staying true to the cause.

"What about its level of contagion? Can this stuff spread?" Ahsoka inquired, wondering if this stuff had similar properties to the Blue Shadow virus she'd been infected with on Naboo.

" _Yes. But there's not a whole lot of detail on it. It spreads in a viral manner, and through death, But there is, apparently, the odd individual who is naturally immune to it._ " The super-soldier replied. Shutting down his screen, Wraith stood up and began to put the pieces together as the fate of the ship and the crew came together in his mind. " _My guess is that the outbreak originated here. The virus was first unleashed and it killed any crew member or Clone that happened to be in this bay. Then it reanimated them and spread to the rest of the populace as the undead killed them off._ " Ahsoka rose beside him, any hope for fixing this problem gone.

But if that's what could happen to a single ship... could the same fate befall an entire planet?

"So if this ship, as derelict as it is, crashed into a planet," she started to say, "then the planet's entire population would become like these... zombies?"

" _That seems like a likely outcome._ " Wraith agreed. " _And I believe that was the intended goal from the getgo: to wipe out entire Republic worlds with their own dead._ " Ahsoka shuddered at the thought of this disease spreading. If not dealt with, this virus could be the beginning of one of the worst catastrophes every recorded in galactic history.

"Entire planets... populated by these things." She whispered, the realization a dark and horrifying one.

" _The Clone Wars would have a third party join in: the Separatists, the Republic... and the dead._ " Wraith mused.

"Dead troopers..." She muttered, shivering a little at the thought of having to fight these things on a regular basis.

" _More like 'death troopers'._ " Wraith added. The two stood silent for a moment, left to their own thoughts as the gravity of the situation sank in with them both. Under normal circumstances, Wraith would've been fine with leaving the Clone army to deal with such a situation. But given both he and Ahsoka were now in danger, he knew they needed to get out of here and contain this ship somehow.

"We have to stop this ship." Ahsoka determined, echoing his own thoughts.

" _I agree. Any suggestions?_ " Wraith asked. Ahsoka paused and began to think, the ball back in her court. Suddenly remembering a ploy used by the kid-bounty hunter known as Boba Fett aboard Master Windu's cruiser, Endurance, Ahsoka realized that, if kicked up a notch, it might work on this ship too.

"The engine room. If we blow the engines, or start a chain reaction with the main generator, then the whole ship will go up in flames." She noted.

" _Right. Back to the ducts then._ "

* * *

Back to crawling through the ventilation shafts, Wraith took point with Ahsoka right behind him as his optical HUD calculated a map from the cargo bay to the engine room. They'd have to travel all the way back through the ship, virtually from bow to stern, in order to reach the engines.

After this, Wraith was determined to gladly accept and missions involving him upright and running.

" _It's going to be a bit of a trek to get back there._ " He informed Ahsoka as the crawled. " _If you need a break, let me know._ "

"I'm just worried about you getting stuck and blocking my way." Ahsoka jokingly responded.

" _Ha ha. I'm thick, not fat._ " Wraith replied. " _And I'm not known for getting stuck._ " Brushing her remarks aside, he continued on... but did his best to make sure his burly shoulders did not get wedged within the narrow walls of the vent.

They kept moving, pushing forward despite the less-then-ideal conditions. The trekked on for several minutes, doing their best to not alert the hordes of undead below them. Periodically, a Clone or a series of Clones started shrieking and screaming, seemingly at random. Then, moments later, an echoing noise could be heard from somewhere within the ship, coming from another zombie.

Wraith was growing convinced it was a means of communication between them.

The unnerving sounds were cause enough to compel Ahsoka and Wraith to keep pushing forward and to remain silent. They passed through halls and climbed levels in order to avoid destroyed sections that emptied out into rooms full of the undead. The smell was really starting to get to Ahsoka, the pungent aroma of death and decay growing stronger with each passing second. It got so bad, Wraith triggered his olfactory scrubbers, sealing his mask off entirely to the external elements. And yet they kept moving, crawling steadily along with the determined purpose of reaching the engines and the ship's primary power core.

But then, Wraith stopped. He could've sworn he felt the bottom of the vent buckle and bend beneath his hands, in a fashion so unnatural that it had to indicate a weak point. Something that, if ignored, might cause them some serious problems.

"What is it?" Ahsoka asked, wondering why he stopped.

" _Did you feel something?_ " He asked over his shoulder, curious if Ahsoka had felt a similar sensation.

"No..." She hesitantly answered. Wraith slowly started moving again until he heard the sound of stressed metal buckling and bending. It was close, very close.

" _Do you hear that?_ " He asked, stopping again.

"What?" Ahsoka wondered, glancing around and thinking he had heard a zombie coming after them.

Without warning, the material beneath them gave way, coming undone and collapsing forward. Wraith was pitched out of the vents and onto the ground with Ahsoka tumbling out and landing atop him moments later. The two groaned at the sudden and unceremonious drop, both of them having to shake off such a hard impact, Ahsoka finding hers especially hard as she had landed on top of Wraith's armored body. They had been deposited in the middle of an empty hallway, the vents giving way and falling apart under their combined weight.

" _Shoddy Republic engineering._ " Wraith growled, wishing to sit up but remaining pinned to the ground beneath Ahsoka's body.

"Ow." She winced, rising up and rubbing her face.

" _You okay?_ " Wraith wondered.

"No." Ahsoka replied, sitting up even further. "I landed on your armor. That stuff's hard, you know." She grimaced, wondering if she had a bruise somewhere.

" _Sorry._ " Wraith mumbled, not realizing his armor's impact compensation would have such an effect on an organic being. Ahsoka climb off Wraith and stood up, glancing around the empty hall as Wraith sat up as well. " _You gonna be alright?_ " He asked. Ahsoka opened her mouth to reply but never got the chance to. The floor before them suddenly burst open and shattered, torn asunder by gray, bloodied hands. Undead Clones started to claw their way out, screaming and shrieking as they did, announcing their unsettling presence with equally unsettling noises. Their helmets torn open, their sickly yellowed teeth and exposed jaws hanging wide as they uttered noises no living thing could ever replicate. His scanners quickly informed Wraith that they were coming from the floor below, having heard their crash and torn through the roof to get to them. Then a door to their left collapsed and a mixture of bodies bearing Clone armor and officer uniforms came tumbling out, adding to the crowd filling the hallway. They threw themselves up into broken half-standing positions, crying out in unsettling tones as the scent of fresh, living bodies entered their senses and drove them mad with an insatiable hunger. " _Go go go go GO!_ " Wraith rapidly shouted, scrambling to his feet and taking off alongside an equally fearful Ahsoka. The young Togruta's eyes were wide with fear, her mind barely able to comprehend this maddening reality and wishing it wasn't so. They sprinted down the corridor as quickly as they could, trying to leave the howling cries of the undead behind them and put enough distance between themselves and the growing horde that could be considered safe. Two more Clones shambled out from around the corner in front of them, surprising Wraith and Ahsoka. Their bodies looked even worse than the others, their armored limbs barely held together by twisted masses of distorted muscle tissue, turned sickly gray by the infection. Their bodies had been torn open, broken white armor covered with splashes of dried blood and a collection of shredded innards partially dangling down to their feet. No doubt this was what remained after their deceased comrades ate them, killing them, bestowing upon them a sickly rite of passage from life to death to undeath.

"Look out!" Ahsoka shouted, her senses barely comprehending the words leaving her mouth. But Wraith was already moving, drawing his slugthrowers and taking aim as he continued to run. _CRACK! CRACK!_ He pulled the triggers and shot both the Clones in the head, blowing open their skulls with a shower of grayed flesh and dark red blood. They rounded the corner, passing the falling corpses and kept on sprinting, desperate to leave the nightmarish situation behind them. "We've gotta get out of here!" Ahsoka cried.

" _Find a corridor, somewhere we can hide!_ " Wraith replied, pistols still drawn. " _We've got to throw them off our trail!_ "

 _Where's a storage closet when you need one?_ Voice muttered. The two kept running, Wraith rapidly scanning the hall ahead for any more zombies. Ahsoka could see no other corridors around, their only exit being the door in front of them at the end of the hall.

"Up ahead! It's the only way!"

" _We'll have to get it open first._ " Wraith noted. He suddenly stopped in his tracks. " _You go, I'll hold them off!_ " He instructed, turning around to face the oncoming horde. Ahsoka stopped short as well, hearing his ridiculous response.

"Alone?!" She cried. Wraith turned to her, almost as if he were smirking as he replied,

" _Don't worry, I can handle myself. It's what I do best._ " Of course it was. That was how he always worked. With that assurance in mind, Ahsoka ran to the door and started working on the activation panel. The horde came barrelling around the corner, a tidal wave of bodies crawling over each other in their strained attempt to reach what they hoped would be a meal. That's when Wraith started shooting, the flare of his pistols illuminating the hallway in intermittent flashes as he shot round after round into the undead. Despite the chaos before him, his steady gaze and trained mind translated through his arms and into his guns, ripping apart heads with each shot. The slugs were so powerful they disintegrated the heads of their victims and continued to tear through the bodies behind them. And yet they kept coming and coming, an unstoppable rush of dead corpses with no end in sight. Wraith fired and fired until his clips were empty, then he reloaded and was firing again within seconds. He kept up a steady stream, headless corpses piling up on the ground. But the horde kept coming. Their numbers were endless! Wraith slowly began backing up towards the door. He knew he couldn't keep this up forever. " _Ahsoka? Please tell me-_ "

"I've got it!" She called. Wraith quickly glanced back, seeing the door open slightly, revealing a narrow, horiztonal opening. They could escape but the zombies couldn't follow.

How wise of her.

"Come on!" Ahsoka lept through the opening without hesitation, rolling to her feet on the other side. Wraith turned and holstered his pistols, breaking into a sprint with the horde hot on his tail. His mind quickly calculated the necessary angle for him to successfully jump through the doors and he lunged forward, his broad shoulders barely fitting through the doors, his armor scraping against the edges. Crashing into the ground Wraith rolled over and clambered to his feet, Ahsoka helping him up. He could still see the horde drawing closer, rushing the door.

But Wraith had an idea.

Launching a pair of explosives into his hands, he rigged them with three second detonators.

" _Chew on these, undead freaks!_ " He called, whipping them through the door. Too dumb to react, the undead kept moving, oblivious to their impending doom. The disks exploded in the midst of the horde, incinerating them in a single blast. The fire moved swiftly, tearing through the narrow opening that separated Wraith and Ahsoka from the undead. Seeing his mistake Wraith moved with sudden swiftness as he caught Ahsoka in his arms and stood between her and the explosion, using his body as a shield to protect her from the sheet of flame that followed. Ahsoka could feel the intense heat surging past all around her as Wraith absorbed the brunt of the blast. After a few tense seconds, the heat dissipated and was replaced with smoke. Ahsoka, having squeezed her eyes shut, hesitantly looked around and up into Wraith's optics.

"Are you...?" She wondered.

" _A little crispy. But otherwise, I'm fine._ " He answered, releasing her from her grip. They turned back to the door, to see a black mass of charred corpses on the other side. Some of them were stirring, not quite dead but not quite alive either. Regardless, this horde had been dealt with... for now. " _Not sure if that'll keep them down. Do us a favor and seal the door, would you?_ " Ahsoka nodded and moved to the panel on this side as Wraith glanced around the circular room they were in. " _This appears to be some kind of central command room._ " He commented. It was dimly lit, but the odd illuminated controls scattered around the premises were enough of an indicator for him.

"It's probably the operations hub for the lower decks." Ahsoka replied, fiddling with the de-powered controls.

" _Just like on a Venator._ " Wraith mused. " _Gotcha._ " The super-solider walked past some of the controls, switching on his electrical sensors as he scanned over various cables and routers, trying to discern which controls did what. " _Would this place happen to have the controls to the main generator?_ "

"Probably." Ahsoka replied, finally managing to seal the door. "Whew. That was intense."

" _Indeed. I'd rather not have to deal with another horde, I fear I'm close to running out of ammunition._ " Wraith replied, checking the status of the clips currently in his slugthrowers. They were both half-empty. Stowing his pistols and pondering how he could best fight off these things, Wraith glanced over to Ahsoka and noticed a distant look in her eyes as she walked over to him. Evidently her thought were preoccupied with another matter, but there was something solemn in her appearance. " _You okay?_ " He asked. Ahsoka glanced at him before looking away.

"I just... I've never encountered anything like this before. I can't explain it but... I can't help but feel... terrified of these things." She admitted.

" _They are a horrific sight to behold._ " Wraith agreed.

"But I just feel this... this innate sensation of terror everytime I see one of them." Ahsoka continued. Wraith nodded slowly, understanding she was being open and even a little vulnerable with him, talking about thoughts and feelings that she would normally have to supress around other Jedi.

" _It's okay. I do to._ " He responded, sympathizing with her.

"You?" She wondered incredulously. Then she started smiling. "The Wraith is afraid of some zombies?" She snickered.

" _You don't sound too terrified of them anymore._ " He noted. Ahsoka chuckled.

"That was nervous laughter, smart guy."

" _Could've fooled me._ " He shrugged in response. The moment of tension-cutting reprieve helped both of them relax and calm down after the harrowing escape, both Wraith and Ahsoka recalibrating before returning to the task at hand. " _Think you can figure out which one of these controls the generator?_ "

"Well... maybe not controls..." Ahsoka admitted, walking around the consoles.

" _But you said-_ "

"I was trying to avoid getting eaten alive! Cut me some slack." Ahsoka replied with a wave of her hand. "But I can try to shut the engines down and re-route the power into the main generator. That would save us a trip to the engine room."

" _So they are controls._ " Wraith murmured.

"Just not for the generator. The more power I force back into it, the sooner it'll overload without us having to manually do it." Ahsoka explained. "You really need to brush up on your starship schematics." She added, throwing him a cheeky grin. Wraith rolled his head and crossed his arms in response.

" _And you do realize that process requires us to override the ship's electrical dampeners lest it cut off the feedback response before it blows the generator?_ " He wondered, adding his own level of snark to the conversation. Ahsoka's eyes widened a little as she remembered the complicated part of her simple plan.

"Oh yeah... the safeguards, right..." She slowly said. Wraith opened his arms.

" _See? I do know my starships._ " He retorted, voice thick with sarcasm. Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

"Sure you do."

* * *

Wraith's electrical sensors managed to come in handy as he pinpointed the location of a primary switcher that was connected to the command deck. The problem was, it was located in the midst of a hallway beyond the safety of the sealed off deck, meaning Wraith and Ahsoka would have to venture out into the zombie-infested hall.

It was a task neither of them were looking forward to.

After fiddling with another door panel, Ahsoka managed to grant them access to the hallway. This door was smaller than the last one and she had to open it fully so they could walk through. Wraith stepped out first, slugthrowers drawn and raised. Ahsoka waited in the entrance, watching as Wraith checked corners and slowly adapted to his surroundings, functioning with an elegant precision seen only the most highly-trained soldiers.

" _Clear._ " He called from the corner ahead. Ahsoka took that as her cue and crept up behind him, Wraith moving ahead to ensure the entire hallway was clear. It was long and dark and eerily quiet, the majority of lighting coming from a single fixture that was still on. Ahsoka could barely see the floor in front of her and she crept along nervously behind Wraith, worried that a zombie might leap out of the dark.

The thought of running into one of those here and now made her skin crawl.

" _I hope this darkness isn't an indicator of a failing power generator._ " Wraith mused.

"It's probably just a lack of power to this particular area." Ahsoka said. Wraith said nothing, but refused to let his guard down.

To him, this hallway was quiet... too quiet.

It would be best if they fixed this panel and got out of there as soon as possible. Identifying the mass of electrical readings coming from behind a single wall panel, Wraith stowed his weapons and drew one of his knives, prying off the section of wall and setting it on the ground. Beneath it lay a master control panel that regulated the flow of power controlled by the command deck. "Yup, this is what we're looking for." Ahsoka commented, placing her hands on her hips as she sized up the controls before them. Wraith was quick to spot the controls they needed... but there was one problem.

" _So we need to flip off the dampeners and regulators in order to get the flux we need._ "

"Yeah."

" _Then it appears we have a problem._ " He observed. Ahsoka looked at him, confused.

"Why? What's the problem?"

" _The dampeners have a secondary failsafe._ " He stated, pointing to the second set of identical controls at the bottom of the panel. " _There's four switches that need to be pulled simultaneously... and one of us needs to man the master controls at the same time._ _In short, we're kinda hooped unless we can find a second pair of hands._ " He surmised, crossing his arms. " _What I would pay to have Grievous' abilities right now..._ " Wraith mumbled, pondering the conundrum before them. But Ahsoka wasn't concerned.

"Not to worry, big guy. I'll just use the Force to trigger it while I stay here and help you flip these switches." She stated with a wave of her hand.

" _The Force?_ " Wraith repeated, turning to look at her. " _You sure about that?_ "

"Hey, just 'cause you don't trust it doesn't mean it doesn't work." She replied. Pushing past Wraith so she stood between him and the wall, she set her hands on the bottom switches.

" _If you say so._ " Wraith relented. Stepping up behind her, he rested his hands against the top switches. " _On your mark._ " Ahsoka closed her eyes to concentrate, but was interrupted as she realized just how close Wraith was to her. It briefly reminded her of the time he looked over her shoulder when they dealt with the Yuuzhan Vong. The memory of his warm body brought a light blush to her cheeks and she tried not to think about the same body that was behind her now.

 _Come on, snap out of it Ahsoka!_ She mentally berated herself, knowing she had bigger priorities at the moment. She channeled her focus on the controls, using the Force to move levers and change systems, readying the engines to redirect their power into the central generator and creating a mass-feedback input that would surely blow the generator to pieces. It didn't take her long to get things into proper position and before long she was ready to throw the switch.

"On three." She stated, eyes still closed. She started to count down, Wraith standing completely still as his mind focused on the switches before him. "One... two... three!" The moment she spoke, Ahsoka threw the power switch while she and Wraith flipped the switches simultaneously. A burst of sparks forced them to back away as the gentle hum of power flowing through the walls slowly grew until it became a constant background noise in the midst of the silent hall.

" _Well, I'd call that a job well done._ " Wraith mused. " _Guess the Force really did work._ "

"See? I told you it would." Ahsoka said with a grin, proud of herself.

" _Indeed._ " Wraith replied. " _So the generator is on its way to an overload now._ "

"Yeah. Now we just have to get out of here." Ahsoka added.

And then, in the silence of the hall, there came a bloodcurdling shriek.

It was followed by a cacophony of sounds that absolutely shattered the silence and sent chills rippling through Ahsoka and Wraith's spines. Screams and shouts, unnatural growls and groans filled with the primal instincts of anger and hunger tore through the calm they had been feeling. Wraith knew light travelled faster than sound, but the fact that he could hear these things before he saw them actually managed to chill his blood. The wall of sound preceding the horde of undead Clones hit them hard and Ahsoka and Wraith whirled about to see a herd of zombies surge out of the inky gloom of the corridor behind them. Their barely-there bodies flailing wildly as they charged through the hall, desperate to feed on fresh blood.

" _Run! RUN!_ " Wraith shouted, pistols drawn. Ahsoka needed no further encouragement and broke into a sprint, summoning the Force to increase her pace and propell her forward at supernatural speeds. Wraith moved faster as well, his enhanced body capable of matching Ahsoka's Force-empowered speed. As they took off, a series of blue blaster bolts slammed into the wall behind them as zombies rounded the corner with remarkable speed and started shooting after them.

"Are these things shooting at us?!" Ahsoka cried, blaster bolts flying past them both.

" _They've learned how to use blasters._ " Wraith grimly realized. " _The virus... it's adapting, learning!_ " He responded, turning around and firing off a volley of slugs that cut down a few of the undead troopers. Dealing with regular zombies that used their hands and teeth to fight was one thing. But zombies that could shoot?

"This is bad... this is so bad!" Ahsoka fearfully muttered, stating what was on his mind.

 _This is insane! Someone needs to talk to the Morseerians about restraint!_ Voice agreed. Moving nearly three times the speed of the zombies, Wraith and Ahsoka reached the doorway at the end of the hall first.

" _Quick! Use your powers to close that door! It'll buy us some time!_ " Wraith commanded, stowing his weapons and sprinting over to the door-control panel. Ahsoka did as he asked, whirling about and using the Force to forcibly shut the doors, just as a few zombies rounded the bend. The doors slammed shut with a metallic clang, followed by a muffled shriek from a trooper on the other side. Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was close... too close..." She panted, feeling quite done with this whole situation. "Here's hoping they can't follow us in."

" _Not now they won't._ " Wraith stated as he deployed an arm blade and plunged it into the door controls, destroying it with a shower of sparks.

"Maybe we should seal it off even further." Ahsoka suggested, remembering how the zombies had brute-forced their way through the floor. Wraith agreed, but before he could say anything further, another muffled scream echoed from the opposite side of the far door. The two looked to the bigger door they had sealed off, realizing that the screaming really was a form of communication, and that there was another horde awaiting them on the other side. "We're trapped!" Ahsoka dejectedly realized, renewed fear coursing through her veins.

" _Calm down Ahsoka._ " Wraith instructed her. " _If we're going to survive this, we need cool heads. We can't let our feelings get in the way of-_ " Suddenly a part of the ceiling came crashing down into the room and a body fell after it moments later, landing with a wet splat. Ahsoka and Wraith turned and watched as a zombified Clone slowly rose to its feet, growling and grunting as it did. Limbs comprised of gray strings of muscle and bits of tarnished white armor, disjointed and broken, reached out, groping the air as it tried to grab the pair. But the super-soldier drew a pistol and shot the zombie in the head without hesitation, blowing its skull to pieces.

"Where did that come from...?" Ahsoka hesitantly asked, afraid of the answer she already had. Wraith said nothing and looked up, wondering if there were any other zombies hidden away in the ceiling. If they could learn how to use blasters, who's to say they couldn't learn how to crawl as well.

 _I've got a bad feeling about this._ Voice mused. His thoughts were soon confirmed when a much larger part of the ceiling gave way and a half-dozen undead Clones came tumbling down.

" _Get back!_ " Wraith shouted, wanting to avoid these things getting the drop on them. With one arm raised to protect Ahsoka, Wraith opened fire with his sluthrower. Several of the zombies were dropped instantly, others managed to crawl to their feet and give a shriek of success. Wraith was quick to draw his other slugthrower and finish off the remaining troopers. His tactic to aim for their heads appeared to be working, as they no longer rose as soon as their brains had been blown apart. " _These things are learning and fast. They're trying to circumvent our defences and they're figuring out how!_ " He realized.

"Oh Force... we're doomed!" Ahsoka groaned, holding her head in her hands.

" _Not as long as I have something to say about it._ " Wraith determined, checking his magazines. At this rate he was burning through his ammo way too fast and would be running out of slugs soon. " _We've got to stay positive, Ahsoka. It's the only way we'll survive._ "

"Easier said than done." The Padawan remarked gloomily.

" _Come on Ahsoka! I need you!_ " Wraith urged her, stowing his weapons and setting his hands on her shoulders. " _I can't fend off these things by myself. We need a way out before that generator blows and takes all of us with it!_ " He was saying this not just for her sake but for his also. Without any sort of reinforcements or a place to run, this was the literal definition of a 'last stand'. Unless they came up with an alternative, this would be the end of both of them. Ahsoka started wracking her mind, pushing down the ever-present fear as she tried to come up with anything that might help them.

Suddenly, her eyes widened as the light switched on.

"Hold on..." Dashing over to another control panel, Ahsoka began punching in codes and scanning through the available systems, evidently looking for something.

" _Have an idea?_ " Wraith asked, glad to see something other than fear had become her focus.

"Maybe. I'm gonna see if the corridor auto-turrets are still functional. If they are, they'll give us some extra firepower." She replied, not looking up. But she did when a hole was torn open in a wall adjacent to the master door, allowing a herd of zombies to flood in. Wraith drew his weapons.

" _Keep searching, I'll hold them off!_ " He shouted over the unsettling din. Ahsoka gave a quick nod and kept searching the system as the resounding _CRACK!_ of Wraith's pistols echoed loudly over the cries and screams of the undead. Slugs flew through the air and ripped through the undead personnel, felling zombified officers and Clones alike. Ahsoka kept typing and searching, seeking out the interior weapons subsystem and the defensive controls. With the generator set to overload, she knew she could only turn the turrets on for a few minutes. Hopefully it would be enough to turn the tide.

Her screen lit up as she found the program.

"Okay, I've got something!" Ahsoka called to Wraith. "I can get the turrets in here online and-" A zombie suddenly crashed down on the console, crushing it under his weight. Ahsoka recoiled at its sudden presence. "AH!" She screamed. The living corpse reached out for her with a shriek, showing off a bloody, shredded hand comprised of loosely hanging skin and chipped bones. Ahsoka drew her lightsaber and sliced off it's arm. "Excuse you, graveyard breath!" She snapped, promptly slicing off its head.

" _Something wrong?_ " Wraith wondered.

"Stupid death trooper just destroyed my console." She replied, using the Force to move the body and check on the totaled, sparking console. "Sorry Wraith... we're back to square one now." She said, voice full of disappointment.

" _It's okay, we'll find a way-_ " He started to say, backing up, when another cluster of zombies fell through the existing hole in the roof. " _Oh dammit all!_ " He growled, realizing their situation was not getting better any time soon. He opened fire once more, pistols ablaze with fresh clips. But the horde kept coming, an unstoppable wave of decayed flesh that sought to add two more to its numbers. Wraith realized he and Ahsoka were slowly being backed into a corner. His single-shot pistols were no longer cutting it. " _Time to heat things up!_ " He declared, stowing his pistols and flicking some explosive discs into his hands. Pitching some into the crowd before him, Wraith turned and urged Ahsoka to back away as the discs exploded the zombies moments later, incinerating them in balls of fire. Those that weren't killed retreated, afraid of the wall of fire. Evidently this virus had some level of self-preservation in mind in addition to replication.

Wraith hoped he could exploit that.

"Those little things pack a punch." Ahsoka observed.

" _Hopefully they'll thin the heard for us._ " Wraith explained. Suddenly the master door began to open, the two halves being forced apart as the horde on the other side. Spying the next wave, Wraith whipped disc after disc from his hands. The single red switches on top beeped at an increasing pace as they sailed through the air before exploding right in the zombies' faces, the explosion blackening the door and blowing the creatures to pieces.

But even more poured through the opened, pushing aside the charred corpses of their comrades.

 _Uh oh. Guns up. Now._ Voice stated. Wraith agreed and, without hesitation, snapped up his arms with pistols in hand to open fire, pulling the triggers as fast as he could. His slugs tore through the horde, sending blood and bits of flesh everywhere with every shot. But as soon as he felled one, it seemed like two more took its place. Ahsoka was quick to also recognize the replenishing factor of the horde and knew she couldn't just sit by and do nothing.

"Wraith, let me help you!" She cried, watching as he reloaded and continued to try and hold off the horde alone.

" _No! You have to be close enough for your lightsabers to be effective, and too close to these things will result in death. I'm not taking that chance!_ " He shouted in reply, determined to keep Ahsoka safe above all else. He didn't care whether he made it out or not. As long as she survived...

Then again, he also wouldn't turn down an offer for help. Maybe there was something else she could do...

" _But you don't have to fight to help me. Use the Force to hold these things back! Give me a barricade!_ " He hurriedly asked, blasting another four with rapid-succession headshots.

"All of them?!" Ahsoka wondered, wondering if she was powerful enough to hold off a ravenous horde of numerous individuals. Wraith glanced at her with a quick look that said 'please try'. "I'll try!" Stretching out her hands, Ahsoka focused all of her energy on creating an invisible barrier around her and Wraith. It wasn't easy will all the screaming and growling going on around her and took a lot of concentration. Wraith did his best to provide cover with a mix of explosives and slug rounds, trying to buy her time to do her thing. Soon, he began to notice the zombies getting stuck and piling up against an invisible obstruction. With her arms fully outstretched and her eyes closed, Ahsoka had formed a shield with the Force with every once of concentration she had.

" _Way to go, my dear!_ " Wraith happily called, stowing his pistols and drawing his carbine. " _You're the best!_ " Inserting a plasma-infused energy cell into his rifle, Wraith charged up his weapon and opened fire. The amplified rounds blew the zombies away with each hit, the additional explosive capacity obliterating the zombies with similar effectiveness to his slugthrowers. Setting his weapon to automatic, Wraith gunned down zombie after zombie with a stream of high-powered blaster fire. Ahsoka smiled a little as she opened her eyes to see corpses piling up on the ground, Wraith starting to clear out the zombies. Perhaps they could win this after all.

As long as she could keep up this barrier, they might actually be able to win this.

But the zombies were putting an incredible amount of strain on her abilities. Aging to constantly keep moving individuals at bay was proving to be taxing and was draining her concentration quicker than she thought it would.

It only made matters worse when the adjacent corridor door was torn open and another horde burst through and into the command deck, screaming and shrieking as their mangled bodies clambered over each other as they struggled to consume the still-living persons. Wraith saw the zombies streaming in from the corridor they just sealed and was faced with a grim reality. " _There's too many... there's too damn many!_ " He realized. " _No matter what I do I can't destroy them all..._ " He growled, turning his sights on the newcomers. Red blaster bolts ripped through the crowd, blowing the undead to pieces. But they just kept coming. No matter how many fell more just charged through the door.

It was an endless horde that showed no sign of stopping. Not until Wraith and Ahsoka joined their numbers.

"Can't you just get angry?" Ahsoka wondered, knowing his notorious 'enraged state' would be enough to overcome all of these things. Wraith heard the strain in her voice as she struggled to maintain the Force barricade. She couldn't last long and, unfortunately, he couldn't summon enough anger to replace the sheer terror that was starting to grip him.

" _At what? There's nothing for me to get angry about!_ " Wraith shouted over the din, more rounds ripping through the horde. Disliking his negative answer, Ahsoka looked to see the original horde recovering from Wraith's assault, now that his aim was elsewhere. They were mustering for a renewed attack of her barricade, one that surely wouldn't last under the combined strength of two hordes.

They would be overwhelmed.

Ahsoka knew she had to do something. Wraith had said there was nothing for him to get angry about. Maybe she could change that by altering his focus. If she could trigger his rage, this would all come to a very swift end. All she had to do was manipulate his emotions to the point where he was unleashed and then he would do the rest of the work.

And she knew just what to use to make him angry. It was the most volatile topic that could easily set him over the edge. Herself.

Drawing on the Force to summon a powerful blast of telekinetic energy, she pushed all the zombies back with a massive Force-push, buying her enough time to jump in front of Wraith and ignite her lightsabers. " _Ahsoka?_ " He wondered, shocked by her sudden moves. Then he realized her intentions as she approached the horde. " _Ahsoka! What're you doing?!_ " Wraith exclaimed.

"We're going to get overwhelmed either way, might as well take 'em head-on." She replied, explaining her irrational actions.

" _Fall back! You won't survive an onslaught like that!_ " Wraith shouted, knowing that to attack this horde head-on was to invite death. They would overwhelm her for sure! He commended her for wanting to fight but, despite her thoughts, attacking in such a way was a death sentence.

"I know Wraith." Ahsoka responded, her voice sounding quiet and despondant. "Just think about it; me, getting turned into one of them, dying a horrible and probably painful death before I get resurrected as a walking corpse." She elaborated, the thought enough to make her shudder. She really didn't want that to be the case, but she really had to sell her emotions right now. She looked back at Wraith and gave him a sad smile, her eyes conveying the deep regret she felt. "It's been fun Wraith..." She mournfully told him, the zombies starting to rise up before her.

Her words had the desired affect.

" _No. NO!_ " Wraith shouted, a plethora of thoughts surging through his mind. The first one conveyed Ahsoka's fear of suffering the same fate as these Clones. The second was his own fear and agony of witnessing Ahsoka suffering the agonizing process of becoming a zombie.

And that triggered an unstoppable fury at the thought of these things assaulting her.

Those thoughts began overwhelming him, triggering the release of RGE-7 and telling the chemical to flood his veins and consume his mind. Dropping his rifle as he momentarily fought to steady himself, Wraith felt hot wrath burn away at any other emotion until it was all that remained. With his vision turning red, body shaking, muscles tensing as he entered his Feral Rage, Wraith unleashed a primal roar that dwarfed anything these zombies could utter. " _HhurrrrRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAHHHH!_ " Ahsoka smirked a little as she realized her plan had worked and then dove for cover so there was nothing between him and the horde. The zombies began to charge forward, nothing stopping them from drawing closer. Wraith had lost all coherent speech as his ragged breathing, accented by growls, became the sole evidence of his enraged state. His mind urged him to tear through these things, to tear them asunder! To kill! And kill! _AND KILL!_

With another roar, Wraith's blades slid over his hands as he met the horde head-on, butchering them as he waded into their midst. No zombie could touch him, none could bite him or infect him, hacked to pieces before they could even draw close enough. Zombies were dismembered left and right, torn apart as his blades grew slick with blood. Clearing out a small circle around him, Wraith's blades vanished as a pair of chains appeared in his hands. His assault continued with another roar, chain-blades sprouting from his jacket and tearing through the undead with ravenous fury. Wraith held nothing back as he tore through the zombies, ripping through them like they were nothing to be scared of.

Seeing Wraith wade into the horde of undead, unrelenting anger and fury in his every move, Ahsoka ducked behind a console and stayed hidden, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.

Wraith continued his rampage through the horde, an unstoppable force stampeding through relatively fragile obstacles despite their numbers. His blades and their chains grew slick with undead blood, splatters of the stuff also adorning his arms and jacket. Bisected corpses were starting to pile up around the command deck, the floor growing slick with dark red blood. If not for the miniature magnetic stabilizers in his boots, Wraith would've surely slipped by now. But his mind was barely able to summon a tactical or even a coherent thought, his every act clouded by rage.

But he could summon just enough logic to know when to switch weapons.

His chain-blades were useful, but not nearly useful enough, he had nearly cleared out the entire deck but there were still some holes that needed to be plugged and some hordes that needed to be stopped. Dropping his blades on the ground and drawing Tyth from behind him, Wraith snapped on his firesaber, the blade glowing yellow but swiftly flickering to pure white moments later. With another guttural roar of primal fury, Wraith continued his massacre by charging ahead and swinging his blade with powerful force and deadly efficiency, cleaving zombies in two with every swing. Tyth was effective, killing these things where they stood, just as his other blades had.

But this ancient weapon was about to reveal a few new tricks to its wielder.

As Wraith carved his way towards the side door, the zombies grew bottlenecked within the narrow confines of the corridor. Some where desperate to get inside and join the fight, others were trying to escape it, an innate fear of fire and its incinerating properties enough to make them scramble away and defy their malicious tendencies for a moment. Wraith plunged into the horde without hesitation, swinging Tyth this way and that as he dove into the foray with murder on his mind. Thrusting his blade forward, Wraith unknowingly triggered the first perk of a fully-fueled Tyth, sending a jet of white-hot flame blasting through the zombies, incinerating them on contact and completely disintegrating their bodies. The supernatural flame flooded the hall, destroying every zombie within reach and reducing them to dust and ash. The flame died down as Wraith turned and attacked the zombies behind him, cutting them down with each swing of his fiery weapon. Charging back into the command deck, Wraith continued his desolation of the horde, his rage fuelling his unstoppable rampage. Tyth unleashed its full fury upon the horde as its bright white blade carved a scorching path through the undead.

From behind her cover, Ahsoka could hear the sounds of carnage all about her. But the sound of fire and flame bursting forth and the screams of zombies as they were annihilated by some terrifying force confused her. She hadn't known Wraith to be equipped with fire-based weapons. Was this something new? She didn't dare stick her head up for fear of being caught in the crossfire, leaving her to sit, wait and wonder.

Suddenly, the sounds started to grow quieter, trailing off and losing their consistency. A few scattered shrieks were soon overpowered by primal growls and the sound of a blade being shoved through flesh.

And then, in a stark contrast to the demeaning clamour that had once inhabited the room, a deathly calm and eerie quiet ensued. The only sound Ahsoka's hearing could detect was the heavy breathing of Wraith calming down.

Peeking her head over the console, Ahsoka looked about at the bits of shredded corpses scattered across the floor, the slick pools of dark red blood and the scorch marks dotting the walls.

This place had gone to looking like a crime scene pretty fast.

And there, off over by the corner of the room, stood Wraith. He was hunched over, one arm resting against the wall while the other was tucked behind him and within his jacket. His body was covered with splotches of blood, his armor absolutely stained with the stuff. Coming out from her hiding place, Ahsoka carefully walked over to him, tiptoeing over fragments of bodies.

"Normally, I don't compliment excessive violence, but... nice work." She said, complimenting him. "Makes me wonder when you got a flamethrower..." she added, having missed seeing his firesaber in action. Wraith glanced over to her, his shoulders still heaving as he fought back the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach and regained control of his senses. He regarded her with a curious glance as his mind started to put together how he had wound up enraged. He remembered her words, how she had sounded so mournful and certain of her coming demise.

She never intended to fight them. He realized that now. She had manipulated him, toyed with his emotions and taken advantage of his feelings for her in order to get him angry.

Wraith wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Summoning enough composure to stand up straight and freeing his hand from his bloodied glove, Ahsoka got a good look at the big, broad hand of The Wraith, wrapped in mechanical fixings that extended from his gauntlet. Reaching out, he gently held her chin in his hand, guiding her face up towards his.

" _You, my dear, know me too well for my own good._ " He softly told her. Ahsoka raised an eye marking.

"And who's fault is that?" She wondered cheekily.

" _Part of me would think that you like me enough to have memorized who I am and how I work._ " Wraith responded, his voice strikingly calm compared to his recent outburst of anger.

"Or maybe you're just that predictable." Ahsoka shot back.

" _Touché._ " He mused, pulling his hand back and sliding his glove back on. " _All I ask is that you do not toy with me next time. My volatility is uncontrollable and my mental state rendered unpredictable when my anger is aroused._ " He stated, flexing his hand. Ahsoka took that to be a key indicator that he did not find her comeback as funny as she did.

"Right... Maybe we could get out of here now? Those generators must be close to their bursting point."

* * *

For the first time since their arrival, the jog to the docking ports was a relatively quiet one. Despite the imminent threat of the exploding generator, it appeared any zombies that might've been aboard this cruiser had been dealt with back at the aft command deck. In doing some math, Wraith found it hard to believe he had dealt with the entirety of the almost-thousand man crew, but considering just how empty his ammo stores were, he might just be able to believe it.

They arrived at Ahsoka's shuttle first, Wraith deeming himself capable of handling any fight the remaining zombies could send his way on his own.

" _Might I encourage you to get some rest?_ " He wondered, believing Ahsoka was just as tired as he was, despite his inability to show it.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Ahsoka replied, stepping over to the hatch. But then she stopped, knowing there was something she needed to say. It was the polite thing to do after all. "Thank you for helping me out. I probably wouldn't have lasted long alone against those things." She thanked him, turning back.

" _Yes, you would've._ " Wraith replied. " _You're stronger and tougher than you realize, don't sell yourself short. It takes a lot of boldness to survive something like this._ " Ahsoka smiled a little at his kind of uplifting words. " _And to go commando at the same time..._ " He quietly noted.

But he was loud enough that Ahsoka heard him.

"You looked?!" She exclaimed, realizing he had seen up her skirt. Her face flushed in a combination of embarrassment and anger. "Dammit Wraith!" The super-soldier threw up his hands.

" _It was by accident, I swear! I looked away as soon as I realized!_ " He quickly explained.

"Ugh!" Ahsoka sighed in exasperation. "I screwed up my laundry, what else was I supposed to do?" Wraith simply shrugged.

" _Maybe wear full-on leggings? Might save you from any embarrassment next time._ " He suggested. Ahsoka paused to conside that. Up until now her skirt had been long enough to give the impression she'd been wearing full leggings. But maybe he had a point. " _We make a good team, we should do this more often._ " Wraith continued. " _Minus the zombies of course._ "

"Yeah, sure..." Ahsoka absentmindedly agreed, opening the hatch door. She stepped inside before looking over her shoulder. "Bye Wraith." She said. He gave a quick bow from the waist.

"' _Til next we meet, my dear._ " He replied.

* * *

 _A few minutes later..._

Back in his shuttle and out in space, Wraith waited and watched the Bravado self-destruct. The internal implosions triggered a chain reaction that rippled through the entirety of the ship until the cruiser was consumed in a fireball and splintered into pieces, exploding without a sound in the vacuum of space.

 _Well... that was an adventure and a half._ Voice mused. Wraith agreed, equally satisfied with the results, and queued his comms.

" _Scipio, it's Wraith._ " He reported. The response came back instantly.

"Been a while, my boy. How's the mission progressing?" The Pau'an asked.

" _I finished destroying the Bravado. The virus got loose and infected the entire ship's crew._ " Wraith informed him, piloting his ship away from the newly-created wreckage.

"Oh! Oh my! Well, how did that go?" Scipio wondered, obviously intrigued.

" _It was a... harrowing experience, to say the least._ " He replied, carefully picking his words. A moment of silence followed before he continued. " _We need to talk about this Project Dreadwind... I think it's in need of a bit of an overhaul._ "

 _That's a bit of an understatement._ Voice interjected.

" _Also, I'm in need of a mental tune-up. The voice in my head is back._ "

 _Oh come ON!_ Voice exclaimed. _That is unfair and uncalled for! I helped you out!_

" _Shut up, you!_ " Wraith growled out loud.

 _Elsewhere..._

Ahsoka was relieved to see the Resolute come back into view. While her little misadventure could've been worse, she was grateful to be back in allied territory... where all the living people were normal. Her commlink chirped to life and Anakin's voice filled the cockpit.

"Well, Snips? How's the Bravado?" He wondered. Ahsoka let out a sigh, mixing relief and exhaustion together.

"Boy oh boy, Master, have I got a story for you..." She replied.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hope y'all enjoyed this one! I probably won't be able to post again until Christmas, which is an unfortunate reality. But, thank you for sticking with me... and for the 67,000+ views!**


	53. Wraith's Log: Entry 9

Wraith's Log: Entry 9

 _*sigh* "I still don't understand why I have to do this. I said it before in my first ever log, Doc wants me to vocalize my thoughts and record them... for my own good, he claims. I don't make very many, because, quite frankly, I don't have time nor do I see the use or the need."_

 _..._

" _Fine... let's talk about Bravado then. That was an experience and a half, what with encountering a thousand-man horde of undead Clones and Republic officers and whatnot. I was not expecting Project Dreadwind to be that... lethal. I knew it was a bioweapon, but to kill off Clones and then reanimate them? That's some black magic sithspit if ever I've heard of it."_

 _..._

" _I also was not expecting Ahsoka to show up like she did. That changed everything. Everything about that mission suddenly changed so that she was at the forefront. I know she wanted to help, and she did, but I couldn't let her fight. Those things breed infection... if she so much as got too close to them..._

" _That's why I did what I did. My arsenal was designed with distance in mind, I can take out those things without having to get close to them. Besides, their teeth would shatter if they even tried to bite through my armor. But Ahsoka... well... she's lacking in the armor department. She's got more skin exposed than-"_

 _..._

" _Yeah... she's definitely showing some skin."_

 _..._

" _Damn, is she ever hot...!"_

 _..._

" _What was I saying...? Right. I suddenly shifted my mindset. The mission took a backseat, then again, it had taken a backseat since I found out the virus went... well... viral. But I couldn't help but feel so protective of Ahsoka in that moment. Have I always felt this way? Is this because of how I feel about her?"_

 _..._

" _The voice in my head tried to convince me to leave... again. But there was something so compelling this time... working alone with Ahsoka, it... it felt good. It's like we were meant to be together, to be the ultimate team. With her young and fiery warrior's spirit and my enhanced, unstoppable abilities, we could be the greatest fighting duo the galaxy's ever seen."_

 _..._

" _There's a phrase for people like us. People who work good together, whose abilities compliment one another. A 'power couple'... Hmm..."_

End of Log


	54. Scipio's Log 7344B

Scipio's Log: Entry 73.44B - Protocol 4

" _When it came to Project Sunstorm, there was always the issue of control. The concept of imbuing a being with peak abilities often led to the question of how we would maintain control. How would we ensure they served us? How would we corral them should they go rogue? How could we prevent them from damaging us if they turned from ally into enemy?_

" _Thus the safeguards were introduced... Protocol Four chief among them._

" _Protocol Four was designed to combat extremely adverse situations. It would offer a way out and prevent our creation from falling into the wrong hands. It's a special genetic failsafe designed to trigger optimum self-preservation instincts once activated. Made from the DNA of some top-tier predators, it provides all the best nature has to offer by forcing the subject to completely submit to the pre-designated fight-or-flight options in order to allow the animalistic senses to take over. Specifically, the night vision of the Nightshrike, the keen sense of smell of the Dire-cat, the infrared vision of the Nexu and the ultra-sensitive hearing of the Shredder Bat are all a part of Protocol Four. Each one of these senses comes into play once Protocol Four is activated, resulting in total dedication to self-preservation, be it by either fleeing the scene or by fighting their way out of it._

" _However, there were some... unforeseen consequences of the additive. I suppose now that the direct insertion of foreign genetics would have some additional physical effects. One of the more minuscule changes was an increased density of light-sensitive elements, or visual cells, in the eyes. And then there were the... far more obvious changes..."_

 _..._

" _Yes, the eyes... oh those eyes. So powerful and so... predatory."_

End of Log


	55. Red Hot Retribution

**Author's Note: Surprise! I had been working on his chapter long before the death trooper special came to be, thus resulting in it being much closer to being finished. Somehow I found myself with some spare time and... well... y'all deserve another chapter, what with the massive amounts of views you give me! Oh, and special shoutout to all the new followers. Welcome to the party! Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

-Chapter 30: Red Hot Retribution-

Location: Aphran IV

"There's always a bigger fish..."

The air was warm and muggy, the heat of a bright and sunny afternoon making its presence known in the yellow and red shaded forest. The leaves were pretty, blending together to form an orange canopy that covered the skies and let in only a few stray rays of sunlight through their leafy branches. On any other day, one might've thought this place to be perfect for a tranquil walk through the woods.

But this was not your average day. For war had come to Aphran IV.

Located in the Inner Rim's Aphran system, along the Namadii Corridor, Aphran IV was situated between Bilbringi and Carratos and was home to a population of woodworkers, who made use of the lush forests in their trade. Aphran IV was a warm world, free of polar caps and a true natural beauty as far as planets go.

But war cared little for beauty. And warriors cared little for landscape.

Sprinting through the forest, kicking up fallen leaves in his wake, the Separatist super-solider known as The Wraith barreled through the woods without a care for the temperature. His suit and helmet protected him from the environment and acclimatized him to any circumstance. Leaping over a fallen log, Wraith bounded down a hill as the sounds of blasterfire and the clamor of battle grew louder and louder. An army of newly-arrived battle droids had engaged the defending Republic forces and now Wraith was here to make sure the droids stayed put and the Republic was forced to leave.

He was made to win battles. And he was going to win this fight, no questions asked.

Meanwhile, Anakin Skywalker and the 501st Legion had come to reinforce Aphran after the sighting of a Separatist invasion fleet in the system. With Captain Rex and Ahsoka by his side, Anakin had a feeling this would just be another routine operation, one that would end in another victory for his track record.

At the moment, the Jedi General was on the frontlines, using his lightsaber to deflect incoming blaster fire. The Separatist army was numerous and unrelenting, the droids just kept on coming. However, Anakin believed they had the advantage, as they were fighting in the woods on terrain that was difficult for the battle droids to navigate. While an organic being could adapt quite quickly to an ever-changing terrain, droids needed to recalculate the situation every time it changed.

But what the droids lacked in intelligence, they made up for with numbers.

"Rex! We need to concentrate our fire on the left flank, that seems to be where they're amassing the most!" He ordered.

"I copy, sir!" The Clone captain replied. "You heard the General, men! Get some fire on those clankers, far left!" He shouted the order down the line. A series of Clones moved to obey, more blaster fire lighting up the Separatist lines. As if it were in response to the Republic order, a trio of Separatist dwarf spider droids suddenly crawled out of the woods and opened fire on the Clones to Anakin's right. The anti-personnel blasters started ripping apart Clones with deadly force, cutting them down with ease. Anakin saw this and knew something had to be done. Those spider droids were a very big threat, despite their size.

"Ahsoka! Draw their fire!" He ordered.

"You got it, Master!" The young Togruta leapt in front of the Clones under fire and used her twin lightsabers to deflect the incoming rounds, flexing her incredible efficiency and lightsaber skills.

"Rockets!" Anakin called over his shoulder. A pair of rocket troopers appeared next to him and knelt, taking aim at the spider droids with their launchers. "Rex, can we get some thermal detonators on these things?"

"Coming right up, General!" Rex replied, stowing his pistols and drawing a pair explosives. Together, the Clones lobbed and fired their ordinance at the spider droids. The rockets found their mark on the outside droids, blowing them to pieces while the thermal detonators exploded moments later. The middle droid combusted and exploded, sending a column of smoke and flame into the air. Several Clones cheered in victory as their opponents were permanently put down. "Good work, men! We've them now!" Rex congratulated them through his comms.

But then, from out of the smoke and fire, Wraith burst through the haze and slid to a halt, officially making his entrance on the battlefield. "Oh... hold that thought." Rex grumbled as he realized the trouble they were in.

Their sense of celebration wore off quickly.

Brandishing his firesaber, Wraith ignited Tyth as the yellow blade flashed on, the flame glowing brightly.

"Since when does he have one of those?!" Ahsoka cried in surprise as she rejoined Anakin, this being her first time bearing witness to Wraith's fiery weapon.

"We saw him use it on Makem Te, so probably for a while Snips." Anakin told her as he tensed up, keeping his focus on Wraith. Ahsoka was about to ask if she could have one when Wraith rushed ahead, a trail of fire following his blazing weapon...

* * *

 _Earlier..._

Prior to their shipping out to Aphran, the 501st had been outfitted with the latest iteration of the anti-Wraith Clone unit known as Jaeger Company. Comprised of the same specialist troopers that made up the original Jaeger Regiment, this new company was part of the effort to provide every army unit with an option to combat The Wraith with. Joining this unit aboard the Resolute was Commander Thrawn himself, who was there to oversee the efforts of Jaeger Company on Chancellor Palaptine's behalf and provide Anakin with any tactical observations and suggestions.

With the Resolute streaking through hyperspace and preparations well underway for their arrival, Commander Thrawn was strolling through the halls of the ship, on his way to the bridge and a meeting with Anakin Skywalker. However, he was waylaid when a voice called out to him from behind.

"Commander Thrawn!" Stopping and turning around, the Chiss discovered it was Anakin's apprentice, Ahsoka, that was jogging up behind him and asking for his attention. "Do you have a moment to talk?" She wondered. Thrawn nodded.

"I do, Commander Tano." He replied. "What would you like to discuss?"

"I wanted to talk about Wraith. No surprise there." The Togruta answered.

"Indeed. He is something of a popular topic amongst the members of the military." Thrawn tilted his head in agreement. "I'm assuming you are asking in anticipation of seeing him on Aphran Four?" He asked. Ahsoka nodded. "Is there a particular angle you wish to discuss?" Ahsoka nodded again.

"I remember how you once said that Wraith may be forced to do the things he does lest he get tortured for disobeying. I was hoping you might be able to help me understand Wraith's mentality, 'cause I'm trying to see if I can't get through to him." She explained, making Thrawn the first to ever hear about her true intentions concerning the super-soldier.

"I see." The Chiss thoughtfully replied, removing his arms from behind his back in order to stroke his chin. "First of all, I would like to commend your caring spirit. But I should also warn you that it can become an exploitable weakness if you lose control of it." He cautioned her. Ahsoka nodded, having grappled with the same matter herself. "Keep in mind the possibility you are pursuing is just that: a possibility. Wraith could very well be a hardcore loyalist, as one would assume based on his immediate actions. However, his speech patterns and courses of action in varying circumstances can offer a clue as to exactly what kind of person he is." Pausing to ensure Ahsoka understood his every word, as every word was important, Thrawn moved to continue by asking a question. "Tell me Commander Tano, during your interactions with him aboard the Yuuzhan Vong vessel, what was he like?" The Padawan recalled the strange events of that day, specifically every moment she shared with Wraith. She remembered how focused he was and how calculating he could be, determining the composition of the walls and feeling the thrum of the engines beneath their feet. She remembered how his speech was often short and brief, unless he was making a verbal jab at Anakin. She remembered how he could be lethal and violent, especially when they encountered the beings aboard that vessel. She remembered how supportive he was of her points and suggestions, how he was calm around her and protective of her...

How broad and large his body was and how warm he felt when he was simply leaning over her shoulder...

Before she could forget, or get lost in her current recollection, she quickly formed an answer for Thrawn.

"I guess it depended on the situation." Ahsoka finally said. "He was very goal-oriented, very strategic. Everything he did was for the sake of his objective. He always talked down to Anakin too, but I suppose that's justifiable since Anakin was always insulting him. He was violent when he needed to be but generally calm and tactical most of the time. Although there was that one moment when he and Anakin almost came to blows, so I guess he wasn't always calm." She described. Thrawn slowly nodded as he digested the information presented to him. His strategic mind processing the descriptions and breaking them down, the Chiss commander mentally compared and contrasted Ahsoka's experience with his own.

"What you have described to me, Commander, is the true nature of The Wraith." Thrawn told her. "His violent side only appears under violent circumstances, his anger arises only when it is provoked and his mind is always at work." He summarized. "If anything, this is the true Wraith that you must appeal to. However, as a test subject, he may suffer shifts in his mindset so anticipate a constant change in his thoughts and behavior." He added. Ahsoka nodded.

"Okay. But I should focus on a general understanding of him, right?" She wondered.

"Correct." Thrawn agreed with a tilt of his head. "Now, if you wish to understand his general mentality you will have to think in reverse." He continued. "The way individuals think often determines how they act. Therefore, look at his actions and see where they come from. Ask yourself 'Why does he do the things he does?'" Leaving his statement open-ended, Thrawn purposely left some room for Ahsoka to answer the question. Realizing he was waiting for her to respond, Ahsoka hesitantly spoke the first thing that came to her mind.

"Because he's being forced to...?" She hesitantly answered.

"Perhaps. Or perhaps it is simply a demonstration of who he is." Thrawn replied. "Wraith has undoubtedly been taught and trained to view the Republic negatively, which would explain why he therefore responds negatively whenever he sees someone of Republic affiliation, be it either in his words, actions or his general attitude."

"But he's not generally negative when it comes to me." Ahsoka interjected. "So how does that work?" Thrawn paused to consider her question. Instead of going off track and pondering the simple out of character move, Thrawn decided to put his lesson into practice.

"Ask yourself, 'why?' Why is Wraith not negative towards you?" He suggested. "While I cannot answer, perhaps it has something to do with who you are, Commander Tano. The way you act towards him or around him, the way you talk to him, it could be any one of a myriad of things." Ahsoka nodded, but determined there was another answer. It might not necessarily be what she did, as much as it was what he did. Wraith did like her, therefore he probably tempered his attitude and acted differently because of this. But she dared not inform Commander Thrawn about this, simply because the Jedi Council wished for this to remain a matter they dealt with. "I understand you have made an effort to communicate with Wraith, opting to try and talk him out of a situation rather than engaging him in combat." Thrawn noted, having observed several reports and been present for certain conversations with Anakin.

"Well, I have fought him before." She explained, remembering her fight with him on Saleucami. "But I guess, out of all the Jedi, I have been more open to trying to redeem him instead of just blasting him."

"As you have said. Perhaps he treats you so differently because he is aware of your thoughts concerning him." Thrawn suggested. "But I caution you to tread carefully Commander. Should you persist acting this way, Wraith may grow tired of your attempts to rehabilitate him and you will find him far less open to talking and more prone to attacking you." Ahsoka nodded, but didn't quite accept what he said. While with anyone else that could be a probability, she had a feeling Wraith wouldn't attack her. Not when he appeared to be so smitten with her.

Evidently her reluctance was obvious enough that Thrawn took notice.

"I can see the hesitation in your eyes." He commented. "There is something more about Wraith, isn't there? Something you know." Ahsoka froze, afraid to say anything. Should she let Thrawn in on this? Should she fake her reaction with some kind of excuse?

"Well..." she began, sounding hesitant and unsure. What should she say? Maybe she could fabricate some kind of-

No. Lying was wrong. With a sigh, Ahsoka relented... but under one condition. "Can you keep a secret? Just from the Clones?" She wondered. Thrawn tipped his head.

"I can." Knowing he was a man of his word, Ahsoka took a deep breath before continuing.

"Wraith seems to... well... h-he likes me, apparently." She admitted. Thrawn stroked his chin, processing this development.

"Fascinating." He mused. "To what degree does he like you? As a friend? More than that?" He wondered.

"M-More than that..." Ahsoka answered. Thrawn nodded slowly.

"I see." Now that he was aware that Wraith had romantic feelings for Ahsoka, his tactical mind began to sort through the information, pinpointing various well-known reasons for such an attraction. "Are you wondering why he does so, especially when there are plenty of Jedi women to choose from?" He asked. Not sure if she should be offended by that or not, Ahsoka slowly nodded.

"Well... that has crossed my mind." She replied.

"Again, to reiterate my earlier point, it may be something to do with who you are as a person, Commander Tano." Thrawn stated. "I would suggest you take some time to think about both yourself and Wraith, who you are, who he is as a person, and then look to yourself to see what you have that he finds so appealing. Always ask the 'why' questions, especially when it comes to The Wraith." He suggested. Ahsoka nodded in understanding. Maybe she could explore it during her daily meditation. "No two Jedi are exactly the same. Surely you possess some element of character that others do not. Maybe that is the reason why Wraith is so drawn to you." The Chiss theorized. Silence ensued as Ahsoka digested what Thrawn had to say, finding him very knowledgeable and a source of good information. "You'll forgive me if I excuse myself. Your master has requested my presence." Thrawn stated, politely excusing himself from the conversation. Ahsoka nodded, Thrawn turning and leaving her presence. Left standing alone, Ahsoka slowly crossed her arms as she started thinking about the evident connections that had been made.

Wraith liked her because of either who she was or what she did. She could use this as a means of getting through to him. The _real_ him.

Thrawn was right, she had been expecting to see him on Aphran. But she had been wanting to have this conversation for a while. Ahsoka had been trying to figure out Wraith for so long, desperate to understand him. All she knew was that he was tough, violent, seemingly unstoppable and liked her in a romantic sense. But now, thanks to Thrawn, she could see past his outward appearance and get an understanding of the man under the armor and the reputation. She just wanted to help him and, besides, she didn't know a thing about a reciprocating feelings of attraction. She found it hard to like a heavily armored, expressionless exterior.

But there was no time for that now.

She was about to enter a war zone.

* * *

 _Presently..._

The fiery blade of Tyth clashed with Anakin's lightsaber, yellow fire blazing bright against the solid blue blade.

" _Getting slow in your old age, Skywalker?_ " Wraith taunted. Anakin growled in response and spun around to strike again, only to have Wraith parry his blow and lash out with a kick that caught him in the ribs. Stumbling backwards, Anakin clutched his side, certain there would be a bruise.

"You're not getting Aphran!" He stated in a determined voice.

" _I'm not... but the Separatists will be._ " Wraith retorted, standing tall and cutting an imposing figure, being a whole half a head taller than Anakin. The Jedi's gaze narrowed.

"I'll kill you before that happens." He threatened. His darkened tone was enough to surprise the adjacent Ahsoka and Rex who stood behind him. Wraith merely chuckled at his words and deactivated Tyth, holding his arms open.

" _I'd like to see you try._ " He shot back, challenging him. Seeing this as an open invitation, Anakin rushed forward and leapt into the air, spinning around and bringing his lightsaber down with a cry.

The blade smashed into Wraith's helmet... and did nothing.

This particular helmet had been layered with cortosis armor, providing maximum protection against all forms of damage. And it's unique properties allowed for total protection from any kind of lightsaber damage... along with a few other perks.

Anakin's eyes opened even wider when his lightsaber blade fizzled and deactivated, the unique properties of cortosis forcing it to power off.

Taking a step forward, Wraith drew his arm back and delivered a massive uppercut that smashed into Anakin's gut with so much force that it sent the Jedi flying and put him flat on his back. Rex and Ahsoka were by his side in an instant.

"General! You alright?" Rex asked, helping him up. Anakin slowly sat up with a cough, trying to get some air back into his lungs.

"Rex... get... get Jaeger Company in here..." He wheezed.

"Roger that, sir." The Clone nodded, going for his comms. "All units! Target The Wraith! Jaeger Company, you are clear for deployment!" Rex commanded into his communicator. The Clones along their line immediately opened fire, a barrage of blue laser bolts striking Wraith in rapid succession. Unfazed, Wraith stowed his firesaber and backed up, drawing his pistols and opening fire. His impeccable aim proved true again as he felled Clone after Clone with headshots. But as the bodies dropped, a group of Clone commandos appeared over the ridge behind the Republic lines. They turned their weapons on Wraith and opened fire, some sporting DC-17m's, others using ACP Repeaters and ACP scatter guns. One of them set up an E-Web heavy repeating blaster and took charge of the tripod-mounted turret. A flurry of rounds peppered the ground around Wraith, kicking up showers of dirt as a few ricocheted off his armor. Wraith looked up and recognized the commandos from Diado.

" _These things again..._ " He growled. But there was some optimism to this. " _Good thing I've learned from last time._ " Reaching for his belt, Wraith triggered his shield projector, enveloping him in a protective energy bubble. " _All droids, continue the assault. I will deal with the 'irregular' Clones._ " He ordered, ensuring the droid barrage continued. As his mechanical allies opened fire, Wraith drew his slugthrowers and took aim at the approaching Jaeger Company.

The incoming Clones were unprepared for the devastating effectiveness of Wraith's new fifty-caliber slugthrowers. A single round ripped through the head of a commando, splattering the ground behind him with blood and brain matter and blowing open a sizeable hole in his head. Wraith unleashed a hail of furious lead upon the Clones, blowing their bodies apart with his powerful weaponry. Commando after commando fell dead with a blown-out head as others were ripped to pieces in other ways, their blood staining the ground in growing accumulation. The trooper behind the repeating blasters was swiftly dealt with, his head blown open by a slug, before Wraith dispatched his turret with a flick of his wrist and an explosive detonated moments later, destroying the weapon with a plume of fire.

The rest of the 501st watched with sinking hopes as Jaeger Company was destroyed with ridiculous effectiveness.

"He's just tearing them apart!" One Clone commented. "Jaeger Company is useless!" He bemoaned, feeling that they were done for.

"Sir, orders?" Rex wondered, turning to Anakin. The Jedi thought hard on their problem. The current unit of Clones might not be of any use against Wraith... but there was a group that had yet to be summoned to this fight.

A group of Clones that might be their ticket to victory.

"Rex, order the men to retreat back to our line, then contact the Resolute and call in the blaze troopers!" He commanded.

"Sir, yes sir!" Rex shouted, snapping to attention. The newest specialist Clones added to Jaeger Company, blaze troopers were Clones who wore massive suits of armor, sporting jet packs and flamethrowers. Their strength and speed increased to incredible levels by these suits, the hope was they had what it took to overpower The Wraith.

If such a feat could be achieved...

The Clones before Wraith started falling back, leaving their fallen brothers' corpses behind. The super-soldier slowly lowered his tools and basked in the sight before him.

They had them on the run.

" _At this rate, I'll be home in time for dinner._ " He jokingly mused, reloading his slugthrowers and holstering them. " _Droids, advance!_ " The command carried down through the lines and the mechanized war machines started to move, passing Wraith as they pressed their advantage.

An advantage that would not last.

Suddenly, from the skies above, a group of six blaze troopers crashed into the ground before the main Republic force. Their armor decorated with yellow stripes and Republic emblems, they looked like such a fearsome group that many of the droids stopped in their tracks. The Clones began lumbering forward, slowly picking up speed as they raised their arms, flamethrowers lit and ready to unleash a torrent of melting heat. " _All units, move around to attack the Republic flanks... leave these things to me._ " Wraith ordered, knowing these new Clones would wreak havoc amongst the regular units and that only he had what it took to down these armored foes.

Probably.

" _Scipio, I need some advice on how to counter these things. Have anything?_ " He asked into his comms, seeking some exterior assistance. Waiting as the doctor queued up the live feed from his optics, Wraith was anticipating some kind of tactical response.

What he got instead, was the exact opposite.

"Oh... Oh no..." Scipio muttered, laying eyes on the blaze troopers. "My boy, my advice to you is to turn around and run, run away!" He urged, determining there was not a whole lot to be done against such hulking troopers. Wraith paused and would've looked at his doctor askance if he could see him.

He was not one to leave a fight behind, nor was he one to run at the sight of a new foe. Regardless of how they looked, they could be killed, of this he was certain.

" _Doc, I don't run,_ " He responded before breaking into a sprint, " _I stand and fight!_ " Booking it towards the nearest blaze trooper, Wraith balled his hands into fists as he got ready for a fight. He would show the Republic he was not afraid of whatever kind of Clone they threw his way.

He would kill them just like he killed all the others.

Drawing closer, Wraith jumped ahead, arm reared back as he prepared to punch this Clone right out of his armor.

But then the trooper grabbed his fist and halted him in his tracks.

Wraith was stunned. No one Clone had ever had the power to stop him. His thoughts were cut short when the blaze trooper rounded a hard retaliatory punch to his chest that sent Wraith flying through the air with incredible force. Skidding across the ground and kicking up dirt in his wake he eventually slowed himself to a stop. Wraith groaned and growled as he rolled to his feet, taking a moment to eye the sizeable dent left behind in his chest armor. " _Ow._ " He rasped. The Clone certainly had some additional strength when in that suit. This would certainly change things. Flexing his bruised chest and shrugging off the lingering pain, Wraith determined he needed to adjust his tactics in order to fit the new dynamic this battle had taken on.

And he'd have to adapt soon, as he sighted another blaze trooper rocketing towards him.

Backflipping away from the approaching Clone, Wraith drew his blaster pistols and opened fire. The trooper's suit was heavily armored, thick plating providing more than enough defense against Wraith's sidearms. Wraith then shifted his aim and broke into a run, trying to avoid the oncoming trooper while simultaneously firing at its head. But even those rounds bounced off the armored helm of the blaze trooper's suit. " _Geez, they really threw everything into this one._ " Wraith muttered. Dodging out the the trooper's reach, he could feel the breeze of the shockwave as the trooper pounded the ground with his mighty fist, the ground where he once stood crushed. Hot flames burst from the trooper's flamethrower as he turned his weapon on Wraith, a trail of chemical fire igniting the ground behind the super-soldier as he took off running again. Bounding across a fallen tree, Wraith suddenly found another blaze trooper barrelling towards him.

The soldier was trapped with nowhere to go.

The blaze trooper's heavy shoulder came crashing into Wraith with immense force, sending the soldier flying back and into the grip of the Clone he'd just been trying to avoid. The iron grip of the trooper's armored hand wrapped around his head before he smashed Wraith into the ground. He didn't stay there long as Wraith suddenly found himself being picked up and thrown towards another blaze trooper. That one rounded a hard punch to the super-solider's head with such force that it snapped Wraith's head to the side and sent the commando flying in a different direction. Stunned beyond recovery, Wraith flailed wildly through the air before he crashed into the ground, sent sprawling for several feet until he slowed to a halt. He didn't immediately get back up, his body feeling too sore.

"Wraith, come in!" Scipio called into his comms. Having been watching through the live feed, he had witnessed every punishing blow and bruising hit and was desperate to turn this situation around. Wraith only managed to groan in response as he forced his body up. "Wraith? Are you alright?" Scipio asked.

" _That depends,_ " Wraith grumbled, shaking his head, " _how good of a dentist are you?_ " As full cognition returned, he suddenly realized that his left optic had been cracked, resulting in some static across his HUD.

These blaze troopers were becoming a real problem.

Rising to his feet, Wraith's scanners alerted him to the presence of individuals behind him. With the new blaze troopers before him, Wraith realized he now had the Republic forces at his back. They had him surrounded. No doubt this had been their plan all along, to force him into an unwinnable position. The droids had long since retreated, the coming blaze troopers scaring them off as the fell back to regroup. Wraith was alone and, seemingly, at the Republic's mercy.

If that was the case, then they had seriously underestimated his training. There was no battle he couldn't win, no odds he couldn't overcome. After all, he wasn't a solider. He was a _super-_ soldier.

Squaring his shoulders and standing his ground, Wraith stood ready as the blaze troopers advanced towards him.

But his sensors suddenly alerted him to the immediate presence of another individual, one that was directly behind him. Giving the quickest of glances over his shoulder, he suddenly realized that Ahsoka was directly behind him. If these foolish Clones used their flamethrowers on him, as they likely would, she too would be caught in the blast zone!

His survival took a backseat as his mind shifted to focus fully on her safety.

Triggering his shield generator, Wraith turned and sprinted towards her. He could hear the flamethrowers igniting behind him. " _Incoming!_ " He cried, leaping towards her. The shocked Ahsoka had no time to move as Wraith suddenly pinned her to the ground as a burst of flame engulfed them. His protective shield was enough to contain both of them, however, and Ahsoka found herself completely safe beneath Wraith.

That didn't mean she wasn't a little bewildered.

"What're you...? Why did you...?" She wondered, trying to find the right words to ask.

" _Had I moved in any other direction, you've been caught by the flames._ " He answered, revealing his wholesome intentions. The fire died down as Anakin called for the troopers to stop. They wouldn't dare fire as long as he was near their commander. " _Are you alright?_ " He asked her.

"I... I-I think so." Ahsoka replied with a slight stammer. Wraith released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

" _Good... Good._ " He breathed, relieved to know she had not been harmed.

His moment of calm was cut short when a Force blast from Anakin threw him off of Ahsoka and sent him sprawling.

"Get off my Padawan, you monster!" He shouted, quickly stepping between them with his lightsaber drawn.

" _I just saved her! You dim-witted nerf!_ " Wraith growled in retort as he sprang to his feet, all pain subsiding instantly thanks to a sudden adrenaline rush. " _Then again, you can hardly see anything past your over-inflated ego!_ " Anakin frowned at his barb, ready with a response.

"Men, open fire!" He commanded. A barrage of blaster rounds leapt forth from the Republic lines, slamming into Wraith as the blue bolts pelted him over and over again. Thankful for his armor, Wraith triggered his shield generator before deploying his blades. He began to move, stalking towards the Clones as his shield absorbed every shot.

But he was stopped in his tracks when a blast of flame enveloped his protective bubble.

The Clones ceased firing as a pair of blaze troopers jetted back onto the scene, one of them using his flamethrower to keep Wraith at bay.

"Don't worry sir, we've got him!" One of them called to Anakin before he charged ahead and brought a fist crashing down into Wraith's shield. The blow was absorbed, but when the other blaze trooper also started pounding away at his shield, Wraith started to worry...

* * *

 _Aboard the Resolute..._

From his position on the bridge of the Resolute, Commander Thrawn was granted the perfect means by which to observe the unfolding battle below. Thanks to a series of monitors and sensors installed in the armors of both the blaze troopers and members of Jaeger Company, the tactical genius was able to see and observe every action made with perfect clarity.

But while he was supposed to be monitoring the Clone's actions, he found himself drawn towards Wraith's inexplicable move to protect Ahsoka instead of fending off the blaze troopers another way. The moment was so uncharacteristic of him that Thrawn replayed the moment over again, watching as Wraith deliberately chose not to engage his enemy for a split second. Folding his hands together, Thrawn leaned forward as he witnessed Wraith suddenly turn and tackle Ahsoka, protecting her from the flames.

"Fascinating." He quietly mused. "Without Commander Tano's prior insights I never would've found such actions explicable. But to see them fully realized..." Trailing off, Thrawn replayed the moment again, his scrutinizing and calculating gaze memorizing Wraith's body language. "Surely there is even _more_ to Wraith than meets the eye... this new angle requires further study. Perhaps Wraith has some exploitable _human_ tendencies that have yet to be fully revealed."

* * *

The personal energy field had been designed to absorb some of the toughest energy salvos military-grade weaponry had to offer. It could withstand a simple punch with ease.

The blaze troopers discovered this truth... and turned Wraith into a pinball.

The super-soldier found himself protected, but also getting pitched back and forth by the mighty swings of the blaze troopers. Each impact was like an invisible punch that sent him careening into across the ground, sometimes into trees and sometimes through trees, as the troopers did their best to knock him senseless. One particular punch knocked him through the air, but he managed to take control of his flight and landed on his feet, heels sliding deep into the dirt as he halted. Dropping his energy field, Wraith carefully affixed a pair of chains to his gauntlets. The troopers moved in to attack, jet packs aflame as they rushed forward without hesitation.

Staring them down through his cracked optics, Wraith waited for his moment to strike.

The blaze troopers, anticipating another close-range showdown, were not expecting Wraith to sprint forward, leap into the air and draw his chain blades. With a roar he descended on the blaze troopers, spinning his blades around and around. The troopers were unprepared for his assault, his weaponry tearing deep scars through their armor. Faltering in their flight, the blaze troopers crashed into the ground as Wraith's blades returned to him, blood staining their edges. Landing on his feet, Wraith wasted no time walking over to the downed Clones.

" _You got lucky. These things can slice a man in two._ " He noted, stowing his weapons within the tails of his jacket. The Clones groaned in response as they struggled to rise, pain flaring from the scars ripped across their chests. Planting his boot on the back on one, Wraith drew a blaster pistol. " _Now then..._ " He started, but his thought went unfinished as he heard a cry from behind him. Whirling about, a pair of rocket troopers knelt a short distance away, launchers aiming for him.

"Hope you like rockets, you silver-plated psychopath!" One of them shouted. His projectile shot through the air. Wraith barely had time to holster his weapon before the first rocket slammed right into his chest, exploding and staggering the soldier. But the second one he snatched out of the air and crushed in his grip. His enhanced armor-plating allowed him to take the shot, but only just. Still, it was enough to make the rocket troopers look on in shock and awe.

Just another incident to add to his 'invincible' credibility.

" _It'll take more than rockets to stop me..._ " He growled, shoulders heaving for air.

"Then allow us to try something harder!" Another blaze trooper called, charging in without hesitation. Wraith managed to register the threat just in time for the trooper to round an uppercut straight to his mid-section. The blow, powered by his momentum, hit home with such force it cracked Wraith's ribs, launching him backwards as he gasped for air. The super-soldier slammed into a nearby tree, his ears ringing but the vague whoops and joyous shouts of the Clones were faintly audible. Groaning as he fell to the ground, Wraith was given no reprieve as another blaze trooper descended upon him, grabbing him and tossing him back towards his fellows. Trapped in the clutches of another trooper, Wraith found himself being literally flung back and forth, his body slammed down on the ground, the resounding crack of shattered bone loud enough for all to hear. Lying flat on his back, finding movement far too painful and gasping for air, Wraith glanced at Ahsoka and saw a look of pain and desperation in her eyes.

She wanted to help him, to put an end to this. But she was powerless to do so.

Their connected gaze was torn as the blaze trooper picked Wraith up and slammed him back into the ground before turning and flinging him through the air. His flying body shattered a nearby tree, sending splinters of wood exploding everywhere as he smashed through it. As Wraith disappeared from view, the blaze troopers took off in pursuit, leaving the Republic forces to watch with a sense of triumph.

But... not all of them were feeling triumphant.

Ahsoka stood by, concerned by the constant beating Wraith was suffering. She knew it was important to take him down, but how far was too far?

"Master? I think he's done." She commented, looking over to Anakin. He was busy watching the fight play out, a pleased smirk on his face.

"You think so, Snips?" He replied, casting a glance at her. Ahsoka nodded. "Well, I don't." He promptly added in a dark tone. He was enjoying this far too much to call an end to it.

After everything Wraith had done, this payback was long overdue. "Trooper! Take another round out of him." He commanded, Ahsoka looking surprised and afraid as he blatantly disregarded her comment.

"Yes sir!" The blaze trooper affirmed, moving on to pursue Wraith.

Some distance away, Wraith was lying in a heap on the ground. Dirt and fragments of wood covered his body, his armor was scratched and dented and his uniform was less than spotless. Groaning as he fought to move, Wraith could feel pain flaring in his chest, his cracked ribs the likely culprit. He was sore and bruised already, the broken bones not helping his situation.

Just because he could still function even with such amassing injuries didn't mean he couldn't feel the pain that kept pulsing through his body.

The roar of the blaze troopers rockets off in the distance indicated he should be getting up. Fighting past the pain and forcing himself to a crouched position, Wraith knew he needed to stave off these crippling sensations.

" _Well... at least my limbs aren't broken._ " He mused, drawing a shot of back from within his jacket and injecting himself with it.

 _Feels like someone's getting a good thrashing._ The voice in his head suddenly commented. _I mean, I'm all for causing you some due harm... but this is a tad aggressive._ Wraith glanced up and sighed as the all-too familiar tone echoed through his mind.

" _Wow... that last hit was so hard I'm hearing voices..._ " He dryly said.

 _Ha ha. You're a real laugh-riot._ Voice shot back, snark and sarcasm ripe within his words. Rolling his eyes, Wraith forced himself to his feet.

" _What do you want? I'm in the middle of getting my butt handed to me._ " He wondered.

 _Well, this is my body too. Figure I'd better help save some wear and tear._ Voice replied.

" _Oh yeah? And what do you recommend? I've tried a few things already, these Clones are super tough._ " Wraith informed him, straightening up and wincing as his cracked ribs caused him more pain.

 _So I've noticed. Have you thought about a non-violent solution?_ Voice asked.

" _Non-violent? Are you serious?! Look at them!_ " Wraith exclaimed.

 _I am. Are you looking close enough?_ Voice calmly replied. Wraith stopped, realizing that the voice in his head had actually been able to notice something he hadn't.

Maybe it would finally be of use...

" _What're you on about, voice?_ " He wondered.

 _Well, those suits are pretty mechanized. If only there was some 'electrical' way to shut them down..._ Voice replied, teasingly hinting at his discovery. Wraith turned and trained his scanners on the inbound blaze troopers. Despite the crack in his optic, his sensors relayed a pinpoint analysis of the trooper's upper armor... and revealed the hidden reality Voice had stumbled across.

" _Of course... the upper armor must require some kind of servomechanism to allow the joints to move. Freezing it would stop the whole body!_ " He realized, his mind applying basic-level mechanics principles to the advanced designs of these Clones.

 _See? Now you're thinking!_ Voice applauded, actually glad Wraith had discovered his non-violent solution. Rushing forward, Wraith equipped a pair of shock chips and got ready to put his wounded body through an obstacle course. The leading blaze trooper spied Wraith sprinting towards them and chuckled to himself.

"Guess you're a glutton for punishment, huh? Well, allow me to oblige you!" He shouted lunging ahead with his arm reared back, ready to strike. His fist crashed into the ground, missing the soldier as Wraith jumped over his fist and pushed off his shoulder, flying towards the other troopers. Despite his injuries, Wraith moved with the grace of a veteran acrobat, bouncing off Clones and somersaulting over them, dodging each one of their blows. When the last blaze trooper entered his view, Wraith switched tactics. He climbed the trooper around to the back of his armor before slamming both shock chips into his shoulder joints. The initial blast of electricity created enough feedback to forcibly lock-up the rest of the armored joints, dropping the blaze trooper to the ground. Drawing a slugthrower, Wraith blew the Clone's head to pieces with a single shot, putting an end to one of his foes.

 _Hey! I thought I said 'non-violent'?_ Voice exclaimed.

" _I guess I wasn't listening to that part._ " Wraith retorted, stowing his weapon.

 _You're a real piece of work. You know that?_ Voice sighed, knowing it was pointless to try and deter Wraith's violent tendencies. Wraith chuckled, drawing another set of shock chips as the other blaze troopers turn to see him standing on the corpse of their brother.

" _Now then... who wants some?_ " He wondered, trying to ensure he posed as big a threat as they did. In response, the blaze troopers raised their arms and blasted Wraith with their flamethrowers. The super-soldier managed to raise his arms in time to shield himself from the blast of fire coming his way. Intense heat ripped past him, scorching his armor unlike any explosion he'd ever endured before.

This had to rank just under the orbital bombardment in terms of intensity.

Managing to leap off the Clone beneath him, Wraith patted out the small flames still licking at his arms. But he had to keep moving as the blaze troopers followed with their incinerating weapons, ready to roast him alive if they could. " _Glad my armor's been fireproofed."_ He mused, patting out the last of the fires on his arms. " _Got a 'Plan B'?"_ He asked the voice, sizing up the remaining five troopers.

 _I think I'll leave that in your court._ Voice replied, evidently drawing a blank.

" _Violence it is._ " Wraith determined, deciding to go back to what he knew best. He'd been doing his own bit of reconnaissance, scanning over the armor of the blaze troopers, and he believed he had discovered a few more obvious weak points.

Ones that, if exploited, would have deadly results.

A surge of adrenaline dulling his pain, Wraith rolled out of the way of one trooper before he was forced back to his feet and leap away from another's punch. He happened to be swinging with the same arm his flamethrower was mounted to, giving Wraith exactly what he wanted. Blaster pistol in hand and drawing a bead, Wraith fired a single round from his pistol. Streaking through the air it punctured the fuel line and ignited it, an explosion of fire consuming the trooper's arm and incinerating half his body instantly as his flamethrower combusted. " _Don't these things know that exposed flammable liquids are a workplace safety hazard?_ " He quipped, turning and running so as to deal with the rest of the troopers. Another blaze trooper came rocketing in, bearing down on Wraith and ready to beat him black and... well, more blue. But the super-soldier anticipated his rudimentary plan and drew his other blaster pistol. Taking a single step forward, Wraith launched himself into the air and vaulted over the incoming trooper. In mid-flip, he fired two blasts, aiming for the trooper's backpack. His aim proved true and his rounds tore into the fuel pods of the jet pack, igniting them with explosive results. Landing on his feet, Wraith stood tall as the trooper behind him was consumed in a ball of fire. Holstering his weaponry, Wraith stood face to face with the three final blaze troopers. He recognized two of them as the ones he'd scarred with his chain blades, a series of broad tears cutting across their chests. Seeing them raise their flamethrowers, Wraith promptly triggered his shield, walking forward as jets of flame enveloped him. The troopers realized their ineffective efforts and quickly stopped, not wanting to waste any more fuel.

"Aw, great. This again." One of them grumbled.

"Come on, lads. We can take him! We have to... for our brothers!" Another encouraged.

"Yeah! First we crack the shell, then we roast the nut inside!" The last one cheered, jetting forward with his allies beside him. Wraith took note of their approach and decided that they weren't the only ones who could play with fire.

" _Time to fight fire with fire!_ " He stated, drawing Tyth and igniting it once more. His yellow blade flickered and rippled with life, raw power rolling through the blade. Gripping Tyth with both hands, Wraith stood ready and waiting for the blaze troopers to draw close enough. His hope was to cut them all down in one swing, the supernatural heat enough to do some damage to them all as long as the sword had enough reach.

Instead, something else happened.

As Wraith swung his fiery blade, the trail of flame behind it grew larger and longer. As he finished his swipe, he realized he had sent a wave of flame towards his foes. The blast was great enough to scorch the troopers' armor and knock them back. Standing up straight, Wraith eyed his weapon curiously. " _Huh. That's new._ " He commented. " _Guess there's more to this saber than meets the eye._ " Twirling Tyth around in his grip, Wraith charged ahead towards the collapsed troopers. Leaping into the air, ready to slam his blade down atop the nearest Clone, the blaze trooper suddenly triggered his jet pack and launched himself out of the way, narrowly missing Wraith's blade as it slammed into the ground. The blaze troopers took off into the air and started circling Wraith, putting him in a position where he questioned what to do next.

Instinct told him to use Tyth. Logic told him to draw his other weapons.

Stowing his firesaber, Wraith drew his slugthrowers and took aim at the nearest trooper, firing rapidly. The slugs buried into the armor, leaving sizeable holes in their wake, but did not pierce all the way through, indicating this particular plating was made of some tough stuff. The Clones were moving to erratically for him to take aim at any particular target, leaving Wraith in a vulnerable position. Two of the blaze troopers dove in and out, hassling him but not truly engaging him.

They were buying time for their ally.

"Come 'ere!" The other trooper shouted as he dove in from behind, grabbing Wraith in a bear-hug grip from behind and slamming him into the ground, pinning him beneath his armored body before he stood and promptly blasted him point-blank with his flamethrower. Wraith cried out with the sudden impact and the crushing pin, the roasting flames adding to his pain. They subsided after a moment only for Wraith to suffer another crushing blow to his back as the blaze troopers descended upon him.

* * *

The Republic watched the beating unfold for several minutes, unbearable minutes to Ahsoka, before Anakin finally called the troopers off. The three hulking blaze troopers backed off, leaving a seriously beaten up Wraith lying on the ground. His armor was dented and cracked, his jacket disheveled and dirty, even his helmet looked worn and damaged. His left optic, originally cracked, had now been completely shattered. As the Republic forces drew closer, some of them could see a closed eye, exposed for all to see beneath his helmet. Wraith groaned a little as he grew vaguely aware of his surroundings, knocked senseless by the blaze trooper's beating.

"Not so tough now, are ya Bucket-head?" Fives wondered mockingly, earning quite a few chuckles from his fellow Clones.

" _Kriff... off..._ " Wraith growled, the only reply he could summon. Fives responded with a swift kick to Wraith's side, right in his broken ribs. He grimaced, biting back a cry of pain and releasing only a growl instead. While the Clones chuckled, smug in their victory, Ahsoka winced. They were supposed to be better than the Separatists, not stooping to their level! It didn't seem right for Wraith to be treated like this even if he was their enemy.

Especially if he was being forced to do this.

"I think I'm gonna take a moment to enjoy this sight." Anakin announced, dropping down next to the super-soldier. "The Wraith... down and defeated. Beaten by me and my men." Rex and the others nodded, glad to have been a part of such a historic moment.

They believed The Wraith to have been finally taken down.

" _How... typical of you... Skywalker..._ " Wraith rasped. " _Taking credit... for someone else's work... that you were too weak and too... stupid to do... yourself..._ " He growled, still possessing enough fight to hurl an insult or two. Anakin frowned and slowly gripped Wraith's neck in his mechanical hand.

"Give up, Wraith. Your days of fighting us are over..." Anakin growled, leaning close enough to see in perfect detail the skin of his closed eyelid and the darkened hairs of his eyebrow. "You're finished." He stated, squeezing a little tighter and forcing the super-soldier into submission. Ahsoka watched with a worried look, wondering if Anakin would start choking Wraith and if she would have to intervene.

But to her relief, he released his hold and stood up. Ahsoka breathed a quiet sigh as he did. "Rex, contact the Resolute... and have them ready up a prisoner transport." Anakin ordered. The Clone saluted before moving to his comms.

Down on the ground, Wraith couldn't believe his misfortune. He had severely underestimated the capabilities of these new Clones and he was forced to pay a heavy price because of his foolishness. He wanted to look for Ahsoka. Her presence always comforted him in some strange, inexplicable way. But he couldn't find the strength to even move his head.

The crackling of his comms stirred him from his destitute state as a voice filled his ears.

"Wraith? Can you move at all?" Scipio asked, sounding very concerned.

" _No..._ " He quietly replied, unable to fight past the pain burning in his limbs. He had a feeling a lot of bones had been broken. Scipio sighed. He had stood by and watched, hoping Wraith would have enough strength to overcome these blaze troopers and win the day, like he always did. But the facts didn't lie and his bio-scanners indicated Wraith had too many wounds to function normally.

He had no other option than to fallback on Protocol Four.

"I'm doing this for your own good, my boy..." Scipio mused. He reached over to a nearby panel and tapped a single button. "Voice command: engage Protocol Four!" He commanded into his mic. The words registered with Wraith, echoing in his hearing. But the words made no sense.

" _Protocol what-?_ " He started to wonder when, suddenly, a shock of adrenaline shot through his body and his entire being became electrified as something was sparked within his mind. Wraith went rigid, shaking a little as the built-in fail-safe, the program designed to keep him out of enemy hands, took over his mind and body. The Clones suddenly turned back, watching as Wraith appeared to suffer a seizure. They exchanged questioning looks, wondering what was going on. But then, Wraith suddenly stopped moving and his exposed eye snapped wide open.

Revealing an amber iris and a vertical, reptilian pupil.

Suddenly grasping his slugthrowers and jumping to his feet, Wraith was raised to full height, towering over the Clones around him.

"What the-?" Anakin gaped, drawing his lightsaber. Before any of the Republic members could move, Wraith struck with lightning-fast strikes, demonstrating such speed unlike anyone had ever seen before. Within a minute half a dozen Clones lay dead on the ground, Wraith whirling about to face down Rex, Anakin and Ahsoka. While he did not move, his actions were enough to put them all on high alert.

Ahsoka looked into his visible eye, feeling shocked by what she saw. His powerful gaze remained fixed on them, the presence of an eye that did not look human enough to surprise and unnerve them all.

But the longer she looked, the more Ahsoka realized that something was off with him.

There was a blank look in his gaze. Like he was intensely focused on some task or mission but also like he was no longer in control of his body.

Or like he wasn't even there.

"Wraith... return to base." Scipio commanded him. Without any further encouragement, Wraith bolted past the the three and broke into a sprint, diving headlong into the woods as he kicked up a trail of leaves behind him. The Republic were shocked by his ridiculous display of superhuman speed.

"Where did he get this second wind from? We had him beaten!" Anakin shouted, completely caught off guard and bewildered by what he had just witnessed.

If he had even witnessed it. Wraith had moved so fast Anakin could barely keep track of his moves!

"Troopers! Get after him!" Anakin commanded. The remaining Clones moved to obey, taking off after Wraith into the wooded terrain.

* * *

Thrawn watched the entire scene play out before him, noting with careful precision Wraith's abnormal actions mere moments before his escape took place.

"Fascinating." He quietly mused. He waited a moment longer, watching Wraith stare down the Jedi before leaving almost as if he were on autopilot. "More than meets the eye, indeed..."

* * *

 _Later..._

The Clones returned to their lines after a prolonged chase in which they vainly attempted to track down Wraith.

"Did you get him?" Anakin asked the squad leader.

"Negative, sir." The Clone reported. "He managed to outrun us." He added. Anakin shook his head, befuddled by the fact that Wraith had enough speed to outrun Clones in perfect physical health while he had been lying on the ground like a wounded animal mere moments ago.

"Outrun-?" He repeated, trailing off before shaking his head and returning to the situation. "Never mind. We've chased him off and held the line. Looks like the day is ours after all." He surmised. Their victory would be an important one, and their successful holdout against The Wraith an even bigger one.

This was one of the few times they got to prove he was not an invincible threat.

Ahsoka, meanwhile, stood by herself, watching the Clones return. Her thoughts were rampant and confusing, the events of this day giving her a lot to think about.

But above all, the image of Wraith's single, unnatural eye had seemingly been burned into her mind. How had it come about? Was it a part of who he was? Or had it been the result of... whatever had given him his second wind...?

* * *

 _Elsewhere..._

Pomel Scipio paced back and forth in the base's hangar, waiting with limited patience as he anticipated Wraith's arrival. The effects of Protocol Four would only last for so long, hopefully long enough to get Wraith back before they wore off and overwhelming pain forced him back to the ground. Until now, they had not needed to employ Protocol Four. It proved to be a success, but the doctor had yet to see any adverse side-effects.

But when manipulating the body to release enough adrenaline to silence the pain receptors so that it might move and function normally, there were bound to be consequences. This was some mad science, all of it! The Wraith was the result of science unchained, a product of zero restraint!

Not like that was a bad thing.

His hopes lifted when Wraith's Aka'jor shuttle hovered into the hangar and touched down. Wraith stepped out and into the open moments later, standing tall and looking fierce... despite his obvious wounds.

"Well, you certainly look alright." He noted, giving Wraith a quick once over. The super-soldier made no reply. Scipio cocked his head. "Wraith?" He wondered. Still nothing. As he took another step forward, Wraith collapsed to the ground with a groan of pain. Scipio dashed over to the heap of a man lying on the ground. "Looks like the adrenaline surge has finally worn off." He mused, checking him over.

" _You... don't say..._ " Wraith rumbled, pulling off his helmet and casting it aside. Scipio hummed isn't agreement as he draped one of Wraith's arms around his neck, doing his best to lift him up off the floor.

"Come on, my boy. You need medical attention."

* * *

 _Later that day..._

The success of the blaze troopers in the defense of Aphran prompted military officials to petition Chancellor Palpatine for their prolonged use and widespread implementation throughout the Republic Army, a notion backed by Commander Thrawn and his personal insights as well as Anakin Skywalker. Although a costly initiative, Palpatine agreed and ordered the development of units for each wing of the army. Soon there would be a multitude of hulking blaze troopers joining the ranks of Jaeger Company's everywhere, ready to pose a threat to a particular super-solider. They had wounded him once, and they were ready to do so again...

 _Elsewhere..._

In reviewing the footage from Aphran, captured by Wraith's visual systems, Doctor Scipio determined this new breed of Clones was a bit much for Wraith and his bare essentials to handle. A new upgrade would be needed...

Turning to the Tenloss Syndicate, Scipio put in an order for a weapon that would level the playing field once and for all... and give Wraith a permanent advantage over his enemies.

But until then, the wounded super-solider would have to recoup and recover, preparing himself for the next battle without the aid of high-tech weaponry.

Wraith sat alone in his personal quarters, pondering things in the quiet of his mind. Given he was bedridden upon Scipio's orders, it offered him a lot of time to think while he lay wrapped in bandages, waiting for the bacta and kolto to heal his bruised and battered body.

Those Blaze Troopers had sure given him one hell of a beating.

Wraith thought about how to better ready himself for next time, recalling to mind every distinguishable feature he could remember about the armor those blaze troopers wore. Surely there was a weak spot he could identify. He began to wonder how, as of recent days, he had been able to be beaten with such ease. First Thrawn, then those incidents with the Clones on Makem Te and Anoat's moon, now these blaze troopers.

Was he losing his edge? Had his notoriety worn off as the Republic found more ways to combat him? He hoped not.

Wraith replayed the battle in his mind, remembering and recalling as many facts and moments as he could, trying to find something that might salvage his reputation and better prepare him for the next time he ran across some blaze troopers.

But there was one constant thought that stuck with him.

It shot through his mind periodically, interrupting his thoughts and dominating his mind as it came and went while he sifted through the battle. It was one particular set of moments that he was constantly reminded of, regardless of where he was in his recollections. Incapable of maintaining his focus on anything else, Wraith reached over to the stand next to him and picked up a datapad. It contained the profiles of the various Jedi who were growing in notoriety on the battlefields of the Clone Wars. Stopping on one profile, he triggered the holographic display and watched as an image of one specific person came to life before him.

It was an image of Ahsoka Tano.

The young Togruta intrigued him. Unlike all the other Jedi Wraith had encountered, he saw something within Ahsoka he had not seen in the others.

He saw a spark.

A spark not unlike his own, one of conviction and purpose, determination and confidence. While other Jedi fought with monotone execution of remembered tactics, or overinflated egos wrought from a lifetime of living in superiority, she fought with her own flair, her own style and purpose. He thought her lively, to say the least. Ahsoka was by no means ignorant or arrogant or nauseatingly self-righteous like the others. From what Wraith had seen, Ahsoka was not like every other Jedi, something seen even moreso by the way she had acted on Aphran.

While the Clones under her command and her own master cheered on the blaze troopers as they knocked him about and beat him senseless, Ahsoka watched with a mixture of sadder feelings at seeing him being treated in such a way. Feelings he could clearly see in her eyes without her having to utter a single word.

Perhaps she was starting to care about him... which was one step closer to what Wraith truly desired for them to become.

Wraith set the datapad down before him. He leaned back on his bed and simply gazed at the display. Though he did not move or speak, his mind was running rampant. He thought about who Ahsoka was, considering what he had known before and what he knew now. He thought about how similar the two of them were; determined, confident in their abilities, blazing their own paths through a galaxy divided. From his fight with her on both Saleucami and Mygeeto, Wraith knew Ahsoka to be a very talented fighter. From his research in the past, he knew it took great skill for Jedi to fight in the 'unorthodox' style she practiced... and with two lightsabers no less. His mind began to drift, shifting from tactical mindset to male mentality as he noted the curves of her body and how lithe she looked. Of course he had seen her before, but alone in his quarters, Wraith's mind began to wander and think about... other things. His mind landed on the time when they were trapped on the foreign vessel on Virujansi, when he leaned close to her in order to peer out the viewport. Though he made no mention of it, nor did he think of discussing it, his HUD had detected an increase in pheromones, _arousal_ pheromones at that, and they were coming from Ahsoka.

His presence had done that to her.

The notion brought a smile to his bruised and bandaged face. He could use this. He could find a way to take advantage of-

No. No taking advantage. If Ahsoka was attracted to him, found him to be eye-catching, then it would require only subtle moves and words in order to make the relationship complete.

How he dearly wished to be with her. He longed for her presence so badly...

Wraith continued to gaze at the portrait of Ahsoka, his feelings for her undeniable. He grew lost in thought as his mind became consumed with thoughts about her and only her. He thought of many things, some of them innocent, some of them the furthest thing from innocent. And yet he continued to stare... and stare... and stare...

He stared at her image for a very long time.

* * *

 **Author's Note: So, in going through the timeline, I realize I killed off Mina Bonteri waaaaaaay too early. It got me thinking: do y'all want to see that moment in a different, timeline-accurate chapter or just left as is? I've put up a poll for you to respond with. Please do!**


	56. Ahsoka's Private Journal 1

Ahsoka's Private Journal

" _I'm just gonna come right out and say it: Aphran was too much, too far._

" _What I mean is... Wraith was down for the count. That last hit really did him in, we all heard the crack of his bones being broken. But when he should've stopped, Anakin ordered the blaze troopers to keep going, to keep attacking Wraith."_

 _..._

" _It's his ego. I'm sure of it. Skyguy's never fully recovered from his fight on Tibrin. He's determined to beat Wraith and he won't stop until he has. Wraith tore a really big strip off of him and Anakin wants it back... which may or may not be a good thing."_

 _..._

" _You know, he's become really... vengeful. Especially after Tibrin. Whenever someone mentions Wraith or we run into him, Skyguy gets all dark and... kinda scary, to be honest. I can feel his anger through the Force. He hates Wraith because of what he did to him and the Clones._

" _And it seems Wraith hates Anakin just as much."_

 _..._

" _I can't get anywhere in a conversation with him, Mygeeto taught me that much. Anakin and the other masters are... really single-minded when it comes to Wraith. He's a threat that needs to be stopped and that's it._

" _They don't see what I see._

" _Sure, maybe it's because he's romantically attracted to me... but maybe there really is some good in him that only shines through when he's with me."_

 _..._

" _Commander Thrawn is right, there is something more to Wraith and it's probably because I'm the only one who doesn't want him dead."_

 _..._

" _I know, I know. Why? Why save him? I don't know. I guess I'm just trying to save him because... because in the middle of the darkness of this war, in the midst of a darkened individual, clouded and obscured, I see a tiny bit of light. And I just want to bring it out. I want to help people and, despite what everybody else says, I think I can help The Wraith. Isn't it our duty as Jedi to save people? To try and redeem the seemingly 'unredeemable'? Since when did we trade such values for warlike offensives and thoughts of our enemy's destruction?"_

 _..._

" _I'll do it alone if I have to. I may not have been able to save everybody. But if I can save Wraith, it might..."_

 _..._

" _I-I-It might..."_

 _..._

 _*sigh* "It might make the pain go away."_

 _..._

End of Entry


	57. The Last Straw

**Author's Note: Another Dad idea! This one was inspired by him, so... humor me.**

* * *

-Chapter 31: The Last Straw-

Location: Salliche

"He who angers you, conquers you."

 _Wraith knew he had fallen asleep in his quarters, so he couldn't quite explain why he awoke in a white, ethereal realm. As his eyes slowly widened, he realized he was lying beneath a large, ghostly white tree. Varying shades of white petals grew on it's white branches, some of them fluttering about in a gentle breeze._

 _Evidently, this was a tranquil place. A quiet place. Somewhere away from the war..._

" _Wha-?" He sleepily wondered, taking in the blank environment. "Where... Where am-oof!" He tried to sit up, but his body was still bruised and healing. He realized he still bandaged, indicating his wounds from Aphran hadn't quite healed yet. He fell back on the bed, pain preventing him from getting up. "Ow." Closing his eyes, Wraith did his best to focus and make the lingering pain go away. He hated feeling so weak and helpless, especially against something like this._

 _But then, a soft touch landed on his bandaged abs. It was gentle and made him wonder who it belonged to._

" _Shhh, it's okay Wraith." A feminine voice quietly told him. Wraith knew he recognized that voice and, opening his eyes, he recognized a familiar face that filled him with both relief and happiness._

" _Ahsoka...?" He softly wondered. The Togruta's orange, smiling face looked back at him, radiant amidst the whiteness of the scenery._

" _I'm gonna take care of you. You're alright, you're safe." She whispered, reaching out to cup his cheek. Wraith leaned into her soft touch, sighing deeply as he slowly relaxed. He looked up into her crystal blue eyes, admiring her beautiful features._

" _Where... Where are we?" He wondered, curious if she knew what was going on._

" _Somewhere safe. A place where I can help you get better." She answered, hand rising along his head under her fingers were tangled in his hair. "You're gonna be okay." She reassured him. Her hand, which had been resting against his abs until now, started to rub small, massaging circles across his muscles. She purposefully avoided his bruises, doing her best to bring him comfort. Her other hand left his hair and moved to his neck where she started to gently massage the tendons and muscles there. While Wraith wasn't totally satisfied with her vague answer, he couldn't care less as her touch soothed some of the aches in his muscles._

" _That feels nice." He hummed. Ahsoka chuckled lightly._

" _I bet it does." Her hand moved from his neck down to his shoulder, her gentle touch avoiding the bandages and bruises dotting his chest and arms. She was purposefully trying to make him feel better, purposefully trying to heal that which her master inflicted upon him._

 _The Jedi were truly not deserving of her... but was he?_

 _In a moment of reflection, Wraith's thoughts drifted. He knew his character was foul... he was a bad guy. And yet he was pursuing a girl, so noble and wholesome, his exact opposite. While a part of him tried to believe in 'opposites attract', he couldn't help but recognize the logic behind this... or, more accurately, the lack of logic._

 _Couples like them simply didn't exist. And if they did, they seldom ended well._

" _I'm sorry." He whispered. Ahsoka turned to look at him._

" _For what?" Wraith didn't return her gaze, actually titling his head away to look at the white tree._

" _For... not being a more worthy pursuit." He replied with a sigh, falling silent. Too often did he struggle with doubts about his feelings for her. Not about what he felt for her, but as to whether or not she could actually like him and reciprocate his feelings in return. "I know I'm a monster... I'm not worth your time." He said, voice thick with despair. But then, Ahsoka took hold of his face with both hands and turned him back towards her. She was still smiling that kind, reassuring smile._

" _Who said you're not worth my time?" She said. Her point-blank tone was enough to contradict everything Wraith was thinking. It was in total contrast to what he deemed logical._

' _Screw logic!' He determined. 'Let me have this... let this be my reality.' Wraith looked up and deep into Ahsoka's blue eyes. He felt like he was about to reach his breaking point, her wholesome goodness and kind-hearted tenderness overwhelming him._

" _I love you." He whispered in a shaky voice, not knowing what more he could say._

" _I know." She replied, her thumbs stroking his cheeks. Wraith smiled a little._

" _Ahsoka..." He whispered, doing his best to reach up and touch her._

" _Wraith..." She whispered, drawing a little closer to him. Wraith began to lose himself in her gaze, completely mesmerized by her beauty. "Wraith..."_

"Wraith! Come on, wake up!" Scipio repeated, shaking the sleeping super-soldier. Wraith growled a little as his body was rudely stirred from his unconscious state, pulling him out of his peaceful dream.

And back to his stone-cold reality.

"What the kriff, Doc...?" Wraith rumbled as he fully awoke. "I was having a dream. A good one, too..."

"Save your dreams for another time, you've got work to do!" Scipio urged him. Wraith sighed, acknowledging the need for his presence and sitting up in bed. It had been several days since his venture to Aphran Four, and Wraith had spent every single day in med, constantly being tended to by Scipio with constant applications of kolto, bacta and painkillers. His chest had been bandaged quite heavily and a few stitches applied to a cut near his left eye. The injuries he had in his dream were not nearly as severe as they were in reality. He could move just fine now...

"When do I not...?" He yawned, stretching as he did. The burn that rippled through his arms felt good and was a welcome change from the pain. "I swear... you practically tie me to the bed and then, as soon as I'm getting comfortable, you force me up and out of it." He grumbled. Rotating his body, he set his feet on the ground. "Is Dooku calling?" He wondered.

"He just did. High command has crafted a very special task for you, one that will cripple the Republic for certain." Scipio explained.

"Let me finish waking up... then I'm all ears." Wraith replied, rubbing his face.

"Make it snappy. Come on! Chop chop!" Scipio said, trying to hurry him up.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm gettin' there." Wraith grumbled, standing up to stretch some more. Satisfied he was up and awake, Scipio was ready to leave until ne noticed a datapad lying on his nightstand. It was the title that caught his eye.

"Well now. What's this?" He wondered, picking it up. It was entitled _Togruti and Basic: the Similarities_.

"You forced me to stay in bed, so I figured I'd do some reading." Wraith answered, throwing on his usual shirt. Scipio threw him a curious glance, a single explanation why he might be studying the language of the Togruta in mind.

"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with your infatuation with that Tano girl, would it?" He wondered. Wraith rolled his eyes, trying to hide the truth.

"Come on Doc," he replied, sounding annoyed, "just 'cause I'm trying to add another language to my already impressive repertoire of Huttese, Shyriiwook, Neimodian, Skakoverbal and a few dozen others, doesn't mean it has anything to with my other interests." Scipio, a look of disbelief on his face, set down the datapad and crossed his arms.

"My boy, you are many things. A good liar isn't one of them!" He stated. Wraith looked at him, pausing in mid stretch as he realized Scipio saw through his lie.

"Well, maybe I should work on that next..." He mused, rolling with it. Scipio sighed.

"Just get dressed and meet me in the command room. Your armor will be waiting there."

* * *

 _Minutes later..._

Pomel Scipio stood waiting in the control hub with a dossier in hand when Wraith arrived, strapping his guns around his hips. "That took long enough." He noted, sounding displeased.

"I'm not really a morning person." Wraith shot back, striding over to a nearby table and throwing on his folded jacket without another word.

"This coming from someone who needs only four hours of sleep." Scipio remarked, smirking as he did. Wraith rolled his eyes, reaching for his gauntlets. He immediately took note of something that hadn't been present before...

"You updated my gauntlets." He noted, locking them around his forearms.

"With a simple magnetic strip." Scipio clarified.

"I smell an upgrade." Wraith commented.

"Is it that obvious?" Scipio replied with a chuckle. Then, he produced a pair of armored plates, each sporting an intricate blue design around their edges. "Interchangeable kinetic energy armor plating. Designed to absorb incoming blasts from weapons of all calibres, it'll build up a charge that'll increase the force of any punch you throw out." He explained, offering them to Wraith. The super-soldier took one and clipped it into place, the magnet grabbing it and locking it down instantly.

"Can I get some boots with this, too?" He wondered as he took the second, thinking he might be able to amplify the force of his kicks.

"I'm working on some." Scipio informed him. Wraith nodded, sizing up the two new components sitting on his arms. He had another thought.

"If we're talking customizable armor, does that mean possible weapon mounts? Like arm cannons?" He asked. Scipio paused, looking thoughtful for a moment as he pondered Wraith's query.

"The thought hadn't crossed my mind, but I suppose I could see about something along those lines." He finally answered. Wraith rubbed his hands together gleefully.

"Modular weapons, here I come!" He said excitedly. Scipio then passed him his helmet, optics fully repaired and all the scratches and dents buffed out.

"I've patched up your helmet and updated it with an improved multi-frequency targeting and acquisition system. I noticed when I was making the repairs to your optics that the HUD systems were on the fritz. No doubt one of those new troopers did some serious damage to the core electronics." He explained, noting his improvements.

"You're telling me. I've got the bruises to prove it!" Wraith remarked as he eyed his helmet, turning it over in his hands.

"Anyway, these new core systems should help improve your aim. There's some built in calibration programs that will give you a scope before your very eyes, thus eliminating the need for anything fancy on your weapons." The doctor explained.

"And cutting down the additional weight and storage. I like the sounds of it." Wraith mused, slipping his helmet on. Plates locked in around his head, securely keeping him within it as his optics powered up along with the vocal synthesizer.

"This new system also requires less components than the last one, so I've gone back to the old style of design." Scipio added.

" _Back to an opening mouthguard, eh?_ " Wraith mused, remembering the very first incarnation of his helmet. " _Anything to counter those new Clones? I'm certain the Republic will use them again... especially after Aphran._ " He asked, craning his neck as he stretched.

"I do have something in the works, but it's not ready just yet. For now, avoid engaging them at all costs." Scipio explained. Wraith nodded in understanding.

" _Got it._ " He wasn't too pleased with that response, but at least something was on the horizon. " _Now, what does high command need me to do?_ " In response, Scipio handed the dossier over to Wraith and walked over to the nearby holotable and pulled up the image of a planet.

"This is Salliche. Sunny, pristine and the home of 'Salliche Agricultural Corporation', a major food supplier for the Republic." He stated. "It's located in the Agricultural Circuit, near the very heart of the Republic itself." Wraith barely had time to look at the dossier before the words 'major' and 'food supplier' forced him to stop, his analytical mind immediately drawing a conclusion.

" _I think I see where this is going..._ " He mused. Scipio grinned, admiring Wraith's perceptiveness.

"Your mission is to sabotage the company's resources. Their machinery, their supplies, all of it must be destroyed. We're going to see if we can't threaten the Republic by another means." He explained. Wraith nodded in understanding, mulling over the data in his head.

" _If you can't beat them into submission, starve them. I like their thinking._ " He said. Then he paused, thinking about Salliche's location. " _The Core Worlds though... a tough spot, but I've managed before. Hell, I've been all the way to Coruscant._ "

"Indeed you have. This time it will be even easier, what with the new cloaking systems, signal dampeners and scan deflectors I've installed." Scipio agreed. "Now, off you go. You're certainly healthy enough to handle a little excursion like this." He said, shooing Wraith out of the room.

" _Considering you never let me out if I have so much as a bruise, this must not be a very challenging assignment._ " Wraith remarked as he turned to leave. Scipio watched walk to the exit before a sudden thought came to him and he called after Wraith.

"You know, if you want to learn another language, why don't I just get you a PUT?" The super-soldier stopped and turned.

" _A universal translator?_ " He wondered. Then he shook his head. " _Nah, that just takes the fun out of it._ "

* * *

 _Hours later, Salliche airspace..._

Salliche was a real agricultural world if ever there was one. A world of rolling plains, sprawling fields, blue skies and warm, sunny weather, it was one of the best places to grow crops. Greenhouses dotted the green pastures where a variety of animals grazed. But the landscape mattered little to Wraith.

His destination was the production yards of Salliche Ag.

The massive warehouses, sprawling plants and towering pieces of machinery responsible for producing goods of all kinds, from food products to fertilizer and seeds, it was an all-in-one type of compound that could be considered self-sustaining thanks to all the corporately owned farms surrounding it.

It was a place Wraith was going to enjoy razing to the ground.

" _Nothing like a little sabotage as a means of relaxation._ " He mused, setting his cloaked shuttle down on a patch of flat ground beyond the walls of the compound. " _Too bad I don't have any demolition rockets. That would've made this easy._ " Powering down his engines, the super-soldier was back on his comms. " _Scipio, come in. I've arrived on Salliche and I've got the compound in my sight._ " He reported.

"Excellent timing. Everything must go, Wraith. Cause as much destruction as physically possible." The Pau'an replied.

" _So I need to sabotage their machinery if I want to cripple their operation... not to mention torch as many farms as possible._ " Wraith mused, considering the task before him. His weaponry assortment was a little inadequate for such requirements, but he believed he could manage as long as he prioritized. " _I'll start with the production machinery first. I think I've got just the weapon for that..._ " Setting his carbine down in the locker, Wraith fished out another weapon and stood back up with his black axe in hand.

Stepping out of his shuttle, Wraith disappeared from view and ventured inside the compound. However, he was unaware of the various security installations at work within this simple factory. A series of multi-spectrum scanners tied to a silent alarm broadcasted an alert to the planet's capitol as soon as an odd heat signature was detected within the perimeter. The security hub at Salliche Ag's headquarters immediately put out a call to the nearest local law enforcement for aid.

However, this was the one day that a Republic cruiser had stopped by the planet on a mission to pick up some supplies on it's way back to Coruscant. It's crew happened to hear the call for aid and decided to investigate themselves.

That cruiser... was the Resolute.

* * *

 _A few minutes later..._

A series of BARC speeders pulled up on the opposite side of Salliche Ag's production factory. Anakin Skywalker, Captain Rex and a choice selection of Clones dismounted.

"Well, the place seems to be pretty quiet." Anakin noted, glancing around. "Wonder what they were after."

"Who would want to rob a farming compound anyway?" Rex wondered, stepping up beside Anakin.

"You're guess is as good as mine Rex." Anakin replied, leading the way inside.

The lights were off within the building, indicating someone did not wish to create a disturbance. Rex and his men queued the lights on their helmets at Anakin's command, hoping to catch the would-be thief in the act. They moved as a unit, weapons held up as they sought out whoever it was the sensors had detected.

"You know, it makes me wonder." One of the Clones said aloud. "Would they be here to steal seeds or the company's plans for production?"

"Who cares, it's just farm stuff." Another one shot back.

"This 'farm stuff' happens to keep the Republic fed and healthy." Rex informed him. "This factory helps produce the food we eat everyday boys."

"Well, maybe we should let this guy do his thing. Maybe he can whip up something better than old rations." The Clone joked, earning a few laughs from his comrades.

Except Rex.

"Shut your mouth, shiny. And keep looking." He ordered. The rest of the troopers fell silent and continued to move in formation, following Rex and Anakin's leads. The main floor was deserted and quiet, the only sounds to be heard ere their own footsteps. Anakin opted to lead the group up a flight towards the plant managers office. Ascending a flight of stairs, the Jedi led his men through a door into the second wing of the compound. But as he did, they were hit by a powerful wall of smell.

"Whoa!" Anakin exclaimed, recoiling. "Oh... Force... what is that smell?" He wondered with a grimace, waving his hand in front of his nose. The Clones could smell it too, whatever it was.

"Ugh... Smells like a Hutt died in here." One of them complained. Against their better wishes, the group entered further into the room, which took the shape of a large, open space. Catwalks connected one side of the room to the other and large vats of some dark substance stood tall beneath them. Stepping out on to the nearest catwalk, Rex peered down into the cavernous tubs below them, curiosity getting the better of him.

"General, down there." He pointed, shining his lights down into the vats below. Anakin walked over to view his discovery. Leaning over the edge, the Jedi saw a dark brown substance sitting in the nearly full vat below them. "Manure... they're likely making fertilizer with that stuff." Rex explained.

"Well... that explains the smell." Anakin surmised. "Come on, let's keep looking for our intruder. I kinda want out of this room as soon as possible." The Clones followed him, also desperate to leave this place behind.

But, from a darkened window behind them, the Republic affiliates were closely watched by an unseen figure. He had been busy sabotaging the central electrical system in an effort to fry their connections to prevent the power from turning on. Such an exaggerated and costly repair would surely put the factory out of order for weeks. But these Clones threatened to disrupt his entire operation before it could even come to full fruition. He hadn't even started torching the kriffing farms yet!

" _Of all the damn people I was hoping to not run into..._ " Wraith grumbled, realizing these Clones were likely going to cause a problem.

Unless... Unless they chose to engage in a protracted firefight, the ensuing collateral damage could be what he needed to continue his sabotage. Either way, this is an enemy he'd have to engage head-on... they needed to be dealt with.

Plus, he wanted to see what these kinetic plates were capable of.

Having finished a circuit of the area, Anakin wished he was finished with this place. But they still had to check the managers office before they could consider this floor secured. Having not seen anything, Anakin was starting to think their advanced security measures were on the fritz. Even though they were the leading food production company, and wanted to protect their equipment, it wouldn't be the first time such equipment had malfunctioned.

But his Force senses told him there was something else afoot...

"Trooper, take point up ahead." Rex commanded one of the Clones. The trooper obeyed and entered the stairway access that led to the managers office. Taking a step inside, he checked every corner with his blaster raised.

"Clear!" He called back to them. Suddenly, from the shadows, an axe flew threw the air and slammed into a Clone's head, nearly splitting his helmet in half as a splash of blood coated the axe head. Anakin and his men recoiled as the body his the wall and slumped to the ground. Rex and his men were in an immediate attack position, Anakin igniting his lightsaber. But as they closely examined the area, Anakin couldn't help but feel something... familiar...

"Wait... I've seen that axe before..." He realized. Taking a tentative step closer, the oddly shaped, unnatural design of the axe started to confirm his suspicions when the shadows began to shimmer until they revealed a tall, broad individual. "The Wraith. Of course." Anakin growled, recognizing him instantly.

This was the last person he'd been hoping to encounter.

" _Aw, is it just you and your fellow losers today, Skywalker?_ " Wraith jeered, stepping over to the Clone and yanking his axe out of the his head. " _Where's your drop-dead gorgeous apprentice?_ " He wondered. Anakin glared at him.

"You stay away from her!" He growled, pointing his lightsaber at him. "And keep your perverted thoughts to yourself!" Beneath his helmet, Wraith rolled his eyes.

" _How droll of you..._ " He remarked. " _How do you know my thoughts aren't wrought from pure affection? Not that you'd know anything of affection. Being a Jedi and all, you're prohibited from experiencing such freeing sensations._ " Anakin said nothing further, staring down his Separatist rival. Rex stepped out from behind Anakin, pistols pointed at Wraith.

"Hands were we can see 'em, Bucket-head." He ordered, using the new nickname he and other Clones had come to ascribe to Wraith. "We took you down once before, and we'll do so again." He said, confident.

" _You did nothing to take me down, duplicate._ " Wraith shot back." _You needed help. None of you have the power to take me down!_ " He rumbled.

"We'll see about that." Anakin stated. "Men! Light him up!" He ordered.

" _Please do._ " Wraith growled, sheathing his axe behind him. The Clones opened fire as he held up his arms before him, blocking the incoming blue lasers as they slammed into his new gauntlets. Wraith could feel the power building and rippling through him, heat rising as the residual blaster energy was stored and charged up his gauntlets. " _Now, to up the ante!_ " He growled, believing he was sufficiently charged. Charging forward and ignoring the incoming blaster fire, Wraith rushed Anakin with his gauntlet raised. Unaware of his new add-ons, Anakin swung his saber and sent it crashing into Wraith's raised guard.

The following kickback was enough to send all of them flying back, scattered across the ground. The kinetic energy release was so powerful that not even Wraith had anticipated such tremendous knock-back. " _I could get used to this..._ " He mused, eyeing the staggered Republic units attempting to rise. The nearest Clone got to his feet first and opened fire, Wraith quickly blocking them. Stalking towards his target, Wraith kept his arm up as the Clone kept firing. As soon as he was within touching distance, Wraith backhanded the Clone with his forearm. The kinetic discharge sent the Clone flying with a wave of energy, impressing Wraith as the Clone skittered across the walkway. Turning on heel, Wraith raised his arms as the Clones opened fire again.

"Hold fire! Hold fire!" Anakin commanded. "His defenses are working against us, we need something else." He realized. Rex believed he had the solution.

"I think I've got something General." He said, arming a thermal detonator. "I'd like to see those gauntlets block this!" Standing up, Rex put a plan into motion. "Fel! Garm! Suppressing fire!" He ordered. The two Clones behind Wraith opened fire, peppering his back with blaster fire. "Coric! Concussion bomb!" Rex commanded another Clone off to Wraith's side. The senior sergeant pulled one of the oval-shaped devices from behind him, arming it. "On my mark!" Rex continued, rolling the beeping sphere across the ground. Fel and Garm kept up their suppressive fire, Wraith grinning as his gauntlets charged up. Just as the detonator reached it's peak, his sensors alerted him to the impending explosion. Unable to act in time, Wraith was pitched forward as the bomb exploded beneath him. As it did, Coric lobbed his concussive bomb in the super-soldier's direction. The device detonated and sent Wraith flying off the catwalk. But before he could fall, Anakin reached out with the Force and grabbed him, but like he had on Makem Te.

The chaos subsided and the Republic affiliates collected themselves. Anakin maintained his hold on The Wraith, using the Force to keep the super-soldier from using his limbs and hands.

"Well... I guess we found our intruder." The Jedi mused as he eyed the captive Wraith.

Never had he felt more proud.

"Looks like we took down ol' Bucket-head once again lads!" Rex announced. Wraith growled at their words and struggled against the invisible bonds restraining him.

"What say we put an end to the Republic's number one menace?" Anakin wondered aloud.

" _You can't contain me._ " Wraith growled. " _I will break free!_ "

"Then maybe we should put him somewhere where he can't break free." Rex retorted. "General, I can see some controls over there..." He pointed out. Anakin looked down the catwalk and saw a small control panel sporting a few buttons.

He had a feeling he knew what they controlled.

"Good work Rex. Why don't you get ready..." Anakin said, "We'll put this piece of filth where he belongs." Turning Wraith upside down, the super-soldier was now ready to dive headfirst into the vats below. Glancing down, Wraith realized what was in the vat beneath him.

" _Skywalker... if you drop me I swear to you, I will cause you more pain than you've ever experienced before!_ " He threatened, speaking slowly and with the heaviest growl Anakin had ever heard him use. All the Clones paused, knowing Wraith was no one to be trifled with. Somehow, someway, he always managed to get back up and come back after them. With all of them having heard about what happened between Anakin and The Wraith on Tibrin, they turned to their General to see how he would react. Anakin looked thoughtful, pausing as he weighed the options before him. He glowered at the super-soldier before him, before his mood was suddenly brightened by a trademark smirk.

"You already have." He answered.

Then, he released his hold, forcefully dropping Wraith into the vat.

" _DAMN YOU SKYWALKER-!_ " Wraith shouted as he fell, closing the distance in less than a second. A wet splat ensued as his body fell into the half-full vat of manure. The Clones started chuckling as they peered down into the vat, many of them bursting out laughing at the sight of Wraith half covered in manure. Chuckling also, Rex sealed off the vat with the controls, the lid closing over Wraith and trapping him inside before he could get out.

"Job well done men." Anakin congratulated his troops with a grin. "Rex, let's call the Resolute and get a prisoner transport ready." He stated. Rex gave a salute and drew his commlink.

Within the vat, something was stirring...

Wraith's anger, his wrath at being treated in such a humiliating manner, was growing with impressive speed. His body shook, his rage burning hot as he managed to stand within the vat.

" _Skywalker..._ " He growled, shoulders heaving as he refused to let this humiliation be the way he was captured. Drawing Tyth from behind him, Wraith prepared to cut his way out.

Little did he realize that the closed nature of this vat had allowed the gaseous output of the manure to build and grow within the confined space, swelling and filling whatever open room was left in there.

As Wraith ignited his firesaber, the combustible nature of the gases came into effect and, in the confined space, turned the vat into a bomb.

Neither Anakin nor his men were expecting the deafening explosion and ball of flame that threw them off their feet and onto the ground below. First there was nothing, then a massive shockwave sent them flying. Anakin blacked out for a moment and then came to, laying on the ground with a burning tank in front of him. The entire vat had ruptured and been torn open, flame licking at the curled durasteel edges as the residual manure burned within it. The Republic members were slow to get to their feet.

"What the hell happened?" Anakin wondered, crawling back to a standing position.

"I don't... know, sir." Rex grunted as he picked himself up. "No idea at all..." They soon had their answer as Wraith stepped out of the burning wreckage, a bright blue firesaber in his hand. His jacket was on fire, bits of manure burning hot as the flames burnt away any residual excrement. Despite the smell and the circumstances, he looked pretty terrifying.

"That's what happened..." Anakin realized. One of the Clones got up quickly and advanced on Wraith with his blaster raised.

"Stay! Down!" He shouted, opening fire. Wraith stood unfazed by the blaster rounds and waited until the Clone was close enough to attack with a heavy swing. The single slash cut the Clone in two but the intensity of the flames rolling off Tyth disintegrated him, the halves of his body turning to embers as he died a painful death. Anakin and Rex looked on in shock as the Clone became a pile of ash, armor and all.

"We can't fight that..." Anakin realized, standing up and igniting his lightsaber. "Retreat, everyone retreat!" He commanded. He refused to lose any more men to this monster.

"Where, sir?" Rex asked. "We're up against a wall!" Anakin looked behind them and realized he were right. They had nowhere to go and an angry Wraith stalking towards them.

* * *

 _Outside the factory walls..._

First there came the thunderous boom. Then came the group of Clones crashing through the wall, sent flying by an unseen force. Anakin Skywalker rolled to a halt, having been knocked outside along with the rest of his men. Wraith had delivered a massive punch fueled by a mighty kinetic buildup. As the Republic forces crawl to their feet, Wraith stepping out of the shadows, Anakin knew what he had to do now.

"Rex, is our Plan B ready to go?" He asked, sitting up. They had prepared a contingency just in case the would-be thief's turned out to be a bit more organized.

"Yes sir!" Rex affirmed. Anakin gave him a quick nod.

"Then call in the blaze troopers." He ordered. Rex did so, confirming a sighting of The Wraith. "Men, fall back as much as possible. We need to buy some time for the blazers to get here. They'll deal with Bucket-head." The Jedi commanded the other Clones.

" _Stop... CALLING ME THAT!_ " Wraith roared as he lunged forward and drove Tyth into the ground, a sheet of flame exploding around him. The Clones were quick to roll out of the way and start moving. None of them dared to open fire on him. Rising from the dirt and drawing his axe from behind him, Wraith cut an imposing figure as he stared down Anakin and Rex. " _Now... which of you feeble sacks of bantha fodder wants to die first...?!_ " He growled, clearly ticked off beyond reasoning.

"Rex, I have a plan!" Anakin stated, holding his lightsaber level.

"I'm all ears, sir!" The Captain replied, pistols drawn.

"Run!" Neither of them needed any further invitation as Wraith bore down on them, swinging his weapons with terrifying strength. "Get the men out of the compound, I'll draw Wraith's attention to buy you some time." Anakin ordered.

"Be careful sir!" Rex called to him before motioning to the troops to follow his lead.

Anakin did his best to dodge Wraith, summoning the Force to give him a bit of an athletic and agile edge over the hellbent super-soldier. He kept this up for several minutes until all of his men were safe before joining them in the open compound. Wraith gave chase, hungry to enact some vengeance. But his chance was denied as a group of three, heavily armored troopers flew onto the scene, slamming down into the dirt as they made their entrance. They were easy to spot and Wraith cracked his neck as he readied himself for another battle. But his anger had not yet fully consumed him and Scipio's words rang clearly in his mind, " _Avoid engaging them at all costs."_ Although he absolutely hated to run from a fight, Wraith begrudgingly determined there was nothing more he could do. He still wasn't at one-hundred percent functionality yet and after the thorough beating they'd given him on Aphran, they'd certainly be ready to do so again.

He beat a hasty retreat back to his invisible shuttle and boarded it without a second thought. Queuing the thrusters, Wraith jetted off, caring little for whatever jeers the Republic were throwing his way. He had bigger issues on his mind. Salliche was now up there with Makem Te and Aphran... a series of botched missions he'd never thought he'd have on his record.

* * *

 _Some time later..._

Pomel Scipio, busy in his lab, was not anticipating Wraith to come stomping back into the base as soon as he did. Although he assumed Wraith to have fulfilled his task, his creation's demeanor seemed to say otherwise.

"So, how was Salliche-" He started to say, before the smell wafting off of Wraith reached his nostrils. "Phew! What smells like a diarrhetic bantha-?"

" _I don't want to discuss it._ " Wraith curtly growled, interrupting him. But Scipio was determined to get some kind of answer, waving his hand before his face to try and ward off the smell.

Was that... manure?

"Might I ask-"

" _No._ " Wraith growled again, in a tone so frightening that Scipio ceased to press him for any more information.

"Do you need anything?" He meekly wondered, trying to not invoke Wraith's anger. The super-soldier stopped, briefly considering his needs.

" _Do you happen to have a wall you don't need? I need to hit something... a lot._ " He asked. Scipio could tell Wraith was in a bad mood and shook his head no, recommending the training deck instead. With a growl, Wraith moved to leave. But not before he thought of something else. " _Then... scrub brushes... and lots of them!_ " He added, calling over his shoulder.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Short, and maybe not the greatest, I know. But it's a filler chapter. Oh, and I've fixed the poll so it's good to go now. It's on my main page. Vote! Please!**


	58. Payback

-Chapter 32: Payback-

Location: Gandolo IV

"Payback's a... well, you know..."

The small, dark red YT-1760 transport exited hyperspace over the barren world of Gandolo IV. It was a barren and rocky moon in the Lahara sector's Gandolo system. There was nothing special about this world, but there was something special about the airspace above it.

Or, more accurately, what was going to take place above it.

The pilot of the transport was a blue-haired and pink-skinned Zeltron man known to most Darius, who had been hired by the Separatists to carry The Wraith undercover to the Republic world of Dantooine where he would then carry out acts of sabotage. High command was trying a new approach to getting Wraith deeper into enemy territory in order to inflict crippling strikes. By paying smugglers and pirates a simple fee, they figured they could launch all kinds of assaults right under the Republic's nose.

Little did they know that Darius was loyal to the Republic and did not believe in the Separatist cause. When he had been asked to do this, the only thing the smuggler could think of was handing Wraith over to the Republic... in exchange for what could be a most bountiful reward.

He cared not for what world the Separatists wanted Wraith deployed on, only that he needed to do the right thing and hand over the super commando. He had sent a brief, coded message to the Republic before jumping into hyperspace, indicating when and where he would be heading along with who he was transporting.

Footsteps behind him indicated someone had joined him in the cockpit.

" _Why have we stopped?_ " Wraith questioned, knowing they had dropped out way too soon to have already arrived at Dantooine.

"Picking up some strange fluctuations from the hyperdrive. Figured I'd let it cool off before taking a look under the hood." Darius lied.

" _Be quick about it. The Republic could be nearby._ " Wraith muttered, deeming this freighter inferior compared to his own transport. Turning about he paused in the doorway to check over his gauntlet. As he did, Darius quietly stood up and drew the blaster strapped to his hip. Wraith remained oblivious to this until he heard a weapon powering up directly behind his head. Looking up, the back of his helmet clinked against the barrel of a blaster. " _What are you doing?_ " He slowly asked with a dangerous edge to his voice.

"Keep your hands where I can see them." Darius stated. "The Republic will be here shortly, I'm turning you over to them."

" _You're betraying me then? Going back on the deal?_ " If there was one thing he hated more than Clones, it was traitorous and backstabbing scum who looked out for only themselves.

"Nothing personal. It's just business." Darius calmly replied. Wraith suddenly realized that whatever the Separatists agreed to pay him for this job, the Republic was offering much more.

" _You smugglers are all the same: all about the payout and never about the job._ " Wraith growled, quickly forming an escape plan in his head.

"We do what we have to. Sometimes you have to save your skin instead of delivering the cargo."

" _If saving your skin is all that matters, then you should know you've just made the worst mistake of your life!_ " The commando growled. Suddenly whipping about, Wraith used his elbow to knock the blaster from Darius' grip. Drawing a knife with his other hand, Wraith slashed the Zeltron's chest, cutting a deep wound before driving his blade through skin and muscle. Darius gave a quick cry of pain before Wraith drew his second knife and shoved it deep into his waistline. With two blades buried deep in his body and blood dripping from both wounds, Darius fell over backwards as he clutched his wounded body.

" _What did they promise you?!_ " Wraith thundered.

"Nothing!" The Zeltron gasped. "I've only contacted them, I have yet to be rewarded." He explained. Hearing this, Wraith drew a slug pistol and took aim at Darius' head.

" _You won't live to see what the Republic will reward you with, but here's your payment on behalf of the Separatists: a traitor's death!_ " He growled, pulling the trigger without hesitation. The slug ripped through Darius' head, painting the floor of the cockpit with blood and brains. Holstering his weapon and wrenching his knives from the corpse, Wraith quickly took up position behind the controls and activated his comms. " _Scipio, come in!_ " The reply was immediate.

"Everything alright, Wraith?"

" _No, we've hit a snag. Darius sold me out to the Republic, they're en route as we speak!_ " He reported, quickly scanning the space before him and the barren gray world below.

"What?! That vermin!" Scipio exclaimed. "Where is he now?"

" _His corpse is about to be ejected into space, once I'm out of here._ " Wraith replied, beginning to power up the ship once again. But just as he started, a single ship burst forward as it dropped out of hyperspace. Seeing the significantly larger vessel enter his view, Wraith growled in displeasure, " _And that's going to be a problem._ "

"Why? What's wrong?" A nervous Scipio asked.

" _A Venator-class cruiser has just arrived._ " Wraith stated, taking the controls and proceeding to pilot the ship.

"Wraith, you need to move before they grab you with a tractor beam!" Scipio cried, desperate for his creation to avoid capture.

" _Working on it!_ " Wraith called back as he put his small amount of pilot training to good use, moving the ship away from the cruiser and towards the planet below.

* * *

 _Aboard the Resolute..._

With his ship being the closest to the Gandolo sector, Anakin Skywalker had been commissioned specifically by Chancellor Palpatine to rendezvous with the smuggler called Darius in order to pick up The Wraith. While he had no idea what good a smuggler would do against Wraith when legions of Clone troopers could barely put a dent in his armor, Anakin was more than willing to capitalize on an opportunity to take down the super-soldier.

Arriving in the Gandolo sector out of hyperspace, the ship's scanners were quick to locate the ship belonging to Darius. But then...

"General, it appears the YT freighter has started to move away from us." Admiral Yularen informed the Jedi.

"But I thought Darius wanted to meet with us?" Anakin replied, a questioning look on his face.

"Indeed, sir. However, The Wraith might've stumbled upon his plan and taken matters into his own hands." Yularen stated, having already thought of a reason why.

"Which means Darius is dead and Wraith is trying to get out of here." Anakin finished, realizing what had likely occurred. "Well, I'm not going to waste this opportunity." He determined. "Admiral, have our guns open fire on that ship, make sure it goes down intact." He commanded. "I'd rather he face Republic justice alive."

"Right away, sir."

* * *

" _This is the last time I trust someone else to take me anywhere!_ " Wraith growled in frustration. The cruiser had opened fire on him and he was now being forced to dodge incoming laser fire while he attempted to make his escape. But the controls of this ship were severely dated and were slow to respond, giving him more problems than ever. " _It's a wonder that Zeltron could fly this hunk of junk!_ " He grumbled, feeling like a sitting duck.

"I'm sorry my boy, but it was not my idea!" Scipio apologized, desperate to get Wraith out of this situation and back to safety.

" _Then make it known that I can take care of myself!_ " The super-soldier retorted, tension running high as cannon blasts streaked past his from viewport in droves. " _I wouldn't be in this situation if I were piloting my own ship and not the passenger of some greedy Zeltron filth!_ " An explosion rocked the ship with a shudder and Wraith swore loudly as he realized he'd been hit. Double-checking the instrument readings, he concluded there was definitely a problem. " _We're in trouble now._ " He muttered.

"What's wrong?" Scipio worriedly asked.

" _A shot clipped the engines, I'm losing power fast!_ " Wraith urgently reported. Fighting with the controls, Wraith was unable to sustain his flight as the ship began nosediving towards the surface of the planet below. There was no way he was going to be able to control the ship any longer. " _I'm on Gandolo Four, repeat, I'm crash-landing on Gandolo Four! Send help immediately!_ " He shouted into his comms, still vainly attempting to salvage this crash-landing.

* * *

From the bridge of the Resolute, Anakin watched as the freighter began to plummet, a direct hit from one of the guns tearing apart the ship's engines and a fiery plume trailing behind the ship as it began a steep arc towards the planet's surface.

"Guess he's a better soldier than he is a pilot." He quipped, feeling quite pleased with himself.

"General, we've successfully shot down the transport." Yularen reported out of formality. "Your orders?"

"Track his descent and mark the crash site. I want Jaeger Company down there as soon as he makes landfall. They're best equipped to handle him in any state." Anakin replied. "I'm hoping he'll be at least a little worse for wear by the time he crawls out of that wreck."

"Understood, General."

* * *

 _Down on Gandolo..._

The barren, unappealing gray landscape of Gandolo Four was really nothing to look at. A lifeless hunk of rock passing off as a moon, there was absolutely nothing special about this place. Dotted with craters and the odd mountain range, Gandolo Four was as deserted a moon as possible. But now, a new feature appeared on the topography, taking the form of a wrecked YT-1760 transport. It's dark red plating was twisted and burnt, the engines completely engulfed in flame. Bits and pieces of the ship had been shorn off, scattered around the blackened impact crater in a debris field that was easy to spot. The plexiglass dome surrounding the cockpit had been shattered, a body pitched out and laying under the shadow of the wreck. Wraith had been momentarily knocked out by the crash and came too only as a voice crackled through his audio receptors.

"Wraith! Come in!" It was Scipio and by the tone in his voice, he was worried. Wraith groaned as he forced himself up, making his way to his hands and knees before finally replying.

" _I'm here, Doc._ "

"Oh, thank the stars!" Scipio sighed in relief. "Are you well? What's your status?" He wondered.

" _A little battered, a little shaken up... madder than a hungry Wampa. But I'm fine._ " Wraith growled in reply, standing up and brushing the chalky rock dust off of his duster.

"Well, that's good news." Scipio noted. "No broken bones? No lacerations?"

" _Maybe a bruise or two..._ " Wraith muttered, glancing around the flat terrain around him. He had crashed near a more rocky range of high rocks with an open plateau off to his right.

Not the most ideal place to pick a fight. The Republic could see him clear as day.

" _Tell Dooku Dantooine isn't happening any time soon... and that I fly solo from now on!_ " Wraith added, growling the last part.

"I'll make a note of it." Scipio quickly replied. "I'm getting in contact with the nearest Separatist battlegroup. Hang in there, Wraith, we'll pull you out as soon as we can!" The news was good, but Wraith wasn't paying attention to him. Scipio's words sounded distant as Wraith's mind was busy with tactics and calculations. The super-soldier was pondering his chances of survival against the Republic. While they were decent, the terrain would certainly come into effect. The last thing Wraith wanted to do was have a gunfight in and around the wreck of this ship or out in the open on these deserted plains. The mountains would be his best bet for optimum cover and to get the drop on whatever Clones came his way. But if the blaze troopers happen to come... he would likely gave to rethink his strategy. He couldn't just run from them forever...

No. He was done running. He was done with the Republic beating him time and time again. It was time for him to renew his status as an opponent to be feared. He was done with becoming the brunt of Anakin's humiliating tactics! The trend that had started on Makem Te ended here!

Scipio had kitted him out with a weapon that could not only handle the blaze troopers but would also be a weapon that would renew his fearsome reputation: the DXR-six disruptor rifle. A weapon of immense power, the disruptor rifle might have a slow rate of fire but made up for it with the ability to turn opponents to ash. Literally. It's powerful shots ripped apart the target at a molecular level, able to disintegrate a heavily armored man with one round.

The Wraith could now turn a man to ash.

" _Take your time, Doc._ " Wraith replied. " _If I'm going to be marooned here, I'm going to enjoy myself._ " He said, rolling his shoulders and limbering up.

"You... You are?" Scipio sounded surprised by his response.

" _Yeah..._ " Wraith growled, drawing his disruptor rifle and arming it. The weapon began to hum as the energy cells powered up, destructive forces coming to life in an instant. He looked up towards the starry sky and the outline of the Venator cruiser sitting up there.

Gandolo would be his stand. Gandolo would mark his resurgence! Gandolo would not become another failure!

* * *

A pair of gunships dropped off the 501st Legion's Jaeger Company. Consisting of six blaze troopers and a collective of Clone commandos, spec ops troopers and Clone assassins, this Jaeger Company might've been small, but they made up for it with determination and skill.

All of which would be put to the test soon enough...

The one in charge of this unit, Clone Commander Vex, led the men as they encircled the wrecked YT freighter. The blaze troopers hovered overhead, scanning the area from above.

"General, we've arrived at the crash site." Vex radioed. "Moving to investigate." The grounded Clones began their search for Wraith, the spec ops troopers using the advanced headphones in their helmets to listen in for any out of the ordinary noises. One of the commandos made his way to the front of the ship, where he discovered the broken plexiglass bubble and a grisly corpse. Although a little mangled during the crash, there was no mistaking who it was.

"Commander. I found Darius." He declared. Vex walked over to his position and eyed his finding.

"You sure?" He asked.

"Zeltron with stab wounds and a slug through his head? Pretty sure." The Clone replied.

"Well, not the corpse we were looking for. But it's a start. Clearly the General was right in his assumption, Wraith figured out Darius' plan too early for his liking." Vex mused, his assumption quite correct as to what had unfolded.

"Commander! We've got footprints heading into the rocks!" One of the spec ops troopers stated, standing a little further ahead.

"Follow them!" Vex commanded. The Clones did as ordered, even the blaze troopers flying on ahead as they scaled the mighty rocks before them. Vex opted to stay behind and investigate the crash site. It seemed possible that Wraith might be hiding somewhere nearby and he wanted to have all his angles covered. The rest of the company could handle themselves, of this he was certain. The climb was not an easy one, the solid rock too steep to climb and what was climbable was loose and unstable. The blaze troopers had the easiest time, using their jet packs to propel them higher. Atop the rocks they found a flat ridge that encircled the actual mountain. It seemed as though a landslide had taken place some years before, knocking down all of these boulders and leave empty patches behind along the rising slopes. Three of the blaze troopers arrived first and scoured the area, searching for some sign of their target.

"I got nothing." One of them reported.

"He couldn't have gone far, could he?" Another one wondered.

"I doubt it. His ship is wrecked, he's all alone, there's not way he'd be in prime condi-" the trooper was suddenly interrupted as Wraith burst out from behind a rock and fired a single shot from his disruptor rifle. The round slammed into the blaze trooper and the destructive properties immediately came into effect, ripping apart the trooper's armor and disintegrating his body in the process. With a short cry, the Clone had no time to react before he, armor and all, had been reduced to a pile of ash. His startled comrades quickly recognized the immediate danger they were in.

"Sonuva-!" One of them growled as he raised his flamethrower. But Wraith was quick on the draw and blasted him, turning him to ash in seconds. The other Clone attempted to make a run for it, using his jet pack to fly off and away. He needed to tell someone, to alert his squad mates. But the five second cool-down was up and Wraith blasted him in the back, the Clone dissolving in mid-air, his ash raining down on the slope below. Relaxing a little, Wraith looked proudly on at the results of his work. With the element of surprise on his side, none of the blaze troopers stood a chance.

None of the Clones would stand a chance.

Leaping over the edge, the super-soldier targeted the other blaze troopers and opened fire. He knew he needed to wait at least five seconds before he could fire another shot, but the destructive nature of a disruptor blast would thin their numbers fast and make up for the slow rate of fire. As one blaze trooper disappeared into a cloud of ash, Wraith bounced across rocks as he fired again and destroyed another one.

"What is he using?!" One of the assassins cried.

"That's a trando disintegrator." One of the commandos replied. "It's outlawed on basically every world in the galaxy!"

"You're telling me! We can't get close to him while he's using thaAAAAHHH!" The assassin was cut off as he too was ripped apart, falling victim to another blast from Wraith. The blaze troopers were all gone, their fire support destroyed. Now Wraith had turned his sights on the rest of Jaeger Company. The Clone commando pulled out his commlink to alert Vex.

"Commander! Commander!" He shouted into his comm. No immediate response came back. Desperate to reach someone, the Clone continued. "If anyone can hear me, Wraith is-YEEEAAAAAGGHHHH!" Interrupted mid-sentence, the Clone screamed in agony as his molecules were ripped apart as another disruptor blast turned him to ash. His communicator fell to the ground, passing through the dust of his fingers, as did his weapon. Having seen his actions before his demise, Wraith walked over to his remains and picked up the commlink from within the pile of dust.

" _If anyone can hear me, feel free to listen in as I execute your men._ " He growled before crushing the device in his hand.

* * *

Back on the bridge of the Resolute, Anakin was starting to pace when a call from the surface came through. He wasn't expecting Vex to be reporting in so soon, but was hoping it was because they had found Wraith and had him ready for prisoner transport. When he switched on the holotable, Vex looked anxious and afraid, not exactly the proud and victorious stance Anakin was expecting to see him in.

"Commander, what's the good word?" He asked.

"General! We've got a huge-" Vex suddenly turned to dust before Anakin's eyes, disappearing from view after being hit with a blast from behind.

"Vex? Vex! Respond!" Anakin cried, wondering just what had transpired on the moon below. A few tense seconds passed as Anakin waited to see what was going on. Hearing the commotion, much of the bridge crew had turned to watch, Admiral Yularen among them. Suddenly, the commlink was picked up by another figure, soon revealed to be The Wraith. His glaring visage seemed to pierce the airwaves as he regarded Anakin with a look of contempt. Anakin put on his bravest face. "What's up 'Stinky'?" He asked, referring to when he dropped him in the vat of manure. Wraith said nothing, letting out a low growl instead.

" _Your 'Jaeger Company' has been annihilated._ " He curtly declared. " _You want me Skywalker? Come and get me yourself!_ " The image suddenly fizzled and shorted out, Wraith obviously ending the connection. Silence fell across the entire bridge. Evidently, Jaeger Company, the most advanced and powerful Clone unit designed specifically to combat The Wraith, had failed. An unspoken fear swept through the bridge crew. Maybe they should just leave, surely it was no longer worthwhile to pursue Wraith, especially if he had the power to wipe out Jaeger Company.

But Anakin did not share this sentiment. Instead, he felt a sense of determination.

"He's calling us out." He stated aloud. "This can't go unanswered."

"Yes it can, General." Yularen retorted, attempting to diffuse any foolhardy initiatives Anakin might be planning. Wraith was no joke, even he knew that. "You saw what happened to Commander Vex."

"I know. But I can't let him get the best of us." Anakin replied. In his mind, he had to prove that the Republic was not scared of Wraith and that they wouldn't run from him at the slightest sign of trouble. Maybe it was an expression of the pride and fame he'd lost on Tibrin. But Anakin would've claimed it was his desire to ensure the Republic was still a viable power in this war. Afraid of nothing and ready for anything. Anakin moved to leave the bridge, a plan forming in his mind. "Keep your guns trained on his position. If I order a full bombardment I want you to do so. Understood?" He commanded.

"Understood, General." Yularen affirmed, sounding reluctant in having Anakin go ahead with this. But the Jedi Knight took no notice and reached for his communicator to dial up Rex.

"Rex, round up Torrent Company and the rest of the five-oh-first. We're heading planetside." He ordered.

"Roger that, General!" The Captain replied. Entering the turbolift, Anakin rode it down to the hangar bay. Upon stepping out, he was greeted by Ahsoka.

"Master, I heard we're going planetside." She said.

"That's right Snips. Wraith is calling us out, so we're going after him." Anakin replied, voice full of determination. Then he turned serious, entering full-on Master mode as he regarded Ahsoka. "You're coming with us, so I want you to be careful. Wraith might try something with you and I want to keep you safe at all costs. Don't let that monster get anywhere near you." He stated.

"I think you're overreacting a little, Master. Wraith wouldn't try anything with me, not when he's busy trying to take you down." Ahsoka replied. She knew Wraith to have an unstable mind and personality, as Commander Thrawn had so pointedly noted. But she had a feeling he wouldn't try anything. He was too goal-oriented to focus on anything except survival right now.

"Real funny Snips. But I'm serious. Stick close to me and the men. Don't let yourself get isolated, there's no telling what he might try." Anakin responded, sounding very serious indeed. Ahsoka took that as a queue to not be so lighthearted and gave a quick nod of understanding.

"I will, Master."

* * *

 _Some time later..._

Line upon line of 501st Clones stood tall in formation on Gandolo Four. Having disembarked the multitude of dropships, the group looked smartly clad in their freshly-shined armor, standing in formation. Rex, Anakin and Ahsoka stood at the front of the group, devising a strategy as they looked on at the wreck of the YT freighter. Piles of ash lay strewn about the site and more ash fluttered about the air as it slowly rained down from the mountain of rocks before them.

"By the Force..." Rex breathed, stooping down and stirring the pile of his hand. "He's using disruptor tech. It's the only way he could do this."

"The monster." Anakin growled. "Not even that which is outlawed galaxy-wide is off-limits to him." He mused. Rex stood as he finished.

"Orders, General?" The Captain wondered.

"We've got to find him first. Best we divide and conquer." Anakin stated in reply. Turning back to his troopers, the General filled them in on the situation. "Alright men, we're going to split up and encircle the area, Wraith can't have gone far. Our objective is to find him and bring him down, we came here for a prisoner transfer and we're going to get one." He stated. "We stand a better chance taking Wraith as a whole, so if you see him, track him and report your position." He commanded, explaining the plan. Finished, he turned to Rex. "Rex, you and Torrent Company come with Ahsoka and myself. Divide up the rest of the men as you see fit." With a salute, Rex walked down the line and divided up the Legion into squads of five each, breaking them down by company. "We'll encircle the area, cover all areas." Anakin continued. With the orders in place and the Clones ready to go, Anakin ordered his men to move out.

Their search for The Wraith had begun.

Roughly an hour into the search, the 501st Legion was spread out across the mountain range. Some were walking around the edge, scaling ridges and boulders. Others made the treacherous climb up to the somewhat walkable path the encircled the peak of the range, following a worn trail made after untold years of landslides and gradual destabilization. Five Clones, Sergeant Coric, Nax, Del, Attie and Zeer, all members of the first iteration of Torrent Company and survivors of the near-disastrous Battle of Teth, slowly traversed this path as they searched for some sign of The Wraith's presence.

"Not gonna lie, guys, but I'm a little on edge about this." Nax commented.

"Why? Because it's just the five of us if Wraith shows up?" Attie wondered.

"Yeah." Nax nodded. "Backup's at least a few kliks away, probably take a while to get here what with all this blasted rock to crawl over." He explained. "I just think that General Skywalker should've kept us all together."

"I hear you, soldier." Coric agreed. "But the General's right about one thing: we cover more ground split up like this." He added. "We play our cards right and we'll come out of this alive. We're survivors. All of us. It'll take more than Bucket-head to stop us." He said, encouraging his men. Nax and Attie straightened up, feeling a bit better and ready to keep hunting. Just then, Del, who had been a few feet away from them, called out with a find.

"Sergeant! We got footprints! And they're too big to be ours!" The rest of the Clones hurried over to his position and saw the clue Del was pointing towards. There, imprinted in the soft lunar dust, was a mighty big footprint. Way bigger than any a Clone could make.

"Those aren't regulation treads either. Good find, Del." Coric thanked him. "Zeer, put out a call to the General. We've picked up his trail." Zeer did so, alerting Anakin to their find.

"Finally!" The General replied, satisfaction evident in his voice. "We're not far from your position. I'll alert the others." He stated.

"Copy that sir." Zeer signed off. "Sergeant. General Skywalker's on his way." He reported.

"Right men, let's track down this monster." Coric commanded, powering up his blaster. The group broke into a jog, Del leading the way as he followed the footprints. The trail rounded a corner and revealed to the men a tunnel into the mountain. With blasters raised, the Clones half expected to see Wraith sitting there, waiting for him.

Instead, all they saw was the dark, open maw of a cave.

"A cave... that's never a good thing." Attie mused.

"Looks like he might be holed up in here." Coric said, assessing the situation. "We should fortify our position here, just in case he pokes his head out." He surmised. But Nax had another thought. A good one... but one that would doom them all...

"Sir, what if these prints are old? He could be anywhere." He suggested. "We wouldn't want to call the rest here if there wasn't anything to find." Coric nodded.

"Good point, Nax." He agreed. "Squad, lights on. Let's check this out." He ordered, switching on the lights mounted on either side of his helmet.

"But sir, what if Wraith really is in there?" Zeer wondered.

"Then we hightail it outta there and wait for backup." Coric answered, sounding sure of his tactics. The Clones followed suit, lights ablaze and entered the cave. They moved as a unit, carefully watching their surroundings as they knew their opponent to be stealthy and incredibly dangerous. The cave turned out to be a deep one, much longer than any of them had anticipated.

"This would make for a perfect hiding place. He's around here somewhere." Coric muttered. He turned to his side. "Attie, anything on your side?"

"I've got nothing Sarge. But where else could he go?" Attie reported, equally confused. Coric was beginning to wonder if Wraith was here. Either that or he was an expert at making no noise.

"Nax, Del, watch our backs." He ordered, deciding to play things safe. "Zeer, you and Attie watch our flanks." Assuming the directed formation, Coric took the lead and the Clones moved ahead, watching for any out of place movement that could be their quarry.

Little did they realize that Wraith was not far in front of them, concealed by his cloaking field. Unnoticed and undetected, the super-soldier had all the time he needed to forge a plan of action. His ride out of here wasn't too far away. All he had to do was handle this group and any others that came to join them.

For him, this was hardly a challenge.

The sudden sound of rocks skittering across the ground made all five troopers turn and point their weapons towards the cave entrance. But they saw nothing.

"Did he leave?" Zeer wondered.

"How could he get past us?" Nax replied, finding it strange they saw absolutely nothing. "Wait, doesn't he have a cloaker or something?"

"I don't like this." Coric muttered, eyeing up their surroundings once more. "Stay sharp." He ordered, believing Wraith to be somewhere in front of them.

But while the Clones were concerned with the possibility of a successful one-dimensional tactic, they should've been getting into Wraith's head and thinking the way he did.

The commando had pitched a pair of small rocks well over their heads, creating enough of a distraction so that every Clone's back was to him. Shutting down his cloaker, Wraith chuckled darkly as his blades were engaged, choosing to remain cloaked for the time being. The shrill ringing of metal was enough to make the Clones whip around.

" _You know what you call a group of Clones alone against me?_ " The shadow with blood-red eyes asked them. " _Dead._ " He answered, beginning to advance towards them.

"Open fire!" Coric shouted. The Clones did, the staccato of blaster fire loudly echoing throughout the cave. But their efforts were too little too late.

The super-soldier was already upon them.

* * *

Anakin and his group were quick to hustle over to Coric's position. But the uphill climb and difficult terrain made the climb a hard one to say the least. It took too long for Anakin's liking and he was more than happy to reach the trail where Coric and his men had been sent. They were quick to follow the path and the footsteps left in the lunar dust. But before they could round the bend and arrive at the cave, a bloody Clone helmet bounced across the ground before rolling to a halt a few feet away from them. Anakin, Ahsoka and Clones slowed to a halt, realizing that something grim had befallen the Clones. Suddenly, Zeer burst out from behind the rock, running for his life and screaming as he did. But a grapple cable suddenly snared his neck and pulled him back.

"No! NO!" He shrieked before disappearing from view. His cries were heard for only a short while later before they were silenced by the sound of a blade stabbing through flesh. Anakin and the others quickly sprinted around the corner... only to be met with a gruesome sight.

The Wraith stood tall, covered in blood. The bodies of Coric and the others lay scattered around his feet in various stages of mutilation. Some were missing limbs, others were missing heads, most had been chopped and hacked at until their armor was more red than white. Zeer was impaled on his arm blade, breathing his last as his blood soaked Wraith's weapon. The super-soldier turned to face the newcomers.

" _The survivors of the original Torrent Company,_ " He mused, dropping Zeer's body next to the others, " _dead at my feet. Too bad I wasn't sent to Teth, I would've made sure none of you survived in the first place._ " He rumbled, blade disappearing back into his arm. But Zeer wasn't quite dead yet and he managed to move to his knees, but the pain from the wound in his chest kept him from raising himself up any higher. His groans alerted Wraith and the super-soldier drew his slugthrower pistols, pressing the barrel against Zeer's helmet.

" _Why don't you join your 'brothers'... in hell._ " Wraith growled, pulling the trigger. The slug tore through Zeer's head, painting the ground behind him with blood and bits of brain matter. The Clone fell dead, missing a significant portion of his skull. The brutal execution of the men Rex had served alongside, veteran members of Torrent Company, was a sight that simply overwhelmed the captain. His hands shook, his breath quickening as he grew angry.

"They were my brothers!" He shouted, ready to take Wraith to task.

" _Aw, don't cry Rex._ " Wraith replied, nonchalantly stowing his pistol. " _I'm sure Kamino will make you some new ones._ " He sneered. His insult hit home and Rex was ready to lash out, if not for Anakin holding him back with the Force.

"Where did you get a disruptor rifle?" Anakin demanded, igniting his lightsaber.

" _What? You want one too? Copycat..._ " Wraith retorted, drawing the weapon in question from behind him.

"That kind of tech is outlawed. Even in war!" Anakin declared. "You've broken Republic law before, but now you've really crossed a line Wraith."

" _If I do not respect Republic law, does that mean it still exists?_ " Wraith wondered, sounding suddenly philosophical. " _Not to me it doesn't._ " He answered. " _Things exist so long as people respect their existence. If not, then they cease to exist._ " Snapping up his rifle, Wraith fired a single blast at the nearest Clone. Anakin and the others witnessed firsthand the horrific properties of his disruptor rifle, frozen in place as they watched the Clone disappear from their view, his blaster falling to the ground next to the ashes that began to pile up. " _Much like that Clone... because I did not respect his existence._ " More Clones suddenly appeared, arriving as per Anakin's orders. Each of them leveled their weapons in Wraith's direction. " _Doesn't matter how many you bring, Skywalker. With this rifle, I can level the playing field. The odds will always be in my favor._ "

"That doesn't mean we won't stop trying!" A random sergeant declared. "We're not afraid of you!" He shouted, opening fire without any orders. Wraith turned his sights on him and promptly reduced the Clone to a pile of ash with a single blast.

" _I'd like to hear him say that again._ " He mused. " _Now... are we going to have a fight or what? Your Jaeger Company isn't here to save you and I've got an ultra-powerful trump card... but odds like that haven't stopped you before._ " Wraith stated. Anakin frowned, gripping his lightsaber tightly. Ahsoka ignited hers, waiting for her master's orders.

"Rex, flanking position." Anakin quietly ordered.

"Yes sir." Rex replied, still seething. "What about you?"

"I'll draw his fire!" Anakin cried, charging forward with both hands gripping his lightsaber. Moving automatically, Wraith opened fire with his disruptor rifle, only for Anakin to deflect the bolt. Closing the gap between them, Anakin swung his saber, aiming to cut the deadly weapon in two. But Wraith dropped low and raised his arm. blocking him with his gauntlet. Anakin quickly retaliated by pushing him hard with the Force, sending Wraith sprawling back towards the cave. Disruptor sliding from his hands, Wraith rolled backwards to his feet and drew Tyth from behind him. The blade snapped on with a burst of flame, glowing yellow amid the drab grey terrain. The Clones who had an opportunity to shoot opened fire, peppering Wraith with blaster bolts. The super-soldier shrugged them off, his gaze fixated on Anakin. The Jedi and the super-soldier began to duel, truly trading strikes as they fought hard, blue solidified-plasma clashing with solid flames. Wraith proved to be a worthy opponent, a real heavy-hitter. But Anakin had plenty of training under his belt and the two fought on, equals in sword-based combat. The Clones fired when they did, sporadic shots slamming into Wraith's armored body. The super-soldier decided to take back his dominion over this fight and stowed Tyth behind him after giving Anakin a hard shove. Although confused by his actions, Anakin sought to press his advantage and leapt forward with his arm primed to deliver an overhead strike. Wraith was quick to advance on Anakin and, grabbing his arm, Wraith kept a firm hold on his limb as he drove his body into Anakin with a hard push, dislocating his shoulder. With a cry, Anakin was flung to the ground and rolled over, Wraith pinning him with his knee against his back. Grabbing Anakin by his hair, Wraith painfully forced his head up.

" _You have given your men a suicide mission, Skywalker. Now you will watch them die!_ " He growled, holding his heavy weapon with one hand as he forced Anakin to watch him continue. Firing a single shot, another 501st Clone was turned to dust, crying out as he died. " _This is for Makem Te!_ " He shouted, disintegrating another Clone. " _And Aphran!_ " He blasted two more, turning them to ash. " _And Salliche!_ " He continued with a roar, turning two more Clones to ash, one after another, with perfect headshots. Rex forced the men into retreat, all of them taking cover behind rocky outcrops.

"No!" Anakin cried forcing himself out of Wraith's grip with a well-aimed blast of telekinetic power. Wraith shrugged off the assault and was on his feet instantly, Anakin less so as he clutched his dislocated limb.

" _This is why you don't kriff around with me._ " Wraith growled. " _You had your fun on Makem Te and Aphran and Salliche. But they only served to fuel my vengeance... and now your men have paid the price for your insolence._ "

"If it's revenge you want then take it out on me!" Anakin shouted, desperate to keep any more men from falling by his hand. "And leave my men out of this."

" _I am taking it out on you, Skywalker._ " Wraith retorted. " _But this is only the beginning of my retribution._ "

"So, what, you'll start a 'campaign of terror'?" Anakin wondered.

" _Call it what you will. By the time I'm done, you'll think this tame compared to the other things I'll do._ " His threat was not one to be taken lightly. Ever since his humiliation on Makem Te, Wraith had been plotting his revenge, devising ways to personally attack Anakin in such a way as he would never forget.

Nobody humiliated The Wraith and lived to talk about it.

His sensors suddenly alerted him to the presence of an incoming craft and, upon turning around, Wraith watched as his own shuttle landed at the base of the mountain.

" _About damn time._ " He mused, holstering his rifle across his back as he turned back to Anakin. " _Until next time, Skywalker._ " Wraith said, mock bowing in farewell. " _For there will always be a next time._ " With those parting words, Wraith lept off the side of the mountain and continued to bounce off rocks in a display of immense agility and careful precision. Still clutching his arm, Anakin raced to the edge to watch Wraith's descent as his men and Ahsoka crowded around him.

"General? You alright, sir?" Rex wondered.

"Contact Yularen, order an orbital strike on that ship! Now!" Anakin commanded, ignoring Rex's query.

Sliding to a halt at the bottom of the mountain, Wraith sprinted to his shuttle, desperate to get off this rock. His enhanced biology caused the trip to last only a few seconds and he was soon ready to enter his ship. Stepping into his craft Wraith was greeted by a surprising, yet familiar face at the controls.

" _Doc?_ " Scipio turned to him with a grin.

"Surprised to see me?" He wondered.

" _Maybe a little. I thought you said you made contact with a battle group?_ " Wraith wondered as he sat down next to him.

"They were delayed! So I said to myself 'if you want something done right, do it yourself' and came to get you myself." Scipio replied. "I happen to be a decent pilot. You're not the only one who's good a-"

" _There's no time for that, we've gotta go!_ " Wraith urgently exclaimed. " _There's a cruiser in orbit and they'll likely try to blast us!_ "

"Say no more, my boy!" Scipio replied, launching the shuttle ahead with a burst of speed. Pressed back into his seat, Wraith watched as the grey landscape of Gandolo Four disappeared beneath them, growing smaller and smaller as they lifted off. A series of blue bolts started to streak past them as the Resolute opened fire. It appeared they were gone too quickly to perform an orbital bombardment. But that wouldn't stop the Republic from trying to put them down. "Hold tight, Wraith, I'm making the jump to hyperspace." Scipio said as he quickly keyed their destination into the navcomputer. A few seconds later, with the push of a throttle, the starts turned to streaks of light as the shuttle shot forward and into hyperspace. Scipio breathed sighed in relief. They had made it out safely. "Well... that was certainly cutting it close."

" _You don't say._ " Wraith replied with his own sigh of relief. He felt better now that he was in Separatist company and even better now that he was in a vessel he could trust. It felt good to be back in his own ship. It was better than any smugglers piece of junk anyway.

"You alright, my boy?" Scipio asked him.

" _Yeah. I'm fine._ " He answered. " _That disruptor rifle works perfectly. A good few Clones are nothing more than piles of ash now._ "

"Excellent! That is good to hear." Scipio replied. "At least this little detour wasn't entire fruitless."

" _I guess._ " Wraith mused, starting to grow lost in thought. He remembered what he told Anakin just before his departure. He had every intention to live up to his threat. Now he just needed a means and a method...

"Everything alright, my boy?" Scipio queried, noting his silence. Wraith took a moment before answering.

" _These past few missions... Makem Te, Aphran, Salliche, none of them went as planned. Each time Anakin Skywalker found some way to humiliate me. I want revenge. But this, this little turnabout doesn't cut it. I need something more..._ " he stated. Scipio mulled over his words, knowing he had far more scientific training than any sort of revenge or militant strike training.

"I'm no expert when it comes to that, Wraith. I left that up to those military texts you study." He informed the super-soldier. "But, if I could offer you any sort of suggestion, maybe you should do something so hurtful it pierces his very heart. Wraith let that option stew in his mind for a little bit. It seemed good. Problem was, he'd already put the screws to several of Anakin's close allies. He'd vaporized his troopers. He'd beaten Obi-Wan and imprisoned him. He had yet to do anything to Rex, unless traumatizing him by butchering his closest men counted, and there was no way in hell he'd do anything to Ahsoka. He'd taken his pride, he'd sent him packing, he'd stolen victory out from under him. What else was possibly left for him to-

Wait.

His mind flashed back to Tibrin. He remembered a certain senator among the observers. Even though the Jedi and Clones cheered him, there was a senator there who was also rooting for Anakin. The senator representing Naboo if he recalled correctly.

Maybe there was something left for him to do.

Wraith started chuckling. It was a deep, throaty noise that slowly rose in pitch and volume as a plan formed in his mind. It would require some research, but it would certainly bring about the results he sought.

" _I think I have an idea..._ " He mused, a broad smile beneath his mask.

* * *

 _Coruscant, Senator Amidala's apartment. Later that day..._

Another day, another long and strenuous timetable filled to the brim with meetings, negotiations and more meetings. Feeling quite tired, Padme Amidala had finished a relaxing hydroshower and had redressed in a far more freeing nightgown. Her senatorial robes were nice, but they felt constrictive and weighty after a day. Besides, there was a far more special occasion on her mind. Desperate for her day to be over, tonight would be something special.

For today was her and Anakin's anniversary.

Even though her day had been long, Padme was more than ready for tonight. Finally, after many long months, she and Anakin would finally have a night to themselves.

"Now, let's see..." she mused, eyeing her bedroom. Even when not in senator-mode, Padme had always been a list-maker. "Wine, check. Drinking flutes, check. Freshly made bed, check." She listed off. "Now... to wait for my husband. Gods, it's been so long." She sighed, sitting down on her bed and letting her hair down. She really was looking forward to tonight. Hearing the sound of a door opening, Padme quickly stood and switched off the lights, deciding to set the mood a little. Reclining on the bed, Padme laid back and waited for Anakin to arrive. She heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall towards her, anticipation growing in the pit of her stomach.

Although they did sound significantly heavier...

The footsteps walked right up to the bedroom door and the entrance opened moments later. Padme watched as the shadowy silhouette of a broad, tall man appeared, stepping into the room as the door closed behind him. He said nothing, did nothing, remaining silent and unmoving. Padme felt a sudden rush of uneasiness. Something about this man seemed wrong and off, like he was not who she was expecting. "Ani?" She wondered, partially curious if Anakin was trying to be suspenseful or dramatic.

Then, a pair of red optics flashed to life. Padme gasped in horror as she realized who was here with her.

" _Hello, Senator..._ " A mechanized voice greeted her. Scrambling for the nearest light switch, Padme triggered the lights and found The Wraith himself standing before her. " _Security systems are down and any guard in the immediate area has been vivisected._ " He casually informed her. " _Oh... and you may wish to call off your anniversary plans._ " Before she could move or say anything, Wraith flicked his arm out and a sharp pain shot through her abdomen. Looking down, Padme saw red beginning to stain her gown and the handle of a throwing knife protruding from her waist. Clutching her wound, Padme slowly fell to the floor as Wraith walked over. Stooping down next to her, his fingers curled around her neck as he launched a static chip into his opposite hand. " _You're coming with me..._ " He growled. That was the last thing Padme heard before a shock ripped through her body and she blacked out.


	59. Happy Anniversary

**Author's Note: Guess who's on break? This guy! So y'all can expect a few more chapters this season. Also, thanks to everybody who voted in the poll. Looks like Extreme Notoriety is going to remain one chapter. But I did edit it so it's not too far out of line but also isn't directly related to the 'Heroes on both Sides' arc. Anywho, hope y'all enjoy!**

* * *

-Chapter 33: Happy Anniversary

Location: the Works, Coruscant

"Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to a plan. Sometimes you just want to watch others burn."

Padme was violently awakened from her unconscious state when ice-cold water splashed across her face. Gasping for air, her dampened curls clinging to her face and brow, the senator managed to quickly view her surroundings as she returned to consciousness. She was in a darkened room with a single dim light shining down on her, a room so dark she couldn't make out any features. Attempting to move her hands she found herself bound hand and foot to a chair by metal cuffs. The dull thrum of machinery in the distance informed her she might be in a factory or warehouse of some kind. A spot of dried blood stained the front of her gown, obviously from the wound made by his throwing knife prior to her capture. It seemed to have clotted and healed, but who knows if the blade had been laced with a neurotoxin or not.

" _Wakey wakey, Senator._ " A deep synthesized voice whispered in her ear. Although she did not wish to look, Padme turned her gaze to the right and found the crimson visage of The Wraith staring back at her.

"How... H-How long have I been out for?" She asked, her voice weak.

" _Not long, I guess. I haven't been keeping track of time._ " Wraith replied, walking around to her front. Taking a shallow breath, Padme plucked up her courage and looked up at her captor.

"What do you want with me?" She asked.

" _Apart from the obvious, someone you know has wronged me... severely._ " Wraith answered. " _And I'm going to use you to take my revenge._ " So he had a motive. Now Padme just needed the last piece filled in.

"W-Who?"

" _Someone you know._ " Wraith repeated before elaborating. " _A certain Jedi Knight. One I believe you know rather... intimately..._ " He explained, slowly reaching into his jacket and retrieving a necklace...

The same one Anakin had given to her as a boy when they first met.

Padme stiffened as the custom-made necklace dangled before her.

"I-I don't know who you're referring to." She quickly lied, saying the first thing that came to her mind in an effort to deny the idea that Wraith knew she was married to Anakin. This proved to be a mistake as Wraith slapped her across the face.

" _Don't play coy with me Amidala._ " He growled. " _It may work on politicians of lesser intelligence, but I know all about you're little secret._ " He stated as Padme recovered, wondering if there would be a red mark on her cheek. " _Besides, why else would you say 'Ani'?_ " He continued, voice returning to its taunting tone. " _Would 'Ani' happen to be short for 'Anakin'? Is that a little pet name you've given your husband?_ " He wondered. That last word earned him a quiet gasp from Padme. He said it with such certainty.

"You know?" She wondered, sounding much more fearful now.

" _Just 'cause everyone else is dumb as rocks when it comes to you two doesn't mean I am._ " He responded, turning around and walking away from her. " _I first realized it on Tibrin, though I wouldn't confirm my suspicions until now. I mean, why else would one senator remain to cheer on the 'Chosen One'?_ " He mused, partially explaining how he had come to this realization.

"I am not afraid of you. And neither is he." Padme responded with all the courage she could muster.

" _Oh... That's a very bad idea Senator._ " Wraith softly growled, making his voice sound as threatening as possible as he turned back to her. " _The last person who said they weren't afraid of me... well, they're dead now._ " He leaned over her now, his mighty hands grasping her bound arms. Padme had no choice but to look up into his crimson gaze, his hulking form looming over her petite and slender frame.

"The Republic will find me." She said, determined to keep her hopes up. She was such a prominent figure, how could they not come looking for her? And if not them, then Anakin would certainly tear Coruscant apart to locate her. To her surprise, Wraith answered,

" _I want them to find you._ " Taken aback, Padme was thoroughly confused. But his following explanation sent another wave of fear rippling through her. " _It's just a matter of what condition they find you in._ "

"They'll avenge me, you'll catch hell for this." She continued, now trying to deter him.

" _This is one situation you can't talk your way out of Amidala. Your words don't frighten me._ " Wraith growled, his voice indicating his fearless attitude and his less-than-caring mindset. Straightening up, Wraith suddenly drew a knife from behind him, Padme's gaze quickly drawn to the gleaming edge and all the sinister potential it had. Knowing Wraith he would likely use it. He didn't hold back, he had no restraint when it came to dealing with his enemies. " _But clearly I frighten you._ " He mused, twirling the weapon around in his hand. " _I won't lie, this will hurt. Believe me when I say this won't be a day at the spa._ "

* * *

After the failure at Gandolo, all Anakin had wanted to do was to go home and see Padme. He knew today was their anniversary and he had every intention of spending at least the night with her.

Little did he realize that events had been set in motion that would occupy the rest of his night.

It was Sabe, one of Padme's handmaidens, who had alerted him first. She claimed to have stumbled across two of the local senate guards. Both of them were dead, cut to pieces. Then she told him that Padme was missing. She was always home by this time, this was not normal for her. Anakin had immediately followed her to Padme's apartment where he was greeted by an equally worried Rabe and Dorme. All three handmaidens knew of his marriage to Padme and they had kept their secret well enough for him to trust them. The first thing he did was survey everything they had uncovered, including the dead guards. Anakin looked at the slash marks cutting deeply through their armor, their severed limbs and bloody corpses and he knew only one person who would even think about butchering the guards. Most of the assailants he'd dealt with in the past preferred to subdue guards before point-blank executing them, or simply taking them out in a firefight. But there was one who took his time, using cold steel to send a message.

He knew who, but he refused to acknowledge the possibility.

Rising to his feet and returning to the handmaidens, he addressed Sabe first.

"Where were you all when this happened?"

"We were out running an errand. Mistress Padme had sent us a message earlier this evening to go and collect some things." She answered, truthfully. Not responding, Anakin moved with determination back to Padme's apartment.

"We need to know more. She's gone, virtually without a trace."

"Who could possibly want to kidnap her Master Skywalker?" Dorme wondered.

"The list of enemies and rivals she's made while a politician is a long one. The question is: who would be brazen enough to attack her here?" Anakin answered, mind kicking into overdrive. He wanted to sort this out as soon as possible, not wishing for Padme to come to any harm. He quickly convinced himself that someone might have a twisted sense of humour and was only making it look like The Wraith was responsible for Padme's kidnapping.

That super-soldier wouldn't dare come anywhere near Coruscant. Especially not after Gandolo.

"Should we take this to the other Jedi? Maybe even the Chancellor?" Sabe asked him.

"We will. Once we figure out what kind of situation we're dealing with." Anakin confidently responded. If this was a task he could handle, maybe they wouldn't need everybody. Returning to the apartment, Anakin was suddenly greeted by a familiar face.

"Threepio?" He wondered.

"Oh! Master Skywalker! Thank the maker you're here now." The gold-plated protocol droid greeted him, sounding very much like his anxious, uptight self.

"Did you happen to see Padme? Or someone else?" Anakin asked, feeling a tad anxious himself.

"Well, now that you mention it, I did hear some footsteps earlier." Threepio answered. "Mistress Padme sent me to gather some liquid refreshments for her. While I was doing so I heard footsteps, heavy ones at that, and then... nothing more. I attempted to leave, but the door had been sealed. Fortunately, Mistress Dorme let me out a short while ago."

"The door was locked. Someone clearly wanted no witnesses." Anakin mused, slowly understanding this kidnapper. While C-3PO's report wasn't very helpful, it at least gave him a few clues to work with. This person seemed to be highly skilled, if not ruthless. Maybe they were paid to do this... "I'll get Artoo in here. Maybe he can access the security system and get us some more answers." Anakin decided. "But first, I want a look around." Choosing his next course of action, Anakin turned back to the protocol droid. "Threepio, can you call Artoo and have him meet us here?"

"Certainly, sir." Threepio shuffled off to do as told as Anakin and the handmaidens began their investigation of the rest of the apartment. Anakin made a beeline for the bedroom, being it was the room he often shared with Padme. Upon entry, he soon realized the room was practically untouched. No signs of a struggle and virtually no signs of an intruder. It were almost as if nobody had been in here at all, apart from a slight depression in the bed and the wine glasses on the nightstand.

"It doesn't make any sense." Sabe said. "It's like she was here and then she left."

"That's not like Padme. This was definitely a kidnapping." Anakin replied, knowing his wife well enough to know that this was out of character for her. Taking another step into the room, Anakin suddenly paused as he heard a faint noise coming from somewhere in the room. Slightly raising his hand, he stopped the handmaidens. "Does anyone else hear that?" He asked. Dorme did and she quickly followed the noise to where she believed it was coming from. It was a soft beeping, continuous and persistent. Opening the opposite nightstand, Dorme pulled out a holoprojector. A small red light, indicating an incoming call, was steadily blinking in time with the beeps.

"That's Padme's communicator!" Sabe exclaimed. Hope soared within everyone present, believing Padme might've gotten free and was calling them now. Anakin took the projector from Dorme and answered the call. The projector flickered before revealing Padme, bound to a chair and looking a little dishevelled. Her expression brightened upon seeing her husband.

"Anakin!" She sounded relieved.

"Padme! Thank the Force." Ankain replied, breathing a sigh of relief. "Where are you?" He wondered. Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed through the calm as a figure approached Padme from behind.

" _With me._ " The deep synthesized voice sent chills through the handmaiden's spines and caused Anakin's blood to freeze as Padme's captor stepped into view.

"Wraith." Anakin hoarsely said his name. This situation had just gone from bad to worse.

" _It's like I told you, Skywalker. You had your fun, humiliating me. Now I'm gonna take my revenge... in the coldest way possible._ " Wraith growled. Drawing a knife, the silver blade was pressed against Padme's arm, not breaking the skin but still dangerously close to her.

"Anakin... he knows... a-about us." Padme quickly said.

" _Yes... Indeed I do._ " Wraith agreed. " _I thought Jedi weren't allowed to get married... Ani._ " He continued, chuckling as he used Padme's nickname for him. Anakin started shaking, his emotions getting the better of him. Mixed fear and anger surged through his veins, overwhelming him.

"I swear, I will hunt you down and treat you like the psychopath that you are..." He rasped.

" _Oh, why so serious Skywalker?_ " Wraith shot back in reply, unfazed by the threat. " _You Jedi really need to learn to lighten up._ " Glancing down he noticed the slight tremble in Padme's limbs. " _You too Senator._ " He added. Stooping down, Wraith arms encircled her body as his head peered over her shoulder, his free hand holding her chin as his raised knife pressed against the corner of her mouth. " _What say we put a smile on that face, hm?_ " He mused, delighting in his torturous actions and the slow psychological breakdown going on in both participants. He looked back to Anakin. " _Might wanna hurry, or else a few cuts are going to be the least of her injuries!_ " He cackled, the transmission suddenly shutting down. The last thing Anakin saw was absolute fear on Padme's face.

Wraith really wasn't messing around. If he wanted to hurt Padme, he could and would.

Silence filled the room as the party of four stared at the disabled projector, alone with their thoughts but fear chief among their feelings. It was Anakin who summoned his composure first.

"We're taking this... to the Chancellor." He said, voice shaking and all sense of confidence drained from his body.

For the first time in a very long time, Anakin Skywalker was afraid.

* * *

 _Later, in the office of the Supreme Chancellor..._

It was decided that Anakin and Sabe would present the issue to Chancellor Palpatine. Sabe would do all the talking in order to protect the secrecy of Padme's marriage, Anakin being nothing more than someone who was dragged into this. The Jedi Knight was quick to use the Force to calm his emotions, he couldn't afford to reveal anything that might incriminate him and Padme. It was a task easier said than done, though, as Anakin was extremely worried about his wife.

Sabe presented the situation to Palpatine, Anakin chipping in when need be. They left out the portions where Wraith revealed his knowledge of Padme's marriage to Anakin and could only shrug their shoulders when asked if Wraith made mention of what he wanted.

"This is very grievous news, for more than one reason." Palaptine mused, rising from his seat. "Firstly, one of our most prominent and finest senators is now in the clutches of a known war-criminal. Secondly, the fact that Wraith was able to arrive on Coruscant and kidnap such a prominent senator without raising a single alarm presents a very dangerous reality for us all."

"He can come and go as he sees fit, doing as he pleases... and we can't do anything about it until it's too late." Anakin grimly stated. Palpatine nodded in agreement.

"We must do something about this immediately." He continued. "Given the threatening tone, I would say Senator Amidala does not have long before she too comes face to face with Wraith's brutal nature."

"He did say a few cuts would be the least of her injuries." Sabe added, affirming Palpatine's understanding.

"Then we will need to act soon." Palpatine decided. "Lady Sabe, I ask you leave Senator Amidala's projector with us. It will be easier for us to track and monitor any more incoming communications." He requested.

"Of course, Chancellor." Sabe agreed. Carrying said projector, Anakin turned it over to Palpatine as the Chancellor addressed him.

"Master Skywalker, if you could please inform some of your fellow Jedi Masters of this development? I have a feeling we will need as many available hands as possible." Anakin gave a quick nod.

"Right. I'm on it."

"I will contact the Republic Security Bureau, we'll run tracers on this projector and begin scanning for any possible leads." Palaptine stated. "We will get Senator Amidala back. That is my promise to you, Lady Sabe."

* * *

Padme winced and grit her teeth as the sharp knife slit her shoulder, a thin red line appearing in its wake. A single trickle of blood began creeping down her arm, moving steadily towards the lower sleeve of her dress.

" _Ever heard of 'death by a thousand cuts' Senator?_ " Wraith asked. " _It's a particularly drawn-out sort of execution, practiced by, believe it or not, some of the more civilized worlds as their capital punishment._ " Padme made no response, trying hard to keep her mind focused on the hope that Anakin would soon find her, now that he was aware of her predicament. Wraith had already raked his blade across her flesh more than once, resulting in at least six wounds along her arms and one dangerously close to her neck.

"Is that the only reason why you've kidnapped me? To kill me slowly?" She asked, voice weak as the pain took its toll.

" _Hardly. Death would merely allow you to escape from the suffering I will inflict upon you._ " Wraith answered. Towering over her, Wraith leaned over the petite senator. " _You've been a real thorn in our side, uncovering our plans and halting our operations. This... This should serve as a reminder for you. Cross us again and you will suffer our vengeance. For we never forgive criminals such as yourself... nor will we soon forget your face._ "

"You're the criminal here, not me!" Padme exclaimed, the insult suddenly granting her enough strength to retort.

" _Is that so? You think you're high and mighty position as a senator keeps you safe from the consequences of your actions? Every time you open your mouth you doom millions, if not billions, from seeing true freedom, from experiencing relief from the Republic's corruption!_ " Wraith growled in reply. " _You have as much blood on your hands as I do. With your words you doom thousands to this war and prevent them from experiencing freedom and peace under Separatist rule._ "

"Freedom? Peace?" Padme sounded incredulous. "Look, I don't know what they've done to your head, but you are mistaken if you think that's what the Separatists will bring!"

" _How predictable._ " Wraith rumbled as he straightened up. " _Coming from the likes of you, a champion of the old and outdated way of doing things, you would resist any form of change._ " He suddenly whipped his arm around, knife raised. Padme barely felt anything before the stinging sensation set in, realizing Wraith had cut her cheek.

Her torture was far from over.

* * *

 _Later, at the Republic Intelligence Operations Centre..._

In addition to Chancellor Palpatine, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Anakin Skywalker and Thrawn stood present as Clone slicers ran scans of Padme's projector and wired the device into their tracking systems. All of them were anxiously anticipating another transmission from Wraith, all while trying to discern his motives and his possible location. All of them were tense and disturbed by Wraith's presence here on Coruscant, especially his ability to slip into their territory unseen and undetected.

But out of them all, Anakin was having trouble standing still and not pacing or showing emotion of any kind. This was far more gruelling for him than any of them could've ever known.

"This seems to be particularly brazen of him, even though that seems to be the trend with The Wraith these days." Mace determined.

"I agree. Although there was that one time where he came here to kill Daav Philo'nis. But to kidnap a senator? That takes some doing." Obi-Wan agreed. "Surely he has some kind of motivation for something like this." He mused, attempting to determine why Wraith would do this. Anakin knew, but he kept his mouth shut.

"With all due respect Generals, some people just want to watch the world burn. Wraith's emotions may get the better of him at times and this in turn drives him to simply make life miserable for his enemies." Thrawn calmly explained. "There is no rhyme or reason for what he does. He acts simply out of passion, driven by his feelings alone."

"But why Senator Amidala? Why even come to Coruscant to begin with?" Mace asked.

"A desperate mind will do whatever it thinks is right." Thrawn quietly replied. "If Wraith deems this to be the best course of action..." Suddenly trailing off, Thrawn paused as he developed a thought and began to ponder it. He turned to Anakin. "General Skywalker, you were the last person to come into contact with Wraith, correct?"

"Yeah. Back on Gandolo. Why?" Anakin replied, not following.

"Did he say anything to you before he left?" Thrawn asked him.

"Something about 'retribution' for the times we drove him off." The Knight stated. Thrawn nodded slowly.

"Ah, then revenge is his motive. A powerful one, too." Thrawn realized.

"That still doesn't explain why he would go after Senator Amidala." Mace noted. Anakin suddenly felt tense, wondering if they were on to him. But before his fears could be realized or built upon, one of the Clones began speaking,

"Sirs, we've got an incoming transmission!" The Jedi were quick to gather around, Thrawn hanging back so he might observe everything.

"Ready when you are trooper." Obi-Wan stated.

"Activating signal tracer. Putting it through now..." The trooper continued, doing his job with refined effectiveness. The projector switched on, creating the holographic image of Padme strapped to a chair and Wraith standing next to her. Anakin could see the multiple cuts in her dress and across her body, his blood boiling despite his efforts to maintain a neutral state.

" _Well now, Skywalker, I see you've brought some friends._ " The super-soldier noted. " _Too dumb to figure this one out on your own?_ "

"If you want to deal with us Wraith, do so directly. Leave Senator Amidala out of this." Obi-Wan demanded. Wraith chuckled in reply.

" _You Jedi really are a bunch of simpletons._ " He rumbled. " _You wouldn't learn your lesson if I attacked you directly. But attacking those you serve and are supposed to protect? Well, people tend to listen when someone important's life is on the line._ " The Jedi knew not how to respond, neither did Thrawn. But true to the commander's word, Wraith seemed hellbent on taking his revenge in this manner. He had seemingly convinced himself this path was he right one.

Seeing an opportunity, Padme chose to speak up. Despite her torture, she had been carefully observing her surroundings, watching, listening, feeling. And she believed she knew where she was.

"Master Jedi! I think I'm in the-" before she could reveal her location, Wraith rounded a hard punch right to her abdomen, the senator doubling over and gasping for breath.

" _Silence, you!_ " Wraith thundered. The Jedi visibly flinched at his rough treatment of Padme.

"This has gone on long enough." Mace stated. "Wraith, if you release Senator Amidala, we will allow you to leave without interference." He said, attempting to bargain with the super-soldier.

" _Your words are empty, Jedi. Meaningless! You don't know where I am and, right now, I'm holding every card imaginable. I'm in control here... not you._ " Wraith growled, flexing his superiority in this situation. The Clone tracers were working double-time to try and pinpoint the origin of the transmission before it ended. The Jedi knew this and tried to buy them some more time.

"What do you want, Wraith? Dealing with a senator in such a way will surely guarantee you 'war criminal' status. There's no way this ends well for you." Obi-Wan asked.

" _You think I don't know that? I don't care._ " Wraith retorted. " _All I want is to make you suffer. And judging from your expressions, I think I'm doing a pretty good job._ " Pausing as he finished, Wraith eyed his audience and chuckled. " _You all are so grim... so determined. Like I said before, you all could really stand to lighten up a little. Stifling your emotions all the time can't be good for you._ " He continued. Anakin could've sworn Wraith was staring right at him when he said that. Wraith then glanced down at Padme, who was still recovering from his punch, having had the wind knocked out of her. " _Still not smiling, eh Senator?_ " Wraith wondered, drawing a knife with a wicked gleam in his optics. " _How about I fix that for you..._ " The observers watched in horror as Wraith grabbed Padme by the face and purposefully cut two deep scars across her cheeks starting at the corners of her mouth and moving out, giving her the appearance of a grotesque smile. Turning around and feeling quite smug about what he'd done, Wraith regarded his now-queasy audience with a look of pride.

"You'll pay for this." Anakin stated, barely maintaining a level head. "I'll see to it myself." Wraith chuckled, knowing just how torturous this was for the Knight.

" _Come and get me, Skywalker... if you dare._ " He answered, before the projector fizzled and the communication came to an end.

"Trooper! Tell me you have something." Mace quickly asked the slicers.

"We think so, sir. Looks like the transmission originated from the Works." One of the Clones replied positively.

"Good. Now let's put an end to this." Mace determined. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.

"Master Jedi, if I may," Thrawn said, speaking up, "given the delicate nature of this situation, it would not be wise to rush in after Wraith. He is in a particularly volatile state, it would seem. He's feeling triumphant and he will do whatever is necessary to maintain that feeling of triumph. I would recommend you develop a plan of attack, use the available data to pinpoint his precise location and then plan accordingly." He suggested. While the elder Jedi agreed, Anakin did not.

"Senator Amidala doesn't have that kind of time!" He exclaimed. "We have to go now before that monster does anything worse to her."

"And we will move, Skywalker." Mace reassured him. "Once we've thought this situation through."

"Fine. Think all you want." Anakin relented, turning to leave. "I know where I'm going."

"Anakin, don't do anything rash." Obi-Wan called after him.

"I'm not. I'm just gonna take the Five-Oh-First and get Padme out of there. A quick in and out mission, not a problem."

"But Wraith is a really big deal, we can't just rush in after him and you certainly can't strong-arm him into surrendering." Obi-Wan countered, not wanting to risk having Anakin being put in the infirmary for another few months. "You heard what Commander Thrawn said, we need a plan of attack."

"I have a plan: attack." Anakin replied. "You can come with me if you want, Obi-Wan. If not, don't bother trying to stop me." He added, sounding very firm and very serious about his decision. The Jedi watched him leave, noting the sudden change in his demeanor.

This whole situation seemed awfully personal to him...

Wraith couldn't help but chuckle to himself as the communication ended. The tortured look on Anakin's face was absolutely delicious and made all the effort he'd put into this worthwhile.

" _Knowing him, he's fool enough to come after you._ " He mused to Padme. Turning back to his captive, Wraith grabbed the senator by the chin and forced her to look at him. " _And when he does... well... then I'll really have some fun with the two of you._ " He said, growling threateningly. Padme made no reply, but did cry out as Wraith suddenly slugged her across the face. It was a hard punch, and there would likely be a bruise left in its wake.

"N-No... Please... W-Why...?" She asked him, voice weak.

" _Just getting you ready for when your husband shows up..._ " Wraith replied, cracking his knuckles as he did.

* * *

 _A short while later..._

A single Republic dropship flew low over the buildings of Coruscant, destined for the Works: the industrial part of the planet. Full of factories, pipelines and all manner of manufacturing compounds, it was the one place on the surface of the planet that wasn't a glittering high-rise.

And it was also where The Wraith was hiding.

Having taken the coordinates retrieved by the Clone slicers, Anakin watched the miniature holomap before him with an intense gaze, watching as they drew closer and closer to the origin of the signal. Glancing up and out of the open door, Anakin spied a simple warehouse complex surrounded by all kinds of assembly lines off in the distance.

"That looks like the place." He mused, putting the holomap away. With him, with weapons primed, were Captain Rex and Torrent Company. "Alright men, this is a simple extraction mission. We don't want to be here any longer than we have to." He informed them.

"Roger that sir." Rex replied. "Wraith's on our turf now. This is a fight he can't win."

"I don't want there to be a fight unless there absolutely has to be one." Anakin told him. "We're still recovering from Gandolo and I don't want to lose any of you." The Clone nodded in understanding and stayed silent as the dropship set down in the street just outside the signal's location. "Set up a perimeter around the building." Anakin ordered as he and the men disembarked. Rex was quick to follow up with directions for his men.

"Fives, Echo, take point around the entrances. Jesse, Kix, up on those roofs, take aim at the windows. Dogma, Hardcase, with me." The Clones moved to obey, surrounding the building. Anakin and Rex advanced on the door before Anakin halted him.

"Wait out here. If you don't hear from me in five minutes, come in after me."

"Yes sir." Rex affirmed, staying behind as Anakin walked forward and entered the facility.

The place was drab, not much to look at. It was empty, devoid of all machinery with a fine layer of dust covering the floor. Anakin could care less, though, and proceeded to make his way upstairs. Lightsaber in hand, Anakin drew on the Force as he got ready to square off with Wraith, wherever he might be.

Away from his men and without any other Jedi around, he was ready to get emotional.

"Alright, scumbag, where are you and where's my wife?" He muttered under his breath.

His answer was not far away.

Using the Force to blast open a locked door, Anakin stepped into a much more open room and there, in the middle, sat Padme, abound to a chair. A single ray of light shone down upon her, illuminating her. Despite the cuts across her body, her loose and mangy hair and the bruises blossoming on her cheeks, she still looked like an angel to him. "Padme!" He called, so happy and relieved to see her. Padme looked up, eyes brightening as she laid eyes on him.

"Ani!" She cried, feeling so relieved that this little nightmare was almost over. Anakin took a few cautious steps into the room.

"Where is he?" He asked, referring to Wraith.

"I don't know." She honestly replied. "He disappeared a while ago." This was true. After having smacked her around a few times, Wraith had seemingly made to leave, moving behind her where she could not see him. Not caring and his mind-narrowed by his sudden find, Anakin moved further into the room, intent on freeing Padme. Suddenly, the air shimmered as Wraith's cloaking field powered down, revealing the super-soldier directly behind him. Padme saw him, eyes wide with sudden fear. "Ani! Behind you!" She cried. Anakin heard her warning but, a split second later, Wraith clubbed him across the back of the head, knocking him down before he could react. A boot was driven into his side, knocking him down further as a pair of pistol rounds shot his lightsaber out of his hand.

" _Welcome to the party, Skywalker._ " Wraith growled. " _So glad you were dumb enough to try and rescue your dear little senator._ " Quickly putting the Jedi in a choke-hold, Wraith wrestled Anakin into submission. " _You know, I've been thinking, and I've gotta know, Senator: what do you see in him?_ " He asked Padme. "' _Cause it mystifies me to no end as to why anyone would want this arrogant fool._ "

"I don't expect you to understand this, Wraith, but when there's someone special in your life you can look past their faults because you care about them so much."

" _Is that so?_ " Wraith mused, glancing down at his captives. " _Maybe you should remember that the next time I talk about Ahsoka._ " He added, throwing yet another personal jab at Skywalker. " _Still, you could do a lot better than this desert rat, Senator._ " He continued, delivering a hard punch to Anakin's face before releasing him. The Jedi fell to the ground, coughing.

"Why go to all of this Wraith? Why not just kill me and be done with these revenge games?" He asked.

" _You really think I want to kill you?_ " Wraith said, sounding almost bewildered by his question. " _No no no no no, you've got it all wrong Skywalker. I want you to suffer. The same way you've made me suffer._ " He explained. " _Only this time, it'll be the worst possible suffering... because it's someone you love._ " Walking back over to Padme, the senator started to panic as did Anakin.

"Ani... Ani, i-it's going to be okay-" She tried to reassure him, but was cut off by her own scream of pain as Wraith dislocated her wrist. With a furious shout, Anakin called his lightsaber to him with the Force and switched it on, lunging at Wraith. Blocking his incoming strike with his gauntlet, Wraith attacked with two quick blows to the midsection and a high kick that caught Anakin on the jaw and knocked him flat on his back. Quickly kicking his lightsaber away, Wraith stooped down next to the chair Padme was bound to.

" _Ah, hope. The ever-present source of strength that gives people cause to do what they do..._ " He mused, noting both of their actions and the reasons behind them. He stood back up, a metal pipe in hand and he walked over to the downed Anakin. " _I'll take that from you first!_ " Bringing the pipe down as hard as he could, Wraith bashed Anakin's knee with a loud crack that caused the Jedi to cry out in pain. Anakin grit his teeth and stifled a louder scream, replacing it with a growl as immense pain surged through his leg.

His kneecap had been broken.

Dropping the pipe, Wraith walked back over to Padme and drew his knife. The senator assumed he would cut her again, but was proven wrong when Wraith buried his weapon in her arm. Padme cried out as Wraith promptly wrenched his blade free and blood started to gush from the wound. " _I know you've been described as one of the tough ones, Amidala. Unflinching in the face of opposition._ " Wraith said, speaking aloud as he walked around her. " _But I wonder... just how much can you handle?_ " Launching his shock chips into his hands Wraith promptly grabbed Padme by the head and unleashed a powerful shock that caused her to scream again.

"No! Padme!" Anakin cried, struggling with his knee. Fortunately, Wraith released her and Padme sagged forward, breathing heavily. Retracting his shockers, he returned to Anakin, stooping down and grasping the Jedi by his throat.

" _As long as I live, knowing this little secret of yours, my hand will always be around your throat._ " He growled, ensuring Anakin was staring into his optics. " _I own you Skywalker._ "

"You own nothing!" Anakin spat, determined to maintain his determination.

" _Your defiance only means more pain for your dear, beloved senator._ " Wraith retorted. " _Question is..._ " holding up his free arm, his wrist blade shot out from underneath his hand, " _which do you prefer?_ " He wondered, wrist blade disappearing with a flick and his arm blade appearing with a shrill ring seconds later. Anakin sealed his mouth, refusing to choose.

Fortunately, he didn't have to.

From another door, Rex and Torrent Company burst into the room, weapons raised and ready to fire.

"Five minutes are up, General." The captain quipped. "As for you, Bucket-head, hands off the General and hold 'em high." He ordered.

" _As much as I'd enjoy killing you all, my time here is up and I've got better things to do._ " Wraith replied, releasing Anakin and straightening up. He'd sent his message, done what he needed to do. There was no reason for him to stick around. Wraith triggered his cloaker as he bid farewell to his enemies. " _Until next time._ " Disappearing from sight, the Clones fired a few scattered shots, missing him entirely.

"Damn. He's gone." Rex surmised. "Alright men, secure the area. Fives, Echo, help Senator Amidala." The Clones spread out across the room as the two went for Padme and Rex went for Anakin.

"Nice timing Rex." Anakin grunted as he was helped up.

"Orders are orders, sir." The Clone replied. "Should I call ahead for a medical transport?"

"Make it a double order." Anakin responded, wincing as he tried to keep any and all pressure off his knee.

* * *

 _A short while later..._

Obi-Wan and Mace, accompanied by Palpatine and Thrawn, stood waiting alongside the medical transport as the lone dropship touched down before them, baring Padme and Anakin with equal wounds. Padme was immediately placed on a gurney while Anakin was helped off by Rex before Obi-Wan took over.

"See Master? A little strong-arming works just fine." Anakin quipped, maintaining his trademark smirk.

"I'll remember that, the next time I wish to have my knee bashed in." Obi-Wan remarked. The two Jedi made their way over to another gurney opposite Padme where Anakin sat down, before being approached by Chancellor Palpatine.

"On behalf of the senate, I thank you for rescuing Senator Amidala from such a dire predicament, Master Skywalker."

"Well, you know, had to show Wraith who's the boss." Anakin nonchalantly replied, doing his best to appear neutral. "I just hope Senator Amidala will be fine."

"I'm sure I will be... eventually." Padme weakly answered from beside him. Anakin gave her a quick, knowing smile.

"Let's get you two to some proper medical attention." Obi-Wan said, helping to move them out. Palpatine held back and watched them leave, being approached by Mace and Thrawn from behind.

"At least they're back safe... well, relatively safe." The Jedi Master mused.

"Indeed. But there is something alarming about this whole situation." Palaptine replied, turning around. "The simple fact that Wraith could arrive here, undetected, and kidnap a prominent senator right under our noses is too grave a fact to ignore." He stated. Thrawn and Mace nodded in agreement understanding the situation. "He is growing bolder with every victory. He must be dealt with." Palaptine continued. "This attack cannot go unanswered."

"I agree. But how? He is still such an enigma. He comes and goes as he pleases, appearing when needed and then vanishing without a trace." Mace responded, at a loss for what to do.

"We will do what we must, Master Jedi. We will find him and we will stop him." Palaptine answered. He believed he had a solution in mind, one that would force Wraith to lie low for a while. Hopefully, Darth Sidious would not have to physically intervene, only give an order that would force Wraith to back off. Such a brazen and intrusive mission like this made him believe his rewiring was coming undone. The Wraith would have to be taught another lesson.

The Wraith would have to be punished.


	60. The Republic Strikes Back

**Author's Note: Not gonna lie, my work schedule this month's been pretty hectic. I was lucky to get this posted... but I did it, because y'all deserve it! But my upcoming work schedule is looking kinda crazy, so I might go dark for a bit. College doesn't pay for itself!**

* * *

-Chapter 34: The Republic Strikes Back-

Location: Utapau

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

In the aftermath of Wraith's kidnapping of Senator Amidala, everybody was on edge. Members of the Galactic Senate who supported the Republic grew fearful that they would be next to be captured and tortured. The Jedi grew concerned with their ability to keep the planet secure, especially if someone like Wraith could slip past all defenses.

But Chancellor Palpatine was not worried. While many would suspect that he had good cause for concern as The Wraith may target him next, the Supreme Chancellor had a plan he was going to act upon. As Darth Sidious, _the_ leader of the Separatists, Palpatine had access to many a secret Separatist file.

Among them was the very base in which Wraith was housed, trained and prepped for battle.

He had kept those coordinates safe. But now, it seemed like Wraith was in need of another lesson... and shooting his home out from under his feet seemed like a good idea.

Calling a meeting to which the entire Jedi Council was invited, Palpatine prepared to disclose the location that he and only a handful of others knew about.

Several days after the rescue of Padme, sitting before a dozen individuals of varying species, Palpatine recalled the carefully crafted lie he had devised as he began his report.

"I know many of us are still on edge after Wraith's inhuman treatment of Senator Amidala, but I believe I have a piece of good news that may assuage us once and for all."

"After all of this, any good news is welcome." Plo Koon mused, speaking on behalf of the group. His fellow Jedi nodded in agreement.

"What have you, Chancellor?"

"I have been contacted by forward Republic agents with their latest findings." He lied. "We've discovered The Wraith's base of operations. He's on Utapau." His words sent a shockwave or surprise through the Jedi.

"The Wraith's base?" Ki-Adi repeated, amazed but also incredulous.

"Are they certain, Chancellor?" Mace Windu asked, determined to know for certain.

"They tracked a lone Aka'jor-type shuttle into a sinkhole far from all known points of civilization. There can be no other explanation." Palpatine replied, repeating his rehearsed lie. The Jedi shared looks of excitement, all of them awed by the discovery.

"Utapau..." Aayla slowly repeated, "Of course. It is a neutral world. As long as he doesn't raise suspicion it would be perfect for a base of operations."

"It has been called a 'world of secrets' before. I suppose Wraith is one of them." Shaak agreed with her. "No wonder he can launch so many attacks and strike so deeply within Republic systems, behind our lines. Now we know..." Everything was starting to make sense. But now, after so long and after so many failures, they would finally be able to strike back at The Wraith for all he'd done.

And, maybe they could even put an end to him, stopping him in his tracks once and for all.

"This could be it." Adi realized. "This could be the end of this monster."

"The Republic would finally achieve a permanent edge over the Separatists. And be rid of a very dangerous threat." Obi-Wan agreed.

"I couldn't agree more, General Kenobi. And I'm pleased to see we're all in agreement on this matter." Palpatine added.

"Revenge, not the Jedi way, is it. But a problem The Wraith has been." Master Yoda stated. "For the Republic and the many Clones lost, do this we will."

"Your orders Chancellor?" Luminara inquired. "We can't attack a direct target without permission."

"Then you shall have it, Master Jedi. Send three or more attack groups to find and destroy this base immediately." Palpatine answered. "Perhaps you, Master Kenobi, and General Skywalker should be a part of it. I know I have recently commissioned his Torrent Company to guard our newly constructed Eridicon listening post, so this should give them some cause for celebration before their departure."

"I know Captain Rex has been itching for some overdue recompense. He's lost many good men to The Wraith." Obi-Wan replied. "And I have no doubt Anakin will want to take part in this as well."

"Very good." Palpatine nodded. "Assemble your men and your cruisers and depart for Utapau immediately." He commanded. "Today, we strike back against the Separatists and rid them of their advantage over us."

* * *

 _Later that day, on Utapau..._

Doctor Pomel Scipio sat in a desk chair, pouring over some readings displayed on a datapad. They were a mix of biochemical readings and neurological scans, all taken from Wraith. So far, none of them were showing any signs of abnormal activity, which was a welcome change from the near-constant fluctuations he was used to seeing in his brain. As he was reading, said super-solider entered the room, tank top sporting large sweat stains as he had just finished a workout.

"Working hard?" The Pau'an wondered.

"If you want to call it that." Wraith answered, taking a long swig from a container of water. "Did about... two, maybe three marathon's worth of running." Scipio nodded in understanding. Such feats were commonplace for Wraith, able to run a marathon in just under an hour.

"Have you happened to hear that voice in your head recently?" The doctor asked. Wraith shook his head.

"Not since we started that new treatment plan."

"Ah, good. That's very good to hear." Scipio replied, pleased to know this. "Now I know for sure my readings aren't lying to me. You're as fit and healthy as ever, my boy." Chuckling to himself, Wraith moseyed over to a series of monitors that displayed a variety of readings from around the base. Walking up to a nearby panel, Wraith lazily scrolled through the latest perimeter scan.

What he found caused his heart rate to increase dramatically as fear swept through his veins.

"Doc! We've got a problem!" He shouted, urgently drawing his attention.

"What? What is it?" Scipio wondered, bolting up and out of his chair.

"There's four cruisers in orbit..." Wraith informed him, sending the scan data over to the holotable. The projection brought up moments later revealed, in great detail, four Venator-class cruisers, "and they're not Separatist." Scipio's eyes widened at the realization and he started to panic, wringing his hands as all sorts of thoughts passed through his mind.

"Oh no... we've been found out!" He gasped, hands now starting to shake.

"Calm down, Doc. Panicking won't do us any good, we need cool heads." Wraith said, laying a hand on the Pau'an's shoulder. "We have an escape plan, right? A termination sequence so they don't get our data?"

"Yes, but it won't matter! They're not here to capture us, they're likely here to destroy us entirely!"

"Then we need to move, now!" Wraith determined. "We'll take what we can, stow it in the shuttle."

"We can't take all of this with us!" Scipio bemoaned.

"We can take what we need." Wraith calmly replied. "Get to work on securing our data and destroying anything sensitive." He commanded, making to go and suit up in his armor.

* * *

 _Above the planet..._

From the bridge of the Resolute, Anakin Skywalker looked on as a map of Utapau's topography was quickly generated. Alongside the Vigilance, the Endurance and the Intrepid, the Resolute was one of the ships selected to form a battle group that would, hopefully, put an end to The Wraith by destroying his base. The coordinates provided by Chancellor Palpatine resulted in a sinkhole appearing first on the map. Then, ever so slowly, a cylindrical column that had been built into the side of the sinkhole began to take shape.

"Impressive." Commander Thrawn mused. "The amount of engineering that would've gone into creating such a structure clearly indicates its importance."

"I'll be damned." Anakin mused. "That spawn of a Hutt was here the whole time." Triggering his communications, holographic renders of Obi-Wan, Mace and Aayla Secura appeared before him. "There it is. Just like the reports said." He stated.

"Indeed. This all seems rather surreal, though. Up until now, we never knew this existed." Obi-Wan commented.

"Exactly how Wraith would've preferred things to be." Mace added. "But now it is time for us to put an end to him."

"I couldn't agree more." Anakin replied. "Let's get planetside and then blow the hell out of this place."

* * *

Scipio was in a mad scramble as he hurriedly deleted every file on their main data terminal. It was in such a state that Wraith found him when he returned, dressed in full battle garb.

" _Almost done, Doc?_ " He asked.

"Hardly! This base has so much data on Project Sunstorm that, if the Republic were to get their hands on it, it would surely doom us all." Scipio retorted, sounding very rushed. Wraith knew from past experience that Scipio did not work well under pressure. This was hardly the ideal situation for either of them.

" _What else needs to be done?_ " Wraith queried, wanting to help.

"I've saved all of our data to these drives." Scipio replied, pointing to a case full of electronics. "Load it into the shuttle."

" _Got it. What next?_ " At that, Scipio turned and presented him with two file drivers. One was grey with a blue line running up the middle. The other was completely red.

"Take these to our archive room, where you do all your studying. The blue one will copy every article and entry we have for storage. The red one will upload a virus that will erase it all." The doctor explained. "Afterwards, I'm going to take as many spares of your armor as we can carry. It's a good thing I installed that weapons locker." Without another word, Wraith picked up the case full of electronics and hurried to the shuttle bay.

* * *

Breaking through the clouds of Utapau, the four cruisers cast long and ominous shadows across the landscape. But their target lay beneath them, in the form of a single tower built into the wall of a sinkhole, practically non-existent to anyone who wasn't looking.

"It's likely been built into the ground, this being the only visible exterior piece." Obi-Wan was saying as the Jedi analyzed their scan of the structure.

"Likely to avoid arousing suspicions. In order to facilitate a complex super-solider such as himself, there's likely a lot of space required for his various needs." Mace continued.

"Would that mean there are others in there? Other scientists or technicians?" Aayla wondered. "Ahsoka's vision showed us a single handler, but could there be more?" Anakin and the others could already sense where she was going with this.

"We have to think of the greater good, Aayla. We trade a few lives for the sake of thousands, if not millions more." Obi-Wan replied. "I take no pleasure in executing others, especially those caught in a crossfire like this, but we have no choice."

"Such is war, General." Commander Thrawn stated. "While I do not mean to sound callous, these people chose their side, knowing every risk that came with going against the Galactic Republic. If anything, they are already prepared to die for their cause."

"However, we don't know for certain if there is anyone else down there, General Secura." Anakin added. "But this is Wraith's base and we have to destroy it." Aayla nodded, understanding and accepting the outcome.

"We're nearly in position." Mace reported. "We should begin acquiring a target for our gunners."

* * *

In the base hangar bay, Wraith was busy stuffing things away into his shuttle. Scipio had provided and incredible amount of crates in the short time they'd had to pack and he was beginning to question as to whether or not the shuttle would be able to take off. Just then, Scipio arrived with a bundle of armor and some spare helmets in hand.

" _Is this all of them?_ " Wraith asked, disembarking the shuttle as Scipio hurried up.

"As many as I could grab." The doctor answered. Wraith grabbed one of the helmets and one of the jackets from him and dropped them on the ground, removing his gauntlet and drawing a knife, Wraith slashed his arm and let his blood drip into the helmet. "What in the universe are you doing?!" Scipio exclaimed.

" _I'm giving them a 'corpse' to find._ " Wraith replied. Just then, the entire area shook as a rumble rippled through the area. Wraith and Scipio paused where they were, looking up and around. Another one followed shortly afterwards. " _Dammit... they've started._ " Wraith realized, cursing their situation. Scipio promptly dumped his load into the locker without care and hurried back into the base. " _Doc!_ " Wraith shouted after him.

"I'm not finished yet!" Scipio called over his shoulder. "There's a few layers of wall and dirt for them to punch through yet, it'll buy us some time!" He added. Wraith stood, strapping his gauntlet back around his arm.

" _Does this place have any kind of defensive mechanisms?_ " He wondered, having never asked that before.

"We weren't expecting them to find us!" Scipio replied.

" _Defenses, Doc! Defenses! We gotta work on those next time!_ " Wraith shot back, knowing there always needed to be a 'Plan B', no matter how secure anything seemed to be.

* * *

The four Venators had begun to unleash a heavy barrage of cannon fire upon the base, bolt after bolt of high-caliber laser fire pummeling the sinkhole wall.

"Keep it up." Anakin ordered. "I don't want there to be anything left by the time we're done!"

* * *

The rumbling and the vibrations were growing in frequency and intensity with each passing second. Wraith was beginning to worry, they should've left a long time ago, they shouldn't be in here right now! Scipio was busy in his shop, gathering some final piece of tech and equipment. Wraith stood in the hall, anxiously feeling the urge to leave.

Scipio and his damn need to do everything...

" _We need to leave Doc! Now! No arguments!_ " Wraith commanded, maintaining his balance as another rumble caused the lights to flicker on and off.

"My tools... my equipment... oh, this is worse than doomsday itself!" Scipio bemoaned, carrying a briefcase full of unfinished tech.

" _It can all be replaced, but the Separatists don't have years to replace me and you. Now let's get the hell out of here!_ " Wraith reminded him.

"Yes yes..." Scipio begrudgingly agreed, hesitant to leave all of this behind. Suddenly, a fiery blast ripped through the room and the corridor, coming down from above. The shockwave threw Wraith into the adjacent wall, leaving a dent behind.

The Republic barrage had broken through their flimsy defenses. The base was now under direct fire.

Crawling to his feet and shaking his head, Wraith looked back to where Scipio had once been and saw only a sheet of flame.

" _DOC!_ " He shouted, quickly charging into the flaming room without any regard for his own safety. Rubble and smoke filled the room from floor to ceiling, but Wraith's multi-sensor optics quickly identified Scipio's life signature trapped beneath a mound of debris. Wraith dashed over to his pinned doctor, the man who was very much a father to him in many ways, and surveyed the scene. Spying a single metal beam sticking out from above, Wraith promptly grabbed hold of it and forced some of the roof debris off of Scipio. With the pile lessened, Wraith grabbed the solid durasteel panel covering his doctor and lifted, easily moving the entire pile with his impressive might. With a roar, the super-soldier threw it all aside, only then did he get a good look at Scipio. " _Oh Force almighty..._ " He breathed, seeing the two piece of rebar Scipio was impaled on. Wraith acted quickly and used one of his own injectors to give Scipio a shot of bacta. Then he gingerly lifted his doctor up and off of the twin pieces of metal. Scipio gave a groan as Wraith picked him up, blood seeping from his torso. " _Hang on Doc... I'm getting you out of here._ " Opening his jacket, Wraith carefully enveloped Scipio within the protective folds of his duster and moved his doctor out of the fiery room. Completely forgetting Scipio's briefcase, Wraith started to run, dashing back through corridors that were quickly coming undone as the relentless barrage continued. Bits of paneling had fallen off of roofs and walls, creating a very chaotic scene. The situation was much more dire as Wraith passed through what had once been the central control hub. A particularly harsh blast had knocked all the wiring out of the ceiling, creating a tangled mess amidst a single light that flickered on and off as Wraith carefully stepped through the mess to avoid tripping. Forcing open another door, Wraith pushed on with Scipio locked tightly in his grip.

He finally made it to the hangar and boarded his shuttle, more bits of debris raining down around them. Sealing his ship, Wraith carefully put Scipio down in the adjacent seat and powered up the shuttle.

"Use... the emergency route..." Scipio rasped, barely conscious, "under... ground... s-safer..."

" _I know Doc. Hang in there._ " Wraith replied. The emergency hangar exit was the one Plan B that had been installed in this base. It was really just a tunnel, big enough for a shuttle, that led to a distant sinkhole, one that was far enough away from the Republic forces... hopefully.

Pressing a switch on his gauntlet, the floor before the shuttle slid away and opened up, revealing their escape tunnel. Piloting his ship forward, Wraith dove down into the tunnel as another blast violently rocked the hangar. Not wanting to waste anymore time, Wraith shot forward as the doors closed behind him. Having memorized this route, he expertly piloted his shuttle through the winding passage, breathing heavily as he did his best to focus despite the trials this day had brought with it. After a while, a pinpoint of light appeared before him and Wraith soon shot forward and into daylight, finding himself in the middle of sinkhole, reefing the controls back, Wraith raised the nose of his ship high as he triggered one final switch on his gauntlet. Preset demolition charges detonated behind him, collapsing the tunnel and ensuring the Republic would take a very long time to discover their means of escape. " _Activating cloaking field. Masking signal transmission._ " Wraith reported, pressing switches and toggling features on the console before him. The shuttle disappeared from view as it rose up and out of the sinkhole. Off in the distance, Wraith could see a column of smoke rising as four Republic cruisers pounded the landscape with barrage after barrage of cannon fire.

It was the site of his base, now being reduced to smoke and ash.

Leaning back in his seat, Wraith groaned as he took stock of just what had transpired today...

How did they find him? The coordinates of his base were a closely kept secret, known only to a few. Where did they learn of his location...?

Questions for another day, he determined. Right now, he had more pressing concerns. " _Doc... you awake?_ "

"I'm... I-I'm here... m-my boy." Scipio weakly replied. The doctor clasped the wound in his chest. They were flying much higher now, the atmosphere of Utapau giving way to black space and innumerable stars.

" _I've got to get you somewhere safe._ " Wraith said, gripping the controls tightly.

"I... know a place. It's not... not ready yet." Scipio informed him, reaching over to the nav computer and slowly entering a set of coordinates. "But when it's completed... I think you'll... like it very much."

" _That's fine,_ " Wraith said, just wanting to get away from here as soon and as fast as possible. " _what is it?_ " He wondered. Scipio didn't reply, groaning and slumping back into his chair. " _Doc?_ " Wraith wondered, glancing over to Scipio. He gravely realized he had passed out, blood loss the likely cause. " _Doc!_ " Wraith cried, quickly giving him another injection of bacta. " _Hang on Doc... don't you dare fade on me!_ " Wraith growled as he jumped to hyperspace. Wherever this was, he hoped it had a suitable medical bay.

Regardless if Scipio survived or not, someone would pay dearly for this...

* * *

 _One hour later..._

The cruisers had finally let up. For one hour straight their combined guns rained down an unending stream of cannon fire, blowing the base and the surrounding wall of the sinkhole to absolute smithereens. Now, with only smoke and fire filling the cavity in the rock, a series of gunships flew down to the wreckage, deploying Anakin, Obi-Wan, Aayla, Mace and their men. There was no real place to land, so they were forced to jump out and onto the most stable flooring in sight, which happened to be the corridor whose wall had been blown out.

"What're we looking for General?" Rex asked.

"Anything that tells us that Wraith was here and that he's dead now." Anakin replied.

"Right. Men, you heard the General! Fan out and search for ol' Bucket-head's corpse." The captain ordered, Clones moving to obey. The Jedi also, started searching, looking not only for signs of Wraith's downfall but also of any data they might be able to take. Data that might shed some light on the creation and functionality of Wraith. They split up, picking their way through the rubble. The Clones powered up their helmet lights to better search through the smoke. Anakin split off from the rest of the group, following the blown out corridor to the open room he had spotted upon landing. Stepping over piles of broken panels, clusters of wires and mounds of random debris, Anakin soon found himself in a large room which could only be described as a hangar.

In the distance, through the gloom of dust and smoke, something caught Anakin's eye.

The twisted, burnt-out husk of an Aka'jor shuttle stood off to one side, ripped apart by the cruisers' barrage.

"That's his..." Anakin realized, not knowing Wraith was in possession of two shuttles. Hope soared within him as he quickly assumed Wraith had not escaped. If his ship was here, he had to be here!

But he needed more proof.

Anakin turned his gaze down, deciding to check and see if there were any telltale signs of Wraith attempting to make an escape. Maybe he had tried to make it to his shuttle only to be killed by the bombardment... a macabre thought for sure, but also a possible reality. As he kept searching, his foot kicked a pile of debris and he heard something crack. Curious, he looked down and saw a much more rounded piece of metal amid the mess. Kicking apart the pieces of debris, Anakin stooped down and picked up the piece of metal. Flipping it over, he realized it was Wraith's helmet. Half of the face had been torn off, the rest of the helmet burnt inside and out. The interior was slick with blood, dripping down and onto his hand. "Guess it's not completely invincible." He mused, a smile growing across his face while his thumb cleaned the dirt from the dark red optic. Shaking the blood off his hand and satisfied with his find, Anakin made to return to his allies.

Obi-Wan picked up a datapad, one that happened to be untouched and was still functional.

"Maybe this'll supply something handy." He mused. He was in the remains of some kind of hub, the broken and destroyed remnants of a terminal the indicator.

"Did you find something, Master Kenobi?" Mace called from his position.

"A datapad. Might have something on it." Obi-Wan replied.

"Well, it's something..." the fellow Master muttered, "I'm afraid we've blasted this place so much there's not enough left for evidence."

"We have to find something. Aayla has yet to report in, maybe she's got something for us." Obi-Wan said, hopeful. As he did, Anakin walked in, stepping over a fallen light. "Anything Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked him.

"Oh yeah... something for sure." Anakin replied with a grin. Everyone started walking towards him, eager to hear what he had found.

"What have you General?" Rex asked, sounding a little anxious. "Did we get him?"

"You bet Rex." Anakin smirked as he held up the remains of the helmet. "We got 'im alright!" The Clones started whooping and cheering as Anakin tossed the remains over to Rex, who held it up for all to see. But Obi-Wan was cautiously optimistic.

"Are you sure?"

"The helmet was full of blood, blown to pieces... it has to be." Anakin told him. "Plus, I saw the remains of his shuttle. He didn't make it out."

"I guess that settles it." Obi-Wan mused, crossing his arms and marveling at the reality before them. "We got him. We beat The Wraith once and for all."

"Took us long enough... but, hey, let's forget about the past and bask in a much brighter future."

* * *

 _Later, back on Coruscant..._

Returning from their victorious mission, the Republic had managed to collect several datapads that were still operational. They would be analyzed by the Jedi and Republic Intelligence later, now was a time for celebration.

Anakin disembarked the Resolute, wishing Torrent Company luck as most of them were about to be deployed to the Eridicon System to defend a new listening post. As he did, Ahsoka came running up, having been too busy earlier to have joined them.

"Hey Snips!" Anakin greeted her, a broad smile on his face. "Sorry you missed the party but we needed to move and couldn't wait." Ahsoka raised an eye-marking.

"What party?" She wondered.

"We found Wraith's base and blew it sky-high." Anakin replied, crossing his arms and looking smug. Ahsoka was taken aback by his abrupt statement, surprise and shock written across her face. "Here, gotcha a little souvenir." He reached back to a crate behind him and tossed her the charred husk that was once Wraith's helmet. Ahsoka caught it and stared dumbfounded at the torn piece of metal before her. The plating had been blackened, half of the iconic visage blown apart, leaving only a single red visor with a crack running through it and a portion of a mouth guard.

"He's... He's dead then?" She asked, sounding distant and a little lost.

"Looks like it." Anakin replied, still sounding quite cheery. "We found this and a burnt jacket in what was once a hangar bay. Guess he tried to make a run for it." He explained, completely missing Ahsoka's lack of happiness at his report. "Gotta admit, it's pretty impressive how this thing survived. We had four cruisers shelling that place for a good hour." Ahsoka looked up, eyes wide.

"A... A whole hour?" She repeated, her mind struggling to catch up with everything that had happened.

"Yeah. I can't believe the guns didn't overheat." Anakin mused nonchalantly. "Anyways, come on Snips, we're gonna party tonight!" He added, walking past her. He was in a good mood, having finally gotten some payback for all the times Wraith had bested him and wounded his pride.

But what he missed in his joyous mood was how downcast his apprentice looked, a forlorn look in her eyes as she stared at what she believed to be the remains of the man she had tried so hard to save.

But now, he was gone... extinguished...

As far as Ahsoka and anyone else could tell, The Wraith was dead.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Wonder what's next? Might wanna press that FOLLOW button so you'll be updated when I post next... just a suggestion, you don't have to.**

 **In case it takes me a while to post again... Merry Christmas everybody!**


	61. Ahsoka's Private Journal 2

Ahsoka's Private Journal

" _So... I guess that's it then..._

 _..._

 _*sigh* "Thanks for nothing Skyguy..."_

 _..._

" _...Force, I really don't know what to think or feel right now... I mean, yay, we won't lose anymore Clones to him, but... at the same time, there goes a man who might've had a brighter future. A man who could've been saved, redeemed..."_

 _..._

" _I guess this is why Jedi forbid emotions. They turn you upside down and mess with your head... Still, I can't help but feel... something, right now. I don't know what it is."_

 _..._

" _I guess I can't make the pain go away. To top it all off, I'm stuck with the knowledge that I could've done something, but didn't. And that feeling is not going away anytime soon..."_

 _..._

 _*distant* "Where is it...? Oh Force what did I do with it?! I need it!"_

 _..._

" _Here it is... phew."_

 _..._

" _I... I-I got nothing more... I gotta go..."_

End of Entry


	62. Wraith's Log: Entry 2 and 5

Wraith's Log - Entry 2

" _Clones. Facsimiles of men, cheaper-by-the-dozen duplicates who claim to be true soldiers who fight for a noble cause._

" _Pathetic._

" _Soldiers are unique, individual men who sign up and train together to defend a common goal. These... These things are produced, built and designed to be expendable for the sake of a cause they never truly know. They are no better than battle droids..._

" _Having said that, at least battle droids know what they are and what their purpose is. These cheap knockoffs of a dead bounty want to be something more, they see themselves as being men and not the worthless duplicates they are. They think of their kind as brothers, like they all have an ounce of character. Take that Captain Rex for example. Everyone thinks he's special, like he's some kind of higher-grade Clone._

" _But, in reality, he can die just as easily as the rest can."_

 _..._

" _The Republic thinks Clones are the answer, the perfect solution for an instant army of loyal and unstoppable soldiers... I will enjoy proving them wrong. It takes a man to win a fight... and a Clone is not a man."_

End of Log

* * *

Wraith's Log - Entry 5

" _I thought the whole point of Project Sunstorm was to produce the perfect solider, a literal one-man army who can dominate his foes and out-maneuver them. But then Scipio goes and pumps me full of this rage-inducing chemical that turns me into a total... beast._

" _While I'm not necessarily opposed to having a 'beast' mode and 'unleashing' it, Scipio made no mention of this to me and neither did he think about the potential ramifications... as I have._

" _The downside to this 'Feral Rage', as he's come to call it, is that it limits my thinking and my tactical prowess, which results in limiting my focus to the point where all I do is lash out. I forget about all potential threats and hazards, variables and tactics go by the wayside. A more focused rage would be a lot more useful and a lot more devastating against the Republic, rather than allowing animalistic instincts to take control. While I'm all for letting loose and expressing some rage every now and then, the hair trigger possibilities behind this crude version are far too punishing for my liking... for every positive, there is a negative._

 _..._

" _Sometimes, I get the feeling this mission has devolved into some kind of mad science project for Scipio. The kinds of changes he's made to me... RGE-Seven being one... and let's not forget about Protocol Four, which exists but I've never needed it."_

 _..._

 _*sigh*_

" _What are you doing, Doc?"_

 _..._

" _What are you doing to me?"_

End of Log


	63. Intrigue

**Author's Note: Guess who managed to upload again! I kinda had to do something in order to celebrate 200 FOLLOWERS! Thank y'all so very much for sticking with me and enjoying this tale, it means a lot to me! So Merry Christmas and this one's for you all!**

* * *

-Chapter 35: Intrigue-

Location: Telaris

"Confuse the enemy so they will not discern your true intentions."

 _In the Jedi Council meeting room..._

Wraith's log - Entry 9

" _It has been... some time since that moment on Felucia. That moment where, in the midst of the chaos of battle, I spied someone who gave the monotony of war a breath of fresh air._

" _That moment when I first laid eyes on Ahsoka Tano._

" _Someone bright and astounding, so much so she made me pause and consider her. No one has ever done that to me before, and upon further inspection, I found myself greatly attracted to her. Her beauty, her intelligence, her fire and her spirit, all of these are just some of the attributes that I find myself hopelessly drawn to._

 _..._

" _I know what you're thinking. She's a Jedi. I'm a Separatist. Why? While most, if not all, Jedi are either dull and monotonous, tempered by living a life under such strangling doctrine, or arrogant and full of themselves, brought on by too many legends that call them 'immortal heroes'. Ahsoka is not like that at all. She is young and lively, full of power and promise. Someone eager to prove herself... and yet looking to the wrong people for it. She's tenacious and strong, but for the wrong cause. It pains me to think that she might be dulled to a point where she becomes just like every other boring and pathetic Jedi. They all have nothing, none of them have the same warrior's spirit that compels me. But she... she is a wild and raging inferno, much like the fire that burns within me. I see her not as an opponent but as an equal._

" _If only she could understand just how much I feel for her... If only she could understand just how alike we are. If she were by my side... If we were allies and not enemies..._

" _Maybe that is just wishful thinking. But wishful thinking made me happen. I am designed to do the impossible, so why not give me a chance at bringing a Jedi to the right side of things? Oh, what a thought! If I could bring her to my side and convince her of the nobility of the Separatist cause, it would make this whole damn war worth my time."_

 _..._

" _I suppose this is what love feels like. How... interesting."_

"Boy, am I glad that's over! Just listening to this guy go on and on about her makes my skin crawl." Anakin shuddered as the recording came to an end. The Jedi Council, plus Anakin, had been listening to ten of the audio logs that had been recovered from the bombed out base on Utapau. They turned out to be Wraith's personal logs and, as it turned out, they offered some insight into how the super-solider worked and thought. The rest of the files found on the datapads had yet to be decrypted, but for now the Jedi tried their best to understand their former adversary. However, the final log they had listened to, which contained Wraith's thoughts on Ahsoka, was undoubtedly creepy to all of them. They had purposefully kept Ahsoka and other Jedi out of this, as they wanted to assess the logs for themselves before releasing them back to Republic intelligence.

"Likewise. It's almost as if he were stalking Ahsoka." Obi-Wan agreed. "His thoughts were so personal and rationalized. I believe he was attempting to convince himself that he could possibly do something about a situation beyond his normal means." He mused.

"You sound like you've been hanging around Commander Thrawn, Master Kenobi." Kit Fisto noted with a slight grin.

"I have been taking his analytical point of view to task and applying it to my own thoughts. I guess it might've seeped into my speech a little bit."

"I bet Thrawn would love to hear that." Mace commented dryly. "However, these are the recollections of a dead man. They mean nothing to us any more."

"Perhaps we can finally bring this war to an end, now that the Separatists are missing their biggest player." Shaak said hopefully.

"Indeed, Master Ti. Now that the threat of The Wraith has been eliminated, we can move on to other matters." Mace continued. "Over the past few months we've been noting an increase in Separatist activity in the Telaris System. Only recently did it stop altogether."

"Given how remote a place the Telaris System is, we suspect they've been up to something, using Wraith's actions as a cover-up." Ki-Adi chimed in.

"That would make sense." Anakin mused, crossing his arms.

"Are you up for the task, General Skywalker?" Windu asked, the Council having already selected him for the assignment.

"Well my number one company may have been split in half, but I think we're good for a routine investigation." The Knight replied. "Besides, it'll be nice to stretch our legs and not worry about Wraith being somewhere behind us."

* * *

 _Later that day, in the Telaris System..._

Coming out of hyperspace, the Resolute found itself over the planet Telaris. It was a desolate, empty world of no importance in the outer rim.

The perfect place for a top secret Separatist installation.

On the bridge of the Resolute, Anakin, still in a happy mood after their destruction of The Wraith, was planning on completing this mission efficiently and in record time. Turning to Admiral Yularen, Anakin began the first phase of his plan.

"Admiral, begin a planetary scan. Let's see what we're up against." He commanded. Yularen obeyed, the Reolute's long-range scanners kicking in as they sweeped the surface of the planet. Seconds later, a very immediate target had been located, one that wasn't far from their current location over the planet.

"Sir, we've picked up a metal structure, possibly quite large but we won't know the full dimensions until the scan is completed." The admiral reported. "Some of it lies underground, we've acquired a set of coordinates."

"Sounds good to me." Anakin replied. "If it is a top secret project, makes me wonder why they'd leave it so exposed."

"I would suspect a trap, sir." Yularen replied.

"I would too." Anakin responded. "Take us down, I'm gonna go get the men ready."

Down in the Resolute's hangar, Ahsoka waited alongside Captain Rex and Torrent Company. With Ross, Oz, Ringo, Joc, Hardcase and others off protecting the new Eridicon listening post, Rex was left with few members of Torrent Company, but ones who happened to be his best and brightest: Fives, Echo, Tup, Jesse and Kix. Wanting to keep this quick and easy, Anakin had elected to take only a few he could truly count on. "Ready to roll, Rex?" Anakin asked.

"You bet, General. Torrent Company is ready for deployment!" The Clone responded. Ahsoka stood by, not saying anything, something Anakin took note of.

"Then let's mount up." Anakin ordered. The Clones began filing onto the nearby dropship, but Anakin pulled Ahsoka aside before they joined them. "You alright, Ahsoka?" He asked. "You'd been awful quiet the whole trip out here."

"Just been doing some thinking, Master." She replied, doing her best to hide her depressed feelings. "The war's gonna be a lot different, now that Wraith is gone."

"Enjoy it, Snips." Anakin told her with a grin. "At this rate, we'll have it won before next Life Day." He commented, stepping into the ship and convinced there was nothing wrong with his apprentice.

"Yeah. Sure..." Ahsoka muttered, following him into the ship.

* * *

An arid and warm temperate greeted the Republicans as they made landfall on Telaris. The surface of said planet was barren and uninviting, tufts of grass dotting the sandy landscape that stretched on for miles. Dunes and hills comprised the majority of the terrain, which stretched on for miles in every direction. Yet in the midst of emptiness stood a single building, small and unassuming. But the branded Separatist emblem on the building's exterior was enough of an indicator for the Republic forces to know that this was their target.

"Bit small for top secret project." Rex mused, cocking his head as he looked the place over.

"Bombs are small." Anakin replied. "You don't need much space to build some of those."

"Nuvo Vindi would beg to differ." Rex responded, referring to the Blue Shadow virus crisis they had put a stop to. "That underground complex on Naboo was huge." With that settled, the group made to enter the facility.

Inside, there was nothing save for a large turbolift. This confused them all, expecting something more along the lines of a workshop or an office. "Well, I don't know about you all, but I'd call this a bit of a letdown." Rex commented.

"Did we just come all this way for nothing?" Jesse wondered.

"This probably leads somewhere." Ahsoka noted, stepping closer to investigate the lift. It looked to be able to carry several people. "Probably down..."

"This might have something to do with the results of the planetary scan." Anakin said. "Yularen noted a lot of the structure was underground."

"Guess there's only one thing left to do." Fives noted.

"What's that? Leave?" Echo joked.

"Pretty sure he meant down." Anakin informed them. "Okay, everyone on to the lift. Defensive formation. We don't know what might be waiting for us down below." The Jedi and Torrent Company stepped on to the turbo lift, Anakin and Ahsoka standing in front of the Clones. Pressing the switch, the lift began to descend down the shaft. At first, all they saw was the solid metal of the lift's shaft.

But it soon gave way to a sight none of them were anticipating.

A massive, empty, high-roofed room, forged completely out of metal, stood before them. Levels of walkways and catwalks extended out from the walls, in addition to cranes and scaffolding being layered across the roof and floor. Easily several stories high and miles wide, the Republicans stared in awe at the structure before them.

"This... This looks like a dry dock." Ahsoka realized as the lift came to a stop at the bottom.

"So they _were_ building something." Anakin determined. They walked out onto the floor, their footsteps echoing in the cavernous space.

"It's pretty big. Maybe they were building a ship of some kind?" Ahsoka wondered.

"Possibly." Anakin replied. "Rex, start looking for a data terminal of some kind. Maybe we can get some clues as to what the Seppies were building here. The rest of you start scanning the area, we'll need to send everything back to Coruscant." He ordered. The Clones moved to obey, fanning out across the floor...

* * *

 _Some time later..._

Back on the Resolute, Anakin, Ahsoka and Rex stood around the holotable, in contact with Mace, Obi-Wan, the Chancellor and Thrawn.

"Anakin, have you uncovered anything on Telaris?" The senior master asked.

"Well... we did and we didn't..." Anakin replied, scratching the back of his head.

"This ought to be good." Obi-Wan mused, crossing his arms.

"Don't get me wrong, we did find something." Anakin quickly clarified. "Rex, bring up our data." The Clone nodded and quickly punched in some commands, bringing up a holographic render of the facility they had just been in. "This is what we managed to find. They built it underground, despite Telaris being uninhabited and out of the way. Seriously, nobody comes here." The Knight went on.

"So they purposefully hid this from view." Obi-Wan mused, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Any idea how big it is?" He asked.

"We took measurements. It's nearly two kilometres wide and about a kilometre long." Anakin answered, stunning them all. "And whatever they were doing, they did it a while ago. Rex?"

"The general's right, sirs." The Clone spoke up. "We inspected the grounds and the various pieces of machinery still in the place. They had been well used and the place was not clean. It's almost as if they finished and then left."

"Do we have any indicators as to what was being constructed?" Palpatine inquired.

"It's too big to be your average starfighter. But the dimensions don't match your average cruiser." Anakin responded. "So, suffice to say, we have no idea what they were building here." He explained with a shrug.

"They did not bother to hide the fact they were building something." Thrawn calmly noted. "This would suggest that the Separatists may have completed whatever project was stationed here."

"The question is: what project?" Palaptine added, speaking the question on everyone's mind.

"Unfortunately, with all previous track records taken into account, the Separatists are very good at hiding their projects. It seems apparent we will only find out what this one is only when it is too late for us." Obi-Wan noted grimly.

"My advice would be to prepare for anything, General. The Separatists will likely be seeking to avenge Wraith's demise. And if the truly cared about their super-soldier, it will be in a way that is anything but subtle." Thrawn suggested, adding a new layer to the mystery. The others nodded.

"I'll be sure to double reconnaissance missions in that sector and in the other uninhabited areas of the Outer Rim that are under our control." Palaptine stated. "We need to learn more about whatever it is the Separatists are planning. And see if they have any other hidden facility like this one."

"On that note, we need you back on Coruscant." Mace informed Anakin. "We've managed to crack the codes and access the rest of those logs we obtained from the ruins of Wraith's base." He explained. Anakin cocked his head, forcing a little.

"Are they more of Wraith's? 'Cause I don't think I can handle another cringe session." He wondered. Obi-Wan shook his head, having already heard the news.

"Actually no. They belong to his doctor." He stated.

* * *

 **Author's Note: a short one, I know. But a little intrigue goes a long way... especially when it's got a big payout...**


	64. Scipio's Log 0017 and 0018

**Author's Note: Ho Ho Ho! I come bearing not one gift, but two! Merry Christmas everybody and Happy New Year!**

* * *

Scipio's Log: Entry 0.017 - A Year in Review

" _Well... I could say we've made some headway, but it doesn't negate the fact we have not made any real progress. The serum appears to be perfected, but there is no super-solider._

" _I suppose I shall take time to review what gains we've made. Doctor Bolivar has been able to incorporate DNA from the Firrerreo and Abyssin, in order to promote rapid healing and potential regenerative abilities. Doctor Amnon Lesk has finished the Protocol Four serum, to be injected separately. As for the Sunstorm serum itself, I would say it is a ready as it could be. Botsk seems to think otherwise as he thinks there are more natural abilities we could infuse into the final product._

" _No matter... if we can't have some measure of success then I'm afraid this whole project will come to ruin._

" _Yes... ruin... speaking of which, another test subject died today. Subject eight-e-nine-two, an Ithorian. The cause of death was rampant muscle growth that resulted in decay and disintegration. His body simply could not keep up with the sudden enhancement. Yet another issue to mark down. It seems as though the recipients are simply unable to handle the desired enhancements we want to see. The serum promotes muscle growth, taking the subject form its current state and rewiring the DNA to ensure that the subject always maintains a perfect physique. And yet the developed bodies of every test subject we've had so far succumb to the further enhancements. It's almost as if they cannot handle anything further than what their bodies have already allowed. They're adults, they're not growing any further, development as ceased._

" _I shall discuss this matter further with my colleagues at a later date. We will see if our combined intellects might be able to draw any further parallels."_

End of Log

Scipio's Log: Entry 0.018 - A New Direction

" _As noted in my last log, I spoke with my fellow scientists associated with Project Sunstorm about my belief concerning the inability of fully developed bodies to handle further physical development. Doctor Novo reached a similar conclusion, as has Doctor Secrona. We reviewed our findings and have come to the conclusion that we cannot accept any more adult test subjects. They all simply result in failure and we cannot afford many more of those. We need results and we need them now._

" _In examining the biological cycle of growth and development in the average species, we have concluded that a far younger individual, who is still susceptible to bodily change and physical development. I suppose this means we will have to ask for... child test subjects now. I can only hope that there is a willing orphanage somewhere within our territories._

" _Admittedly, while the science is sound, I am not sure how to handle this new development. I've always been used to working with more adult individuals, as they are able to vocally commit and state their desire to do this. We do not take the unwilling here at Project Sunstorm, only the willing, those who wish to help the Separatist cause. It... It makes me wonder... is a child technically an unwilling participant?"_

 _..._

" _Bah! Get it together Scipio! No need for remorse or any such related feeling. This is a noble cause, a true cause! Anyone who participates deserves to feel honored. This is a privilege, not a criminal sentencing."_

End of Log


	65. The Heart of the Matter

-Chapter 36: The Heart of the Matter-

Location: Coruscant

"Every well-oiled machine is the product of a dedicated mechanic."

After his jaunt out to Telaris, Anakin returned to Coruscant and was promptly sent to the Republic Intelligence Bureau's headquarters, where a collective of numerous Jedi Councillors, alongside Chancellor Palpatine and Commander Thrawn stood waiting. Obi-Wan turned to his friend and grinned.

"Fashionably late as always, I see." He noted.

"What can I say, Master? I like to make an entrance." Anakin replied, smirking as he did. "So, what've we got?" He asked, turning to the other Masters.

"A total of eight logs, all of them having been recorded by a 'Doctor Pomel Scipio'." Shaak answered. "We've listened to a few of his logs already and he appears to be one of the primary scientists behind The Wraith, or 'Project Sunstorm' as he keeps calling it."

"He indicates other scientists, which leads us to believe that there was once a whole team of individuals at work on this." Plo continued.

"Huh, interesting." Anakin mused. "Alright, fill me in. Where'd you all leave off?" To respond, Mace Windu pulled up a new audio log, freshly deciphered thanks to the intelligence officers.

"This one is entitled 'A List Of Casualties'." He noted, pressing play.

"What a perfectly lovely title." Obi-Wan sarcastically mused as the recording began.

" _Scipio's log: entry zero-point-zero-one-one. We lost another one today, this time almost immediately after administering the injection. Subject 'nine-nine-four-K-seven'. A Rodian. Cause of death was due to unstoppable palpitations triggered by heart expansion, he succumbed to heart failure. This was basically a heart attack, something we all took note of. While I wish I could say this was a one-off, it isn't. We've lost too many test subjects, more than I care to count. But every death has been in a different fashion, possibly more brutal than the last. Take subject 'nine-eight-three-J-eight', a Neimodian. He died when his muscular system grew at such an advanced rate it tore through his skin, the blood loss killing him as pain overwhelmed him."_

"Ew." Aayla grimaced.

" _Or take subject 'four-one-D-eight', a Twi'lek. She died when an adrenaline overload resulted in heart rupture. It beat so fast it, well, it exploded. Again, test subject 'G-four-four-T', a Kel Dor. He died when his brain exploded due to, again, enhanced muscle growth. Stars above... failure after failure..."_

"Ho-ly..." Anakin remarked, trailing off at the morbid descriptions.

" _Such a history not only mars the reputation of us all but also casts a shadow across the future of Project Sunstorm. If we cannot produce results... if we cannot produce at least one super-soldier for the Separatists... I fear we're all in jeopardy of a fate far worse than tarnished careers and destroyed names. We've got to come up with some sort of results and come up with them fast!"_ As the recording came to an end, the listeners were left to their thoughts on what they'd just heard.

"It would seem as though Project Sunstorm faced great adversity in its initial phases." Thrawn quietly noted.

"The body trail they left behind is... I don't want to say impressive, but it is long." Palaptine agreed. "Which makes me wonder how they succeeded at all, or even stayed so secretive after the deaths of so many test subjects."

"The earlier log indicated they were moving on to child test subjects." Shaak stated, her voice belaying her obvious distaste for such a move. "If they could stoop any lower I get the feeling they would."

"Wait, they tested this stuff on kids?!" Anakin exclaimed, having not heard the earlier log. "By the Force, how many of _them_ did they kill?"

"We don't know. We have not heard any logs after that decision was made." Obi-Wan informed him. "It does leave me wondering, though..." He mused, stroking his beard. As he did, Thrawn and Mace Windu sifted through the available files, cycling through logs already listened to and those remaining to be heard.

"Here's log nineteen, after the decision to pursue child subjects." The Jedi announced, pulling up the new log. All present fell silent as the doctor's now-familiar voice filled the room.

" _Scipio's log: entry zero-point-zero-one-nine. I appear to have a come across a fortuitous stroke of luck as I have been gifted with an infant for testing. How he came into our clutches I do not know and, even if I did I would not be allowed to explain in a log as such matters are confidential. However, I will not look a gift-bantha in the mouth and I have received permission to go ahead with the injection as soon as possible. This moment has the potential to either make or break Project Sunstorm. All of our hopes rest on this little one... but even now I find myself struggling with the prospect of using a child as a test subject. If this infant were to succumb like the others, such a guilt would never leave my conscience."_ A silence ensued as the doctor ceased speaking, caught up in his own thoughts and too lost to his own feelings to voice them. The Republicans waited tensely until he spoke again. " _Should this child survive, I promise to ensure he grows into a healthy, respectable man. One who will live a fulfilling life as he deserves."_

"Some 'fulfilling life'." Anakin snorted as the recording came to an end.

"And yet this Doctor Scipio reveals he was not at all comfortable with going through with this." Thrawn calmly noted. "Therefore revealing the mixed desperation of those overseeing Project Sunstorm and the complete determination of the Separatists as they were willing to cross every boundary in order to ensure they successfully produced a single super-soldier."

"There seems to be nothing they won't do to achieve their goals." Palpatine noted in agreement. "I'm half tempted to allow the PR department access to this in order to turn it into propaganda of some sort." He added, pondering the ethical nature of this subject. Enemy intelligence was fair game once collected. But propaganda using a dead man's origins...

"There's another recording here, it appears to be next in the evident sequential order of things." Mace announced. "Do we care to listen any further?"

"Perhaps we'd better, if only to see where this leads." Plo answered. Mace nodded and pressed play.

" _Scipio's log: entry zero-point-zero-two-oh! Success! Success, we've done it! The injection worked and the chemical has taken root within the child's body, it is integrating into his genetic code as we speak. His body will gradually develop into the super-solider of our design, as the serum will tell his body how to grow and change... Ah! This is a remarkable occasion!"_ The doctor fell silent for a moment before giddy laughter could be heard in the distance of his recording. His voice suddenly returned as he gasped. " _Wait... what am I doing? Of course! I must log his properly... Subject 'A-thirty-one-B'. Species: human. Positive acceptance of serum, molecular integration successful. Age... two months."_ His final words left the listeners dumbstruck as the recording came to an end.

"Two months?" Aayla repeated. "That... That child was practically a newborn." She said, both shocked and horrified by what she'd heard. The others couldn't help but agree.

"Wait a moment," Shaak said, a thought developing, "if he was two months old at the time of this recording... how old would he be now?" All of them started crunching numbers in order to answer her. Thrawn was the quickest of them all.

"According to calculations..." He began, pausing briefly to ensure his math was correct, "just seventeen." Everyone fell silent as that fact settled in. If this infant had truly grown up to become The Wraith, then it was not a man they had been fighting and failing against, but a mere teenager. The news affected Anakin far differently from the others. He realized The Wraith had been no older than Ahsoka, despite being as tall and as broad as a grown man.

No wonder he seemed to be fostering a crush on her, he was an adolescent just like her...

"He would've been fifteen when this war started." Obi-Wan added, knowing that Wraith had been operating in the Clone Wars for a while now.

"He was a child soldier." Ki-Adi noted. "And we killed him."

"They sent a youth to fight us. Is there anything the Separatists won't do?" Mace commented, understanding just how depraved these actions were.

"A highly trained and very deadly youth. But you are right, Master Windu. This is a new low for them." Plo agreed. "The fact that they would confirm such an order to begin with is hard to accept. Some of us might've hoped that there was some sense of decency left in them."

"This would confirm otherwise." Ki-Adi responded. "Master Windu, are there any more logs for us to hear?"

"Just one more." His fellow master replied, selecting the final log they had decoded.

" _Scipio's log: entry zero-point-zero-two-one. Just a quick note to say that subject a-thirty-one-bee is healthy and alive, no adverse effects whatsoever. I have received permission to go ahead with flash training as soon as possible and to schedule the next phase of training when appropriate. I shall record my thoughts again once the training is underway. We're really pulling out all the stops for this one! This boy will be the bane of the Republic, mark my words!"_

"Boy was he ever... assuming this 'A-thirty-one-B' really did grow up to become The Wraith." Anakin muttered, having experienced Wraith's full, destructive potential firsthand.

"It seems likely." Obi-Wan replied. "One successful test and one super-solider... there certainly seems to be a correlation."

"Is it possible they may still be trying?" Aayla wondered. "Certainly Wraith's successes would inspire them to try again."

"One would suspect that to be true, Master Secura. And yet we haven't seen another super-soldier in the entirety of this war." Palpatine replied. The group fell silent once more, now trying to discern the Separatists motives.

"Hey! Maybe they did make more, but they all dress to look like Wraith." Anakin suggested. Obi-Wan mulled his theory over, slowly nodding as pieces started to fit into place.

"That's always a possibility." He stated. "But was each one then educated to act like the same person? That seems like a lot of work and effort." He added, highlighting the one flaw in that plan: Wraith's own unique personality.

Plo Koon was deep in thought, considering the unique situation that had been present to them. He thought about the logs and about Scipio's words... and a single abnormality revealed itself to him.

"It makes me wonder... why was Wraith the only successful one? What was so wrong about all the others...?" He said aloud. None could answer him. No one knew for certain as to why A31-B survived while the others did not. They all believed destiny worked in mysterious ways, but even this outcome was beyond their means of deduction.

"So... that's it?" Anakin hesitantly wondered. "That's all we got?"

"We didn't recover very many logs that belonged to Scipio. Most of them were Wraith's." Mace informed him. "So yes, this is all we've got."

"Right... well, this has been a most informative session." Palpatine declared. "And I'm pleased we were able to reach something resembling a conclusion concerning this super-soldier." The Jedi nodded in agreement, Thrawn tipping his head as well. "However, there are other matters we must attend to." The Chancellor continued. "Master Windu, we need you to investigate the Herrik System. We're receiving more reconnaissance reports similar to the ones from the Telaris System and would like for you to investigate. General Skywalker is now completely deprived of Torrent Company and we need a more able-bodied unit for this." The Jedi nodded.

"I understand, Chancellor. I will ready my men and leave immediately." He responded. The other masters turned to leave, but Palpatine had one more person he wished to speak to.

"Commander Thrawn, a moment?" The Chiss turned to face him, nodding as he did. "I understand your continued presence here is only because you wished to see The Wraith dealt with before his kind could possibly reach your homeworld. With his defeat, you are free to leave as you see fit." Palaptine explained.

"Thank you, Chancellor." Thrawn quietly replied. "I wish to stay here a little longer, if only to see what it is the Separatists produce next. If it is a manageable threat, then I will return to my people." He calmly answered. Palpatine tipped his head in understanding and the two of them made their way out. Everyone who left had been changed a little after hearing Scipio's logs. For all of them now had a better and more knowledgeable understanding of who The Wraith really was and how he had come to be. They knew now what to look for should the Separatists attempt to unleash another super-soldier.

But little did they know that the quarry they thought deceased was still very much alive...

* * *

 **Author's Note: Next one will be nice and long... and violent. That I can promise!**


	66. Death in Deep Space

**Author's Note: One last post before the new year! And I hope none of you like Clones...**

* * *

-Chapter 37: Death in Deep Space-

Location: Republic Listening Post, Eridicon Three

"Space. It's cold, lonely, infinite, and the worst place to die..."

 _Somewhere in the galaxy..._

In a dim medical room, illuminated by only a few wall-mounted lights and the stars visible from a viewport, an unconscious Pomel Scipio lay in bed, hooked up to a variety of machines and heavily bandaged. Having been rushed to the medical bay upon arrival, the wounded doctor had been operated on by a pair of medical droids who had quickly stemmed the bleeding and patched up his internal injuries. Now on the mend, the Pau'an lay dormant as his body strove to heal itself up.

And by his side, quiet and unmoving, sat Wraith.

His silent vigil had begun as soon as Scipio had been moved to this bed, still clad in the armour he had worn, a little singed and a little blackened, Wraith had refused to move and was determined to ensure Scipio made a full recovery as well as be there for when he awoke. All the while he stewed in his thoughts and emotions

Someone had almost cost Scipio his life... and they would feel his wrath soon enough.

But who? And how did they find him? While such pertinent questions needed to be answered, Wraith didn't care for them right now. All he wanted to do was make the Republic pay for their actions.

They had burned his home... so he would burn theirs...

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door behind him opening and footsteps entering the room.

"How is he?" A deep yet elderly voice inquired. Wraith had heard it enough times to know exactly who was here with him.

" _The medical droids say he'll make it. The debris punctured some of his internal organs. But he's stable, for now._ " He answered. " _Now it's just a question of when he'll wake up._ " He added with a sigh. Patting Scipio's hand, Wraith stood and turned to face Count Dooku.

"He's like a father to you, isn't he?" Dooku softly asked.

" _More than you realize._ " Wraith quietly answered. " _He... He..._ " He made to speak again, trailing off as he grew consumed by emotion. " _If he doesn't make it, I swear to you, I will raze Coruscant to its core._ " He finally growled. And he meant every word.

"A time for everything, Wraith." Dooku reassured him. Motioning to the door, he used the Force to slide it open. "I'm sorry about your base." He apologized.

" _Me too._ " Wraith replied, following him out of the room. " _No matter. This'll do._ "

"I take it you appreciate the results of Project Iron Tyrant?" Dooku inquired.

" _I would've appreciated it regardless if it had a place for me or not._ " Wraith told him, quite impressed by what the Separatists has constructed. He had been informed of its purpose and the plan surrounding it upon arrival. While he had not been expecting his new base of operations to look like this, he was more than pleased with the outcome.

"And for that reason, we need your skills." Reaching into his robes, the Sith Lord retrieved a holoprojector that displayed a single planet. "We've discovered another Republic listening post on the world of Eridicon Three." He explained. Wraith crossed his arms. He knew of several planets involved in Iron Tyrant, and he knew where Eridicon Three was.

" _That's awful close to Pammant. Can't be a coincidence._ " He mused.

"We think the same, solider." Dooku agreed. Wraith immediately drew a connection between Dooku's words and rolled his shoulders.

" _One destroyed listening post coming up._ " He stated.

"Before you go, we have some data which may prove helpful in your planning." The Count informed him. "Based on what we've heard from intercepted radio chatter, a group of 501st Legion troopers are on their way over to help with a security changeover. Among them are some of Captain Rex's right-hand men, including: ARC Troopers Fives and Echo, Torrent Company members Jesse and Kix, and 501st affiliate Tup."

" _A chance to off some of Rex's friends... now that's an opportunity I can't pass up._ " Wraith mused, feeling more than a little hungry for some payback.

"Also, the entire planet is surrounded by an asteroid field. There's no way a ship can exit hyperspace just above the planet with those rocks in the way. They'll have to drop out a few miles earlier and slowly pass through the asteroid field. You and a squad of rocket battle droids can ambush them there."

" _Right. We'll latch on to the hull and force our way in. Makes sense._ "

"I take it you have a means of surviving the vacuum of space during this process?" Dooku wondered, wanting to make sure Wraith was properly equipped. If not, they would have to find something for him and quickly.

" _One of the outfits Doc managed to bring was a prototype space suit for me. I can figure out how to work it. I should be fine._ " Wraith answered.

"Do your best Wraith. The secrecy of Iron Tyrant depends on you."

" _And it'll remain a secret._ " The super-soldier replied, turning about and setting off for the hangar. A good mission would keep his mind nice and occupied, as well as help him to vent.

He looking forward to getting to slaughter some Clones...

* * *

 _Later that day, in the Eridicon Sector..._

Dropping out of hyperspace, a GX1 short hauler shuttle slowed down as it approached the asteroid field surrounding Eridicon Three. Manning this shuttle were some of the finest Clones in service to the Republic. All of them belonging to Torrent Company, with Fives and Echo in charge, they were destined for the new Republic listening post in order to drop off some supplies and relieve a few of the men who'd been there for a few days already.

"Jesse, let them know we've arrived and will be there shortly." Echo commanded.

"You know, this kinda reminds me of the time we were stationed on the Rishi Moon. Remember that, Echo?" Fives commented, reminiscing back to when they were only rookies.

"When everything went horribly wrong and Hevy got killed?" Echo replied, rather sardonically. "Sure. I try not to though."

"Ah, this can't be that bad, can it?" Tup wondered. "We're just here to make sure everything goes according to plan."

"That's what we were doing." Fives replied, his voice taking a grim tone. "And then nothing went 'according to plan'."

"But we've got pretty much all of Torrent Company with us. Any Seppies or clankers trying to sabotage this place would have to be stupid to try." Jesse said.

"Jesse's right." Kix agreed. "This is just gonna be a boring, routine stay. Nothing more." While the three of them were optimistic, despite the prospect of being bored for weeks on end, Fives and Echo were veteran ARC Troopers and they knew that with a fraction of a second, anything could happen.

Anything.

Further ahead, along the interior of the asteroid belt, strategically clinging to the sides of varying space rocks, were a dozen commando droids, battle droids with rocket packs and The Wraith, suited up in a set of custom armor that acted as a space suit. Forsaking his jacket for a more slim and flexible suit, Wraith looked just as intimating here in the cold vacuum of space. With thick armor plating protecting his chest, shoulders and legs, a flattened oxygen tank sat on his back and was wired to his helmet via a pair of hoses connected to an all-new mouth-guard. His pistols were the only weapons he carried, all four of them strapped to his waist via his gun belt. Specialized magnets in the soles of his boots kept him securely attached to the asteroid as the sensors in his optics tracked the incoming shuttle.

" _Wait for my signal._ " He commanded the droids. " _We'll wait until they can't see us._ "

"Roger roger." One of them replied. Poking his head out from behind his asteroid, the long, narrow hull of the ship came into view, slowly floating forward as the pilots traversed a narrow path determined by their nav computers. As soon as the gleaming glass of the cockpit was out of view and only a steely wall of plating, sporting small Galactic Republic and Republic Army logos, remained, Wraith lept off the rock he was on and jetted towards the ship, courtesy of a pair of small jump jets mounted on the sides of his boots.

" _Make for the rear cargo access._ " Wraith ordered, maneuvering down and round the ship. Getting in to this tin can wouldn't be easy, as it required carefully timed and precise movements in order to board without a sound or trace. He didn't want the Clones to know of their presence until it was too late for them.

Fortunately, he had a little extra for just such an occasion.

Uploaded into the computing equipment in his gauntlet was a virus that would bypass the ship's natural breach alarms and broadcast a temporary 'all clear' signal. With any luck, the Clones wouldn't suspect a thing until he and the droids were storming the cockpit.

Arriving at the door, Wraith's boots clamped to the metal walls of the ship as he pulled out his connector cables, jacking them into the astromech port located to the lower right. Quickly uploading the virus into the ship's system, Wraith pulled his cables out a moment later and forced open the door. The droids quickly floated inside, Wraith ensuring the door stayed open. With all of them in, he followed behind them and closed the door, before accessing the room controls and switching on the artificial gravity field. All of them landed on their feet and Wraith promptly moved for the exit, cracking his knuckles as he did.

" _Follow me in._ " He growled.

The fives Clones sat normally, relaxed and at ease. Wraith's virus proved successful and all of them were oblivious to the Separatists boarding their ship and the impending doom awaiting them all. They sat silently in the cabin, expecting nothing and anticipating nothing. Then a sudden, small explosion blew open the entry door to the cabin, revealing a small squad of droids and The Wraith at the front. The Clones whirled about and were surprised by the presence of invaders and shocked to see someone who looked a lot like the super-soldier they had supposedly killed on Utapau.

"It's Wraith!" Kix cried as he recognized them. "And the Separatists!" Not caring for how their hated enemy was still alive and jumping from his seat, the Clone grabbed the nearest blaster and charged the invading Separatists.

" _Time to die, Republic dogs!_ " Wraith thundered as he drew one of his blaster pistols. Firing two shots, Wraith hit Kix square in the chest, bolts of energy tearing through his armor and killing the Clone with a blow to the heart. Kix dropped his weapon and fell to the floor, a smoking wound in his chest. The other Clones were quick to react, springing from their seats and grabbing their weapons. Fives drew his pistols and opened fire on them and Jesse was quick to follow, grabbing his blaster rifle and crouching down behind a seat. Taking aim, the Clone managed to blast the head off of a droid. But another took its place and fired a shot that hit the Clone square in the abdomen. Jesse dropped his weapon and doubled over with a cough, clutching the wound but leaving himself exposed so Wraith could draw his slugthrower and end the Clone with a single shot to the throat. A splatter of blood painted the console behind him as the powerful slug ripped out the Clone's neck. Jesse hit the ground sputtering, more dead than alive, rasping for air with blood flowing from his mouth as he died. Tup joined Echo as they moved to reinforce Fives, weapons in hand and ready to fight. By now a firefight had erupted in full force in the confines of the cabin. Wraith held up a gauntlet to protect himself as several droids were shot down, but smirked beneath his helmet when Tup fell to a hailstorm of blaster fire that ripped his body apart, once the droids finally coordinated their attacks and recalculated to accommodate the confined interior of the cabin. Fives and Echo kept shooting, now desperate to survive this encounter. The shuttle was by no means roomy, with no room to truly fight a ranged battle. Blaster fire from both Clones and droids ricocheted off the close quarters walls and bounced in every direction whenever they missed their mark.

But out of all of them, Wraith never missed a single shot.

The soldier took aim at the renown ARC Troopers: Fives and Echo. Echo he killed with a barrage of blaster fire that ripped through his chest and torso before he downed Fives with a series of well-aimed hits that put the Clone on the ground for good.

The firefight was brief, but ended in total Separatist victory.

Ejecting his spent energy cell and quickly reloading, Wraith holstered his weapons and paused to take in the blood-soaked and body-filled interior before him.

"Huh. That seemed pretty easy." One of the battle droids noted.

" _They're Clones,_ " Wraith replied, " _they're always easy to gun down._ " Moving past the bodies of Anakin Skywalker's top men, Wraith stepped up to the helm of the ship to look out the permaglass screen. " _Take the controls and continue on to the listening post. Once we've snuck past their defenses, we'll take them down from the inside._ " But as a pair of commando droids began to take their places at the helm of the shuttle, the Separatists failed to realize that Fives was still alive and had heard their entire plan. Clinging on to consciousness with all the willpower he could muster, the Clone rolled over with a groan as his sudden presence was acknowledged by the Separatists.

He would do whatever he could, until his last breath, to defend the Republic.

"N-No..." Fives gasped, reaching out to grab Wraith's boot. "C-Can't let you... w-win..." But his struggle was in vain as Wraith stepped away from his outstretched hand.

" _Ah, Fives,_ " He rumbled, drawing one of his slugthrowers, cocking it and taking aim at Fives' exposed head, " _even in your current state you can't help but profess your loyalty... such absurdity._ " He growled and pulled the trigger, a metal slug ripping through the Clone's head a split second later.

* * *

 _On the surface of Eridicon Three..._

The new Republic listening post was bustling with activity. Blue-painted Torrent Company troopers kept a careful watch on the area from various positions across the grounds while regular Clones operated and observed the listening equipment within the new complex. Newly commissioned and freshly constructed, it was the job of the Torrent Company Clones to ensure nobody blew it up like the Anoat post.

Suffice to say, it was a boring job but an important one.

Joc, Ross, Ringo and Oz had been here the longest and the four of them were looking forward to being able to go back to Coruscant and rejoin Rex and the 501st. Hardcase and Dogma hadn't been here for nearly as long and would be here to help out Fives and the other newcomers.

They had no idea what had transpired just a few miles above in Ediricon Three's orbit and that they were all in grave danger.

One of the Clones on the upper level deck was the first to catch sight of the incoming shuttle.

"Someone let Ops know the shuttle's here." He reported into his comms. His transmission was picked up by those in the command center, Dogma among their number.

"Right, time to send Joc and the others home." He mused. Turning about and heading for the crew quarters, the two remaining Clones received the shuttle's clearance code, a unique signal that confirmed it was a Republic transport.

"That's odd." One of them noted. "They sent the clearance code... no message though. Usually we're contacted prior to their arrival."

"Eh, who cares. They sent the code and they're good, nothing to worry about." The other nonchalantly replied and not concerned about the supposed discrepancy in the slightest. His partner shrugged and decided to ignore it.

Down on the adjoining landing pad, the two commando droid pilots set down the shuttle, doing their best to not arouse suspicion. Behind them, Wraith was busy scanning the area with his thermal sensors. There were no Clones on or around the landing pad, but there were some stationed at the top of the stairs that led to the listening post. A pair of permacrete barricades stood erected beside them and clear views of the roof of the post could be seen even from this lower lever.

If there was one place for them to hold their ground, that would be it.

Wraith turned back to the remaining battle droids in the cabin. A few of them had been taken down during the surprise attack, their metal husks lying where they fell. But Wraith had about ten to work with along with his favorite commando droids. They were equipped with blades that could skewer a Clone just as easily as his own could. This was good, as he needed to make sure it looked like they had done this and not him. He still needed the Republic to think he was dead.

" _I will lead the opening assault. Commandos, find a way around their defenses and take them out from behind, the others and I will provide a distraction. The rest of you form a defensive position around the landing pad, use crates and this shuttle for cover. Attack anything that isn't a droid._ " He explained. The droids nodded and readied their weapons as Wraith walked to the rear of the ship to extend the boarding ramp, droids in tow.

The Clones at the top of the stairs were anticipating some of their brothers to disembark the shuttle, maybe carrying a few pieces of cargo or even pushing some hover crates that would help keep this post going.

What they got instead, was a black-clad, armored man with crimson eyes darting out and training his blaster pistols on them. Startled, the Clones were frozen in place and unable to move as Wraith promptly gunned them down. Droids started pouring out of the ship, taking up positions as Wraith began bounding up the stairs. The sound of shots drew the attention of the other Clones who turned just in time to see The Wraith rise up with blasters raised, baring down on them. The Clones were quick to open fire without hesitation. They would deduce how Wraith was still alive later. The clamor of battle had reached the interior of the facility and a sergeant arrived on the roof. He approached a scout who was observing the unfolding fight through a pair of binocs.

"Trooper! Status report!" He demanded.

"It's The Wraith!" He shouted, sounding anxious and even a little fearful. The sergeant snapped to him, shocked by his report.

"Impossible! We killed him on Utapau!" He exclaimed.

"See for yourself!" The Clone retorted, handing the binoculars to him. The sergeant lifted them to the visor of his helmet and bore witness to The Wraith and a squad of battle droids advancing on their defending brothers.

"By the Force..." he breathed, having a hard time believing what he was seeing. "How is he alive?"

"Who cares? Start shooting at him!" The other Clone cried, raising his blaster and opening fire. The others followed suite, not waiting for an order. Even the sergeant was quick to cast the binocs aside and draw his DC-15, firing alongside the rest of his men. They rained fire down on Wraith peppering him and the droids behind him as they took cover behind the permacrete barricades. The Torrent Company affiliates soon charged out of the base, all of them armed.

"Right lads, focus fire on the clankers! We'll cut Wraith off from his support units and then unleash hell upon him!" Ringo stated. They dashed to the few Clones holding the door, Hardcase stepping up in front of them.

"Stand back, boys! I'll cut 'im down!" He cried, bringing his rotary cannon to bear on the fast-approaching Wraith. The super-soldier was quick to raise his gauntlet, the barrage of blue energy bolts slamming into his guard with relentless force. Dropping to one knee, Wraith held his own as other blaster rounds soared past him and slammed into the droids, taking them down one by one. The super-soldier knew he had to take out the rotary cannon and quick, so he developed a plan of attack to buy his droids time. Triggering his personal shield, the energy field absorbed the incoming rounds and gave Wraith enough room to stand and start moving. A throwing blade slid into his hand and he whipped it towards Hardcase. The knife flew through the air and stuck in the midst of the barrels, jamming it and forcing Hardcase to look down. Sprinting to the side and bouncing off a rock, leaping high into the air, Wraith took aim and lined up his crosshairs with the thin visor of Hardcase's helmet as he looked up. Frozen in the face of his impending doom, Hardcase watched as Wraith squeezed the trigger. The single, acid-lined slug leapt from the barrel and slammed into Hardcase within seconds. The bullet pierced clean through the visor and ripped through his head, the residual acid just enough for it to explode out of the other end of the helmet, a splatter of blood in its wake. Chunks of flesh and brain matter hit the ground as Hardcase collapsed, instantly dead.

"Hardcase!" Dogma cried, racing to the side of his fallen brother. As he did so, the others realized their supporting fire had been eliminated.

"Someone grab that rotary cannon!" Ross shouted. "The rest of you, pop thermals!" Reaching for their belts, each and every Clone drew a thermal detonator and armed it before sending it rolling across the ground towards Wraith. The super-soldier realized the explosive potential if those things got under his shield and he quickly backflipped away as a flash of flame and a cloud of smoke enveloped where he had once been standing.

"We gotta pull back!" Joc realized. "He's too well-armored, we need to think our way out of this."

"All of you fall back to the door, we'll hold him off from inside!" Ringo ordered. "I'll grab Dogma." The Clones nodded and moved to retreat, signalling their brothers on the roof to provide cover fire as they backed off. Ringo jogged over to Dogma's side, the Clone still kneeling by the corpse of his friend and brother. There was nothing he could do, but he felt compelled to not leave Hardcase behind. "Time to go Trooper!" Ringo told him, grabbing his shoulder. Dogma's head snapped towards him.

"He was my brother." He hoarsely whispered. Ringo nodded and knelt down next to him.

"He was mine too." He replied. With those few words, Dogma knew Ringo felt the same way he did. But they both had a job to do. If they didn't act now, none of them might survive this.

"Alright..." He finally relented, rising to his feet. "Let's go." Ringo nodded and took off for the door, Dogma right behind him as they left Hardcase behind.

But a loud crack split the air and Dogma suddenly lurched forward as a slug ripped through his side, blowing open a hole right where his ribs would be. Searing pain shot through the left side of his body as he stumbled, clutching the wound and realizing it was a bad one.

Behind him, Wraith held his smoking slugthrower high, still aiming at Dogma.

Another loud crack and Dogma collapsed with a cry, another slug tearing through his thigh. Ringo turned around and watched as Dogma fell to his knees, Wraith slowly approaching him from behind. Before he could act, Wraith fired two more slugs in quick succession, blowing open bloody holes in Dogma's chest. The Clone screamed in agony as blood and specks flesh splattered the ground before him. Ringo stood frozen, wanting to help but knowing he'd be good as dead if he did. Dogma looked up at him and the others with a pained look, almost as if he were pleading with them to save him, wondering if he'd be alright despite the immense pain flooding his body. His suffering was short lived, though, as Wraith took aim and fired one last slug at the kneeling trooper, evaporating Dogma's head in a shower of blood. "Kriffin' hell!" Ringo shouted as he raised his arm to shield himself from the gore, Dogma's blood splattering across his arm. The Clone's headless corpse fell to the ground with a meaty thunk, blood gushing from the spot on his neck were his head would normally be. The sight was appalling. "Dammit..." Ringo swore, "Dammit all!"

"Ringo, come on!" Oz shouted, grabbing his brother by the arm. "Fall back!" He cried to the others. "Back inside!" The troopers hurried in as the door sealed behind them, cutting them off from Wraith's brutal assault. All that remained now were the Clones on the roof, still firing away at the battle droids behind Wraith.

But even they would not last long.

The commando droids had finally made their way around the base and had crawled up to the roof where they jumped the defending Clones. Blasting them from behind, the smaller battle droids were quick and speedy, dashing right up to the Clones in order to drive their blades clean through them and shoving them off the roof where they died on the ground below.

The exterior of the post had been taken. Now they just needed to move inside and finish the job. Wraith was pleased with their progress. As he stepped over Hardcase's body and then Dogma's corpse, he planned their next move.

" _Jam their transmissions and then plant some detpaks along the transceiver. No reinforcements for them._ " He ordered the commando droids. His orders were to completely annihilate this post, not a single Clone was to survive. While this was nothing new to him, he did have the aid of some battle droids to ensure this mission looked like he was not involved. Sure, they would have to destroy some evidence of his presence, but at least he wasn't doing this alone.

Having said that, quite a few droids had been shot down during this initial assault, leaving Wraith with more commando droids than actual battle droids. No matter. As long as he spearheaded every assault, there would be at least a few droids to return to Dooku when this day was over.

But as for the present circumstances, it was time to find a way inside.

* * *

The Clones had taken up defensive positions within the corridor leading to the main entrance, waiting tensely for something to happen. This was the only logical way in, so they would hold them off here. Hiding behind walls and barricades made from storage crates, Joc, Ross, Ringo, Oz and the others were ready for the fight of their lives.

"How are we supposed to survive this?" One of the local rookies wondered, bemoaning their seemingly hopeless situation. "We're not ready for this... we're never ready for _him_!"

"Keep your cool, soldier." Joc reassured him. "We'll win because we need to win."

"But how? No one's ever beat him before, can't even put a dent in him with additional firepower." The rookies responded, still distraught and feeling hopeless.

"What's your name, shiny?" Joc asked him.

"Lance, sir." The Clone replied.

"Well Lance, I've been through my fair share of scrapes. I survived the battle of Teth, watched all my brothers fall around me. I'm a survivor... we're survivors," he said, patting Lance on the shoulder, "and we will survive this." Suddenly, the jarring grating sound of metal being bent and torn drew their attention back to the door. A blade was jammed between the two halves, slowly wrenching the entry way open.

"Here it comes, lads! Get ready!" Oz stated, charging his blaster. The others took aim at the door, ready to shoot as soon as they laid eyes on whoever was coming their way.

"As soon as you see something, full fire! No mercy today!" Ross added. The Clones nodded and watched with itchy trigger-fingers as a pair of hands reached through the opening made by the blade and began to push the doors open. Metal ground against metal as the doors were forced apart and a black figure with blazing red optics was revealed on the other side. "Now!" Ross shouted. The Clones opened fire simultaneously, aiming for the crack in the door that slowly grew wider with each passing second. Forcing his way inside, Wraith ignored the blaster rounds ricocheting off his body as he was hellbent on leaving this listening post destroyed, corpse-ridden and bloodstained. With a roar, Wraith forced through the doors, bending them inwards as he surged into the hall.

"Shoot him! Shoot him!" One of the Clones cried, firing his blaster wildly. But Wraith continued to stalk forward, ignoring every shot that came his way and slammed into his body. Charging ahead, Wraith drew one of his blasters and leaping over the nearest crate, dropkicking the Clone behind it in the head and snapping it back with such force his neck snapped. The second Clone behind the crate was immediately put into a chokehold, Wraith pressing his pistol against his helmet.

" _This one's for Scipio._ " He growled, blasting him with three shots to the head. Training his sights on the two Clones across from him, Wraith shot them both in the head with quick, successive shots.

"He's unstoppable!" One of the survivors shouted, dismayed by the sudden onslaught. The veteran members of Torrent Company understood this and knew that a executive decision had to be made. They simply didn't have what it took to repel The Wraith... besides, the Republic needed to know about his survival, stat!

"Fall back to the command deck! Call for help, we'll hold him off as long as we can!" Ringo commanded. The rookie Clones nodded and took off down the hall, Oz and Ringo staying behind.

They would have to buy them some time.

Wraith stood alone with four corpses around him. The rest of the Clones had cleared out, leaving only two who, based on the blue markings adorning their armor, were members of Torrent Company.

Time for a little more payback...

Oz and Ringo moved to intercept, opening fire on the Wraith. Raising his gauntlets in defense, Wraith charged ahead, forming a plan of attack. Sprinting fast, Wraith leapt forward and drove an armored knee into Ringo, knocking the wind out of him. Once on his feet, Wraith whipped a throwing blade which caught Oz in the throat. The Clone gagged, choking as he struggled to free the projectile. But Wraith leapt forward and dropkicked Oz hard in the throat, driving the blade in deeper. Oz stumbled back, falling to the ground as he tried in vain to reverse his injury, blood seeping from between his hands and staining his white armor.

"Oz! No!" Ringo cried, climbing back to his feet. Wraith turned on his other opponent, ready for a fight. Ringo primed his blaster but Wraith batted it aside.

He wanted to have some fun with this Clone.

Forgoing his blaster, Ringo put up his fists and readied for hand to hand combat. Wraith did the same, silently encouraging the Clone to fight him. As much as he would love to drag out this fight and torture his victim, he needed to take control of this facility and this Clone was only slowing him down. Ringo lashed out with a straight punch but Wraith tilted his head to the side, dodging it. Ringo struck again with a left roundhouse, but the Wraith simply leaned back and avoided it. Again and again Ringo lashed out with a punch but every time Wraith dodged it, egging him on and taunting the Clone. Wraith could see that Ringo was growing angry and tired of the taunting. With his mind so focused on one thing, the Clone would fail to see something else coming his way. "Stop moving!" A frustrated Ringo growled as he threw another punch only to hit air. That's when Wraith struck. Two sharp jabs chipped away armor around the Clone's midsection. Ringo staggered back, unprepared for the hits. But Wraith pressed his attack, landing a trio of blows across the Clone's chest. Ringo recoiled from the impact, his hand reaching up and feeling dents in his white armor. Battering the Clone with a quick barrage of punches, Wraith was ready to inflict some real pain.

" _This is too easy._ " He jeered, pausing his assault to allow Ringo to recover. Despite the helmet, Wraith could tell that Ringo was mad. Standing straight the Clone delivered a swift kick aimed at his midsection. But Wraith caught his limb and brought his armored hand down hard on the knee, breaking the joint with a hard crack. Ringo screamed as his knee was bent at an unnatural angle, pain shooting up his leg. Wraith dropped the broken limb and delivered a hard kick, knocking Ringo into the wall. Unable to stand, the trooper slid to the ground, broken limb splayed out before him.

It was time to end this.

Wraith lunged forward, arm blade extending with a shrill metallic ring. Thrusting his arm forward, Wraith impaled Ringo clean through the neck, embedding his sword in the wall behind the Clone. Pausing to savor the gurgle of pain as the Clone twitched under him, blood spilling onto his sword and trickling down the white chest armor, Wraith slowly wrenched his blade free from his dying opponent. Standing up and retracting his blade, Wraith mentally ticked off a few more of Rex's right-hand men.

He could only imagine the captain's reaction when he found out his whole company was dead.

A low rumbling echoed from somewhere above him. His first thought was that the commando droids had successfully destroyed the transceiver, cutting off all communications. This was good, all he had to do now was clear out the remaining Clones and then blow the joint sky-high. Battle droids now entered the hall, following after him.

"Uh, all clear sir?" The commander droid wondered.

" _Almost._ " Wraith replied. " _The rest of them are likely hoarded up in the command deck. So that's where I'm going. Sweep the lower decks, make sure we didn't miss any._ " He ordered. " _Tell the commandos to get the drop on the command deck._ " He added, stalking off down the hall.

"Roger roger." The droid replied.

* * *

Up in the command deck, the remaining Clones were packed in, some of them technicians feverishly attempting to work the communication equipment. That's when the defending troopers rushed in.

"We gotta call for backup! Wraith has breached the door, he's inside now!" Lance exclaimed to the techs.

"We can't! They've destroyed the transceiver, there's no messages going in or out of here!" One of them replied, detailing the bad news.

"Oz and Ringo just sacrificed themselves to buy us some time!" Lance responded, desperate to not let their sacrifice be in vain. "We gotta send a message back to Coruscant, tell them what's happe-" He was cut short when the loud _crack_ of a slugthrower echoed through the air and his head exploded in a shower of blood, flesh and skull fragments. Whipping about, the Clones saw Wraith holding a smoking slugthrower. The Clones scrambled to fight back. Joc, being the closest, rushed in with his rifle raised, aiming to bash Wraith with the butt of his rifle. But, with slugthrower still in hand, Wraith smacked the side of his head to stagger him. The reeling Clone was left vulnerable and, with his free hand, Wraith rounded a hard uppercut straight to Joc's chin, lifting the trooper into the air a little.

But that's when he struck.

Flicking his wrist, Wraith activated his arm blade. The weapon shot up from his gauntlet, stabbing clean through Joc's chin and up through his head. The very tip of the blade broke through his helmet as blood trickled down from the top while gushing from below. A simple grunt of pain and Joc fell still, twitching in his stabbed position. Hand and gauntlet growing soaked with blood, Wraith pulled his weapon free from Joc with a spray of red fluids. The body dropped to the ground, another tally on Wraith's already impressive list of kills. Turning on heel, Wraith struck with a wide swing that decapitated two Clones as he turned his slugthrower on the technicians in the room, emptying his slugthrower and gunning them down. Just then, commando droids burst in through the viewports, blasters and knives at the ready. Utter chaos erupted within the command deck as Clones and droids exchanged blaster fire, Wraith cutting down those around him in the midst of it. He set his gaze on the final member of Torrent Company present: the trooper known as Ross. Said Clone had his sights on him, firing a few shots from his blaster as Wraith stalked towards him. With one hand Wraith pushed aside Ross' blaster and slit his throat with the knife in the other. The Clone coughed as his hands gripped his neck, hoping to stave off the blood. Wraith grabbed the defenseless trooper and shoved his blade deep between the sections of Ross' armor. More blood spurted from the wound, staining his armour as Wraith wrenched his blade free. Shoving Ross away, the dying trooper hit the ground, still clutching his throat.

" _I wonder why Torrent Company's colors are blue,_ " Wraith mused, sheathing his knife, " _they tend to wear red whenever I'm around._ " The chaos around him began to die down as the commando droids' surprise attack had proven very fruitful and caught the Clones off guard, tearing them apart and sparing none. Reloading his slugthrower, Wraith holstered all of his weapons and looked around at the room full of bodies. He approached one missing his helmet and being examined by two commando droids, a Clone who was struggling to breath. Using his boot he flipped the Clone over, revealing a gash across his chest and a deep wound in his gut. His markings indicated he was a sergeant, probably one of the lead troopers at this post. His eyes settled on Wraith's crimson optics, locking with the villainous super-soldier.

"You're... a monster..." he rasped. Wraith knelt down atop him, triggering his wrist blade.

" _No. What I am is an instrument of destruction,_ " Wraith replied, " _your destruction._ " Thrusting his blade into the Clone's throat, a gush of blood followed a gurgle of pain as the trooper thrashed in his grip, caught in the throes of death before falling still. Pulling his blade free, Wraith retracted his weapon and stood up. Now that the place was clear, they had work to do. " _Start planting explosives wherever you can: structural supports, fuel lines, power generators, the works. I want this place to rival a solar flare when it goes._ " He ordered. The commandos nodded and moved to obey, drawing explosives attached to their backs. Wraith himself flicked a few explosive discs into his hands and attaching them to the consoles in the room...

 _A few hours later..._

The Eridicon Three listening post erupted in a tremendous ball of flame as the explosives within detonated. Wraith and the remaining droids stood on the launch pad, watching the show while awaiting for their transport to pick them up. All of the dead Clones had been placed inside, the evidence of Wraith's presence to be destroyed in the firey demise of the listening post. Even the shuttle they'd hijacked had been rigged to blow, wanting to leave no trace of who had been there. Among those Clones were the prominent members of Torrent Company, some of the greatest Clones in the Republic army. Their bodies burned and incinerated by the explosions, nothing was left of them.

In one fell swoop, Wraith had demolished the Republic's greatest Clone unit.

" _Good riddance._ " He muttered, feeling glad for have been able to exact a tiny bit of revenge against the Republic in such a manner. This wasn't nearly enough to satiate him, but it would do for now.

* * *

 _Later that day..._

Wraith and the remaining droids disembarked within the hangar of Wraith's new base. Shedding the components of his space armor, Wraith was greeted by a tactical droid as he removed the oxygen hoses from his mask. Said droid pulled up a holocomm and revealed the presence of Count Dooku.

" _Job done, sir._ " Wraith reported. " _The listening post of gone... and they'll never know I was there._ "

"That is good to hear, Wraith. A job well done indeed." Dooku replied. "Take some time for yourself. I understand Doctor Scipio has awakened." He suggested. Wraith shook his head, bewildered by that information.

" _He has?!_ " The super-soldier exclaimed. Dooku nodded. " _Then you'll pardon me, my lord, if I go see him._ " Wraith continued.

"Of course." Dooku replied. The communication ended as Wraith broke into a sprint, booking it down the halls as he ran towards the medical bay. He didn't bother with shedding his armor or changing his outfit, he just wanted to see Scipio. Not wasting any time, Wraith immediately found the door and enter, coming across an awakened Scipio, lying in bed. Wraith could tell he was weak, but he was so glad to simply see he was alive.

" _Doc!_ " He cried, dashing to Scipio's bedside as the Pau'an turned to him.

"Wr-Wraith!" He stammered, equally glad to see his creation but drained of energy.

" _Thank the stars... you gave me a good scare, Doc._ " Wraith breathed as he took a seat next to him. There was no way he could clearly explain the depth of his relief.

"Wraith, I..." Scipio started, voice weak, "I didn't get all the logs." He revealed in a whisper. "I... I-I forgot some." Wraith found his composure and broke down what might happen. Scipio's logs all contained sensitive information, information that, if in Republic hands, could be a devastating blow to the Separatists and Project Sunstorm.

Wraith's very existence could be in jeopardy.

" _Which ones?_ " He asked.

"S-Some of the early ones... J-Just after your creation." Scipio replied. He knew them well enough to know which ones had been left behind.

" _Do they detail anything specific? Anything about the serum?_ " Wraith pried.

"N-No..." Scipio replied, believing he knew the answer.

" _Then I don't think we have anything to worry about._ " Wraith responded. Taking Scipio's hand in his, he held it reassuringly as simply basked in the fact his doctor... his father... was alive and well. " _It's good to have you back, Doc._ " He whispered, feeling a little choked up.

"It's... good to be back, my boy." Scipio replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Happy New Year everybody! I've sprinkled a few easter eggs throughout this chapter. Bonus points to whoever figures them out...**


	67. The Big Picture

**Author's Note: Unfortunately, the semester has started up again and I need to get going on my courses once more. This may be my last posting for a little while, but I'll update when I can and I'll be back! This is just to wet your appetite for what's to come...**

* * *

-Chapter 38: The Big Picture-

Location: Pammant

"With the truth comes fear."

After the communication blackout from the Eridicon Three listening post, the Republic Intelligence Bureau had sent a single long-range scout to investigate what had happened. The report that came back was anything but positive.

Now that word of the facility's destruction had finally reached Coruscant, Chancellor Palpatine was faced with the very difficult task of having to tell Anakin Skywalker and Captain Rex that their personal unit had been annihilated, killed without any trace of who had done it. This brought with it one reality that needed to be explored, something the Chancellor was determined to deal with before he had to deliver the bad news.

Late that night, in his office, Palpatine summoned Obi-Wan Kenobi via holocomm. The render of the Jedi Master appeared mere moments after Palpatine had toggled the switch.

"Chancellor, how can I assist you?" The bearded Jedi inquired.

"Master Kenobi, I regret to inform anyone of this, but our new listening post on Eridicon Three has been destroyed by Separatist insurgents." The Chancellor relayed. Obi-Wan's shoulders fell.

"Were there any survivors?" He asked.

"None. The entire base was razed to the ground." Palpatine explained. Kenobi sighed.

"Captain Rex won't be too happy." He mused.

"I imagine not. However, that responsibility is mine." The Chancellor answered. "They had that post destroyed for a reason and we need to find out why." Obi-Wan nodded, knowing that there was a far greater task at hand than grieving some lost Clones.

"I agree. What do you need me to do?"

"Eridicon Three is very close to Pammant, a known Separatist world. Perhaps they are attempting something there again and wish to keep us in the dark about it." Palpatine explained. Pammant had been the construction site of the Subjugator-class heavy cruiser, one that had terrorized Republic fleets before Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan had destroyed it. "Take your ship and your men and investigate Pammant. Look for anything of Separatists design... perhaps something similar to what General Skywalker found on Telaris."

"Understood, Chancellor. We'll move out right away." Kenobi replied. The transmission came to an end and Obi-Wan disappeared from view just as Anakin and Rex entered Palpatine's office. Taking a quick breath, the Chancellor readied himself for the heavy task of relaying bad news.

"Master Skywalker, Captain Rex." He greeted, standing up. "Please, have a seat." The men did, reclining before Palpatine's desk as the Chancellor also sat.

"What's going on, Chancellor?" Anakin wondered.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news for the both of you." Palpatine began. "Earlier this week, our new listening post in Eridicon Three ceased broadcasting. After a time, where we waited for a reply, we sent a long-range reconnaissance unit to investigate." Pausing, Palpatine was hesitant in how to phrase this next part. "And they discovered that the post had been destroyed, razed to the ground." He stated, looking back and forth between the Jedi and the Clone. "All of the defending Clone troopers had been killed... including those of Torrent Company." He finally said. Anakin leaned forward, evidently startled. Rex pushed back into his seat, a look of absolute shock on his face.

"Fives... E-Echo... all of them?" He asked with a stammer. He had known those men, been through so much with them. Witnessed Fives and Echo grow from rookies into seasoned ARC troopers. They were his brothers. And now... they were gone. Palpatine shook his head sadly.

"I'm deeply sorry, Captain." He said as Rex's face fell. He had lost nearly all of Torrent Company before during the battle of Teth. Then he had lost those survivors to Wraith on Gandolo Four. And now to have the rest of his men ripped from him as well...

It was almost too much for the poor Clone.

"General Skywalker... it is with a heavy heart that I declare you no longer have a company to command." Palpatine said, regarding Anakin. The Jedi was stunned. Never before had he ever considered the possibility that he might lose all of Torrent Company. Sure, some of the men had been lost from time to time, but to lose them all? Just like that...

"Any idea who was responsible?" He quietly wondered.

"The remains of a few battle droids and commando droids were recovered." Palpatine replied.

"Nasty little buggers..." Rex muttered, knowing how vicious those things could be with a blade. He'd seen what they could do and it wasn't pretty. To think that men like Jesse and Kix would've suffered a similar fate...

"I assumed the two of you ought to know before word spreads or is released in any improper fashion." Palpatine explained.

"Much obliged Chancellor." Anakin responded with a nod, understanding.

"Yeah... Thank you, sir." Rex quietly replied, his tone somber and his demeanor darkened. Anakin took note of how Palpatine avoided discussing a means of replenishing Torrent Company, giving Rex a moment to grieve his fallen brothers. While a considerate display, Anakin wondered what exactly would become of Rex. Would Palpatine send him to another army? Would he still remain with the 501st, only fulfilling a different role? Rex was just a captain, not a commander or even a marshal commander. He could easily be shifted around.

Anakin could only sigh and rub his forehead as he mulled over the devastating news...

* * *

 _Later that day..._

Located in the Calamari sector, the world of Pammant was not a place to view from above but, rather, from below. The tunnel-filled world was the home of some of the most impressive underground structures, including a series of dry docks that had built the infamous Malevolence: a Separatist super-cruiser that was capable of destroying entire fleets thanks to its devastating mega-ion cannon. Home of the Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps, local Separatist-aligned Quarren from the nearby world of Dac, had claimed ownership of the world and used it to construct numerous Separatist battle cruisers.

But, after the wreckage of the Malevolence had been examined by a Republic force and determined that Pammant was to blame for its construction, the Republic had kept a very close eye on the world and put a stop to the shipyards there.

However, with the destruction of the nearby Eridicon listening post, which would've easily detected any incoming and outgoing transmissions from Pammant, prompted many military commanders to believe that undercover construction operations had started up again and that the destruction of the listening post was a means to ensure their secrecy. Whether this was true or not remained to be seen.

But it was something Obi-Wan Kenobi was determined to find out.

Hurtling through hyperspace, the Jedi General stood on the bridge of the Negotiator, wondering what would be waiting for him and the 212th attack battalion on Pammant. Alongside him stood Admiral Block, the local fleet officer and naval representative aboard the Negotiator.

"We should be coming out of hyperspace soon enough, General." The Admiral noted.

"Whether that's good news or not remains to be seen." Kenobi joked. "We should take precautions. Who knows what the Separatists might have ready for us."

"Should I have gunnery crews at the ready?" Block inquired.

"Yes, that would be wise." Obi-Wan nodded in reply. "There might be nothing, but better safe than sorry."

"You anticipating something, General?" Block asked him.

"Possibly. The Separatists destroyed the Eridicon post for a reason and we need to find out why." He replied. "We know the local Quarren use Pammant for their shipbuilding efforts." Obi-Wan noted. "And we know that Captain Lock's mission proved instrumental in identifying Pammant as the origin of the Malevolence. Either way, Pammant has generally been a hotspot of Separatist activity." His final annotation, brought another question to Block's mind.

"You don't think they're building another one, do you General?" He asked.

"Hardly. It would take too much time and resources." The Jedi replied. "Besides, we likely would've seen it by now." Such a powerful cruiser would be an incredibly valuable asset to the Separatists and would've seen action by now. But, the one thing Obi-Wan took hope in was the fact that such a massive ship would take so long to build, it would be practically impossible to get it finished so soon after the destruction of the Malevolence.

"Dropping out of hyperspace now, General." One of the deck crew reported. Second later, the blue tunnel of streaking starlight slowed to a halt as Pammant suddenly surged into view. The dusty brown planet seemed to be devoid of activity, no ships or orbital command bases in sight.

"It certainly seems quiet." Block noted.

"Right. Well, let's get this over with. Start a planetary scan while Cody and I head down there. We'll check on the original drydock while you check the rest of the planet." Obi-Wan stated, laying out his plan of action.

"Right away General." Block affirmed with a nod.

A single dropship carrying Obi-Wan, Commander Cody and a host of 212th Clone troopers descended to Pammant moments after Kenobi had left the bridge. Accompanied by R4-P17, the astromech unit assigned to Obi-Wan, the droid's purpose would be to, hopefully, download any files the Separatists might have lying around that might lend a clue as to what they were up to. Arriving on the surface of Pammant, the dropship navigated through one of the many tunnel entrances marring the planet's surface and wound down for many miles before coming to a halt before a colossal steel door.

"The entrance to the Subjugator-class drydock." Obi-Wan mused as he disembarked.

"They certainly did build a big one, didn't they sir?" Cody mused as he stepped out next to the Jedi.

"Such a door would be necessary for the transport of mass materials." Obi-Wan replied as he summoned the Force to open the doors telepathically. Revealed within was a massive, open room with walls lined with catwalks and varying levels of walkways and access bridges. Looking up, a series of mechanical arms, the kind used in assembling machinery in a factory, could be seen dangling from the roof, offline and unpowered. The Clones entered alongside their General, blasters raised and ready to fire.

"Boil, Waxer, watch our left flank. Crys, Longshot, you two are on our right. Trapper, Wooley, Peel, keep your eyes sharp and check all around us. If there are any Seppies here, we'll want to see them before they see us." Cody ordered. The Clones affirmed and kept their heads on a swivel as they moved further into the gigantic space. The first thing Obi-Wan took note of were the scattered tools lying around the walls of the place. They were building tools of all types, welders chief among them. Clearly this place had been in use, but how long ago had it been abandoned.

"R-Four, see if you can find a data terminal or a foreman's office." Kenobi instructed his droid. The droid beeped in affirmation and wheeled over to the far wall, where an astromech port stood unused. Extending an access port, the droid patched into the buildings' systems and triggered a nearby turbolift. Everyone turned as the door slid open. "Let's see where this leads."

"Going up, sir?" Cody wondered. "We'll take point." Obi-Wan motioned as if to say 'be my guest' and Crys, Boil and Wooley entered first, allowing R4 access to the astromech port and for Obi-Wan to be surrounded by Cody, Waxer, Longshot, Trapper and Peel. The doors slid shut and the lift ascended up to a higher level and, when the doors opened, the Republic affiliates were treated to the site of an empty office. The Clones entered first, blasters drawn and helmet lights on.

"Clear." Cody stated, examining the right corner of the room.

"Clear!" Longshot repeated, sweeping the left side. Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to enter.

"Surely a place like this would have been the storage site of some sort of records." He mused, glancing around. "How else would they know what to do...?" Just then, R4 beeped an alert as it rolled over to a data terminal, which looked old due to a layer of dust covering the entire structure. Obi-Wan quickly clued in that R4 was seeking permission to access it. "Dusty." He mused. "Go ahead and try." R4 beeped in affirmation as it extended it's data arm once again and plugged into the terminal.

"All respect General, be prepared for disappointment." Cody mused. "If they were smart, they'd wipe everything and leave no trace."

"And yet we saw tools lying about." Kenobi replied. "They were here alright. But what were they doing?" His question went unanswered, no one knowing how to reply. A few minutes of silence passed before R4 notified its master of a potentially important discovery.

"A large drive? Containing files?" Obi-Wan repeated, surprised. Some of the Clones glanced at each other, equally surprised. "Cody, do we have any slicers back on the Negotiator?" The Jedi wondered.

"Probably so, sir." Cody replied.

"Then let's get this to them. R4, download those files so we can take them back to the ship." Obi-Wan stated. R4 beeped again and began processing the rather large data package...

* * *

 _Back on the Negotiator..._

Upon returning to the cruiser, Obi-Wan, Cody and R4 arrived on the bridge of the Negotiator, accompanied by two Clone slicers: expert technicians trained by intelligence officers to crack any kind of secure data file.

"I take it you found something, General?" Block wondered.

"Potentially." The Jedi replied. "Some kind of large data package, one no doubt encrypted for safekeeping. Hence the slicers."

"If that's the case, the holotable's all yours." Block responded.

"You heard the admiral, men. Get to work." Cody ordered the slicers.

"R4, bring up that data on one of our own terminals." Obi-Wan told his astromech. With a beep and a whir, R4 plugged into the terminal and began uploading the files it had collected.

"Right, let's have a look." One of the slicers mused as he cracked his knuckles and bent over the terminal, accompanied by his fellow. They got to work on the data as soon as it popped up. "Whew! This is gonna be a fun one." The slicer mused. "They locked these down tight... might even be the original files." He added.

"But there is something..." Obi-Wan pried.

"Buried beneath a few layers of security. But we'll find it General, might just take some time." The slicer replied.

"Alright then. We wait." Kenobi said as he took a seat.

Time ticked on as the two slicers poured over the data, fingers flying across the terminals in front of them as they sought to decipher the security codes and crack open the files. Obi-Wan lost track of time as minutes turned into a half-hour, then an hour. Block was starting to get anxious, knowing they were still, technically, in Separatist territory and that an attack could come at any minute. Taking his mind off the data being deciphered, Block stared out the viewport, looking this way and that for any sign of a ship coming out of hyperspace.

Finally, after two hours, one of the slicers spoke,

"Sir, we've cracked the encryption and have opened one of the files." He announced. The bridge became alert as Obi-Wan stood.

"Just one?"

"Now that we've got the encryption broken we can decipher the files pretty easily. Don't know exactly how many files are on here but we'll get them to you as soon as we fix 'em." The slicer replied.

"Very well then." Kenobi said, leaning over the holotable. "Let's see what we're dealing with." The slicer returned to the terminal and sent the file over. Moments later, a blueprint appeared in front of them. It was a large, circular device comprised of many intricate components... and connected to a large power source. For a second, none of them weren't sure what to make of this thing. Block leaned in for a closer look, something familiar about the shape and size of the thing that caught his eye.

"Is that...?" He hesitantly wondered. Out of all of them, Obi-Wan was the first to recognize what this was... and the potential danger it's presence posed to all of them.

"The blueprints for a mega ion cannon." He stated grimly. The bridge fell silent. Everyone knew where that weapon had last been seen and, given the large, circular design of the weapon, it hadn't changed a bit since then.

"Maybe they're trying to adapt it for a ground-based weapon." Block theorized.

"As much as I'd like to believe that, look at the dimensions. It's definitely naval grade." Obi-Wan said, pointing to the listed measurements along the side of the display. Block slowly shook his head, not wanting to believe what he was seeing or the fact that it was real. Only the sound of the slicer speaking again broke the ensuing silence.

"General, we've cracked open another file on the drive we recovered." He reported.

"Good work trooper." Obi-Wan applauded him. "Pull it up. Let's see what we're working against." A few taps on the keyboard and the data was sent straight to the holotable.

And what appeared next caused all the men to recoil in shock, before the horrible realization set in.

It was a ship alright. But a very specific and terrifying ship seen only once before in the entire Clone Wars.

"Force help us all..." Block breathed. "I... I-I can't believe it."

"They're building another one." Obi-Wan realized, wishing he could take back those words and that they weren't true. But reality proved otherwise.

For there, before his very eyes, was the work order for a Subjugator-class heavy cruiser. Only one of their kind had ever been built before and the Malevolence had been destroyed, the Republic hoping that they had destroyed the super ship once and for all.

But it seemed the Separatists had been busy building another one. Another Malevolence.

Block was just as fearful as the rest. He had heard the stories, read the reports. He knew what a ship of this scale was capable of. He had known men aboard the Triumphant, who had been killed during the Malevolence's assault on Plo Koon's fleet. He believed their deaths to be avenged with the destruction of that ship.

But it seemed their efforts were for naught. There was another one on the way...

"Trooper, was this a remote file or a direct upload?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Remote, sir. This was sent to the terminal from somewhere else. The first file was a direct upload." The slicer informed him, explaining the characteristics.

"So they were told discreetly to begin working on it." Kenobi mused, stroking his beard. "Is there a date and time stamp?"

"No sir." The slicer replied. "I could try to find one though."

"That's alright, keep working on those files." Obi-Wan said before turning to Block. "Admiral, take us back to Republic territory and send a message to Coruscant, tell them we found something."

"Should I explain what, sir?"

"No, we need to make sure this is for real." Obi-Wan told him. "No sense worrying anybody just yet."

Minutes later, the Negotiator was hurtling through hyperspace back to Coruscant. The Clone slicers continued to work hard on the unlocking the files. As they did, Obi-Wan received an incoming call from Mace Windu. Currently in the Herrik system, Windu had been busy investigating a similar trail to the one Anakin explored in the Telaris system. He had no idea, until now, that Obi-Wan had been sent to Pammant.

"Master Windu." Obi-Wan greeted the dark-skinned Jedi.

"Master Kenobi. I understand your mission to Pammant was a success?" Mace replied, curious about this latest expedition on the trail of these Separatist mysteries.

"Indeed it was Master Windu." Obi-Wan replied. "I just wish the results could've been more... pleasant." The elder Jedi cocked his head.

"How do you mean?" He asked.

"We've recovered a data file including the blueprints for a mega ion cannon." Obi-Wan explained. Mace exhaled and shook his head.

"I have a bad feeling about this." He mused. Obi-Wan nodded, feeling the same way.

"There was also a work order for a heavy cruiser." He continued. "They're building another Malevolence... if it isn't already built."

"This is not good. The first Malevolence was enough of a threat, the last thing we need is another one to deal with." Mace replied, hands on his hips as he digested this new information.

"I couldn't agree more." Obi-Wan responded.

"We'll need to let the Chancellor know. We may have to rethink our strategy concerning the Outer Rim campaigns." Windu continued, attempting to sort out their next plan of action.

But just then, one of the slicers spoke up.

"Uh, General? You might want to take a look at this." He said. There was a level of urgency and worry in his voice that put Obi-Wan on edge as he turned away from Mace.

"What is it, trooper?" He asked.

"It's the file size for this drive. It's too big for just a single work order." The slicer explained. "I've almost finished with it and I'll have the other files up in a moment." He said, fingers tapping away on the terminal. The bridge had fallen silent again as Admiral Block had joined Obi-Wan next to the holotable, waiting for the Clones to finish.

"Here they come, General." The other slicer announced. Nodding, Obi-Wan turned and waited for their finds to arrive, Master Windu's hologram shrinking to accommodate. One by one a series of holographic renders appeared in front of the Jedi, one after another.

And each one was more terrifying than the last.

Obi-Wan lost his thoughtful composure, eyes and mouth slowly widening as the sight before him grew worse with each passing moment. Block took a step back, desperate to refuse what he was seeing but unable to deny the reality of it.

"Master Kenobi?" Mace pried, trying to get a response and unable to see what the others saw. "What have you found?" Obi-Wan was slow to even look away from the images before him, shocked to the core by the terrifying reality that was about to be unleashed upon them.

"The Separatists aren't just building another Malevolence." He slowly replied, still trying to comprehend the horrifying sight in front of him.

"They're building six of them."

* * *

 **Author's Note: *aggressively clicks 'follow' and 'favorite' buttons* :)**


	68. Dark Reveal

**Author's Note: 100,000 views?! How could I not post something to celebrate such a milestone? Thank you all so much for the support and the generous reads, I wouldn't be this far without your words of support and constant reading!**

* * *

-Chapter 39: Dark Reveal-

Location: Oetchi

"Your worst fears can come true at any given moment."

"Six?!" Anakin exclaimed, incredulous to the sight before him. A meeting of many prominent Republic military figures had been called as soon as Obi-Wan returned from Pammant with the devastating news about the six heavy cruisers under construction. Standing before a holotable, the collective of individuals viewed the files Obi-Wan and his team had retrieved, seeing this original work order for the first time.

"This is troubling news." Palpatine muttered, viewing the data with grim concern. "A single one of these ships costs us two whole fleets and countless souls. Six of them could... I dare not dwell on the thought." He said with a sigh. Commander Thrawn examined the blueprints with mixed interest and curiosity.

"General Kenobi, can you tell me more about this type of ship?" He asked.

"These Subjugator-class cruisers appear identical to a previous one we destroyed, the Malevolence. They are easily seventeen kilometers long and come equipped with two mega-ion cannons that are capable of shutting down an entire fleet." Obi-Wan explained.

"It's also got around five-hundred turbolasers. Enough firepower to rip a ship apart, when its shields are down." Anakin chimed in. Thrawn nodded slowly as he digested the information.

"So it relies on a disabling tactic... interesting."

"Master Kenobi, have you spotted any changes to this design that differs from the original?" Palpatine inquired.

"So far, no. But the terrifying concept of six of these hasn't exactly afford me the time to thoroughly examined them." Obi-Wan said, gesturing to the six images before them. Turning to look himself, he read aloud the name of the first ship in line. "The Dominance. I dare say it's even bigger." He commented. Suddenly curious, Obi-Wan started to read out the proposed names for the other cruisers. "The Overlord... the Behemoth... the Black Menace... the Imperator... and the Eradicator..."

"This is bad. Very bad." Mas Amedda said. "The Malevolence alone could destroy entire fleets. But six of them...?" He trailed off, but Mace finished his thought.

"They would form a literal armada... and could conquer entire worlds within a day." He said grimly. Everyone fell silent as that possibility sank in.

Should these ships be finished, the Republic could very well lose the Clone Wars.

"But how could they possibly build six? How long did it take them to build one? This is practically impossible." Mas added, befuddled by how the Separatists were even capable of producing more of such a massive ship.

"I believe I may have an answer to that, Vice Chair." Thrawn quietly replied. All eyes turned to him as he cleared his throat and gathered his thoughts. "The only possible means for the Separatists to construct such a number of colossal vessels in such a short time would be if they built them in a modular format." He stated. Anakin raised an eyebrow.

"Modular?" He wondered.

"Instead of constructing the entire ship as is, the ship is broken down by various parts or components. These are assembled individually and then brought together for final assembly." Thrawn explained. "Using this strategy, a cruiser of this size could be built in a matter of months, instead of a matter of years."

"Which means they could keep cranking them out until they have a fleet of these cruiser-crushers." Anakin realized, looking back at the blueprints. These six could be the beginning of something far worse.

"That is a very real possibility." Thrawn calmly agreed. "Generals, I don't mean to impose on your leadership, but I should think your next course of action is quite clear: you must destroy this new warship and the shipyards behind it as soon as possible."

"Gladly." Anakin replied. A moment of silence ensued before he spoke again. "So, I've been thinking,"

"That's a first." Obi-Wan joked. Anakin rolled his eyes in response.

"If Oetchi, Telaris and Pammant are all participating in getting these things built, how many other worlds could be behind this?" He wondered.

"I believe I might be of some help there, Master Skywalker." Palpatine said, having been privy to some new information before this meeting. "In addition to those three, long-range reports indicate Seelos, Tarin and Kellis all share similar levels of activity." He relayed.

"Meaning there could be drydocks on all of them." Anakin noted. Obi-Wan eyes suddenly widened at the mention of those other worlds.

"That reminds me, when we deciphered the data one of the files was a list of worlds that seemed to be associated with this project... Iron Tyrant, I believe they called it. Those six worlds are on there, along with a few more." He stated, quickly moving to the holotable to pull up said list. It appeared before them seconds later. "Here: Seelos, Tarin, Kellis, Oetchi, Pammant, Herrik, Telaris and the Solacton System." He listed off.

"Wait wait wait, Herrik? Why? That doesn't make any sense." Anakin said, clearly confused. "The star emits a kind of radiation that shuts down equipment and droids."

"That would make it the perfect hiding place." Windu mused. "We're closest to the Solacton System." He said, looking up from his thoughtful pose. "We'll go check it out after we're finished with Oetchi. And if there is something there, we'll be sure to blow it to pieces."

"You my full permission to do so, Master Windu." Palpatine replied.

* * *

 _Oetchi orbit..._

Mace Windu's small battle fleet consisted of his personal cruiser, the Endurance, and two Acclamator-class assault ships. Hovering in Oetchi's orbit, a Clone team had already investigated an empty drydock similar to the ones found on Pammant and Telaris and were in the process of returning. After Obi-Wan's report and discovery, they now understood what these mysterious bases were being used for and the Jedi General was determined to eliminate every last one of them before another Subjugator cruiser could be constructed.

But as the dropship returned with its Clone passengers, little did the Republic realize that their arrival in this sector had tripped a series of activity sensors strategically placed by the Separatists, who now knew of their presence. In fact, every world that was a part of Project Iron Tyrant had these sensors in place, and the Separatists knew of each world the Republic had visited.

And now they were planning a visit of their own.

"The dropship has reported in, all squad members have returned." Admiral Shoan Kilian, the resident naval officer aboard the Endurance, informed the Jedi.

"Very well, Admiral. Turn the fleet about and plot us a course for the Solacton System." Mace replied, arms crossed and staring straight ahea through the bridge viewport. After hearing Obi-Wan's discovery, he was deeply unnerved by the fact a virtual super-fleet was being constructed by the Separatists. He'd heard all the stories about the Malevolence, even seen a rendering of what it looked like and how big it was. But never had he faced it or even seen it in person. To think that another _six_ might soon plague the galaxy was a very troublesome thought indeed.

As the ship began a slow one-hundred and eighty degree turn, the Jedi continued to dwell on the facts before him. Sure, Anakin had been able to find a weakness with the ship and exploit it, but the Separatists would for sure fix that with these newest models, wouldn't they? It might be worth trying to attempt again if all else failed, then again, maybe they should try it first and use a process of elimination to identify-

"General! We're detecting a ship coming out of hyperspace!" One of the bridge Clones suddenly shouted. Realizing they were technically in Separatist space, Mace snapped out of his thoughts as Admiral Kilian acted quickly.

"Raise the shields! Bring the guns online! Tell the Acclamators to do the same!" He ordered. "Plot us a course out of here, we'd best not stick around much longer!" The Clones began to feverishly set about making their ship battle-ready, alarms blaring throughout the ship as crew members everywhere scrambled to their stations. They were not anticipating a surprise attack like this. Steeling himself for an armada bigger than his, Mace stood ready as Kilian did the same.

Suddenly, right in front of them, the mighty form of a Subjugator cruiser appeared, dropping out of hyperspace. The massive ship loomed ominously before the Endurance, appearing just as menacing as the Malevolence had. The bridge crew stared wide-eyed at the titanic ship before them. Even though it was a few kilometers away, the mighty Subjugator easily dwarfed the Venator cruiser that was the Endurance. Mace took a second to memorize every detail of the enemy ship. It appeared to be the same as the Malevolence, right down to the massive mega ion cannon near the bow.

"May the Force help us all..." He quietly whispered.

"General, we're receiving an incoming transmission from the enemy vessel. They're hailing us." Another crew member stated.

"Bring it up." Mace ordered, turning around to face the holotable behind him. A few moments later, the image flickered on and revealed to him a super tactical droid, much like the existing General Kalani.

"Attention Republic cruiser. I am Rear-Admiral Mazari, captain of the Dominance." It stated, introducing itself. "You are trespassing in Separatist territory and are hereby ordered to stand down and surrender or face immediate destruction."

"The Dominance...?" Kilian softly wondered, barely breathing the word.

"One of the names Kenobi mentioned... this must be it." Mace responded in equally quiet tones. He turned back to the droid, who started speaking again.

"This is your only chance to surrender." It repeated in its mechanical voice. "Stand down or be destroyed immediately!"

"I am Jedi High General Mace Windu of the Galactic Republic." Mace replied, now introducing himself. "Your threats do not scare me, Mazari. And your new cruiser does not scare the Republic." While he made an attempt to sound bold, he was really trying to buy his navigation crew time to get the hyperdrive running and a destination into the nav computer, somewhere far away from here.

"Your bravado is pointless, Jedi Windu." Mazari retorted. "I have at my command one of the most powerful warships ever designed." As the droid continued, Shoan received a quick word he whispered to Mace.

"Sir, we've locked in the coordinates, ready to jump to hyperspace." He stated. Mace gave a quick nod.

"The Republic took down the Malevolence. We'll be sure to take this ship down too." He bluntly informed Mazari.

" _Such an outcome is not likely. Once our fellow cruisers join us in the field, the Republic will be crushed under our onslaught._ " Mazari responded. Suddenly, the bridge crew realized the mega ion cannon had begun to charge up, blue sparks of energy jumping from point to point. " _Why don't you stick around Jedi Windu... and say 'hello' to the Dominance._ " Mazari added, before suddenly cutting the communication. Mace realized whats was going on and shouted,

"Get us out of here! Now!" But his order came too late and a burst of electromagnetic energy shot forth from the Dominance, a wave of short-circuiting power that ripped through the Republic fleet without hesitation. Sparks erupted from instrument panels as every electronic system was forcefully shut down and the Endurance began to drift.

 _Aboard the Dominance..._

The super tactical droid designated Mazari stood aboard the bridge of the Dominance, watching the three Republic cruisers drift about as sparks rippled across their de-powered frames. As he did, the access door behind him slid open and heavy footsteps registered with his audio receptors, drawing nearer with each second.

"I was anticipating your arrival." Mazari said aloud.

" _Entering hyperspace and suddenly dropping out tends to draw attention._ " The Wraith stated, stepping up beside him. Crossing his arms and looking at the same sight that captured Mazari's attention, he asked, " _What's going on?_ "

"Orders from Count Dooku." Mazari replied. "This may be your base but it is also a Separatist naval unit." He added. Wraith simply motioned as if to say 'I get it, continue'. "One Venator-class cruiser and two Acclamators. All are under the command of Jedi Mace Windu." The droid reported. "The ion cannon has stopped them cold, I am about to commence a barrage." Such a furious assault from all five-hundred of the Dominance's cannons would easily tear these ships apart. It would kill them for sure, but Wraith's tactical mind quickly developed a different plan.

" _Do not destroy them all._ " He suddenly said. " _Cripple the Endurance, but leave it intact enough to limp back to the Republic._ " Mazari turned to him, seeming confused.

"Query: why should we allow one to escape?" He asked.

" _Because it will be a demonstration of our power over them._ " Wraith informed him. " _We could have easily destroyed them, but we chose not to. Whatever inkling of control they thought they had has now been torn from them._ " Mazari paused and seemed to consider his statement, calculations running through his processor.

"A logical fear tactic." He finally stated. Turning to the other battle droids on the bridge, he commanded them, "Destroy the Acclamators!"

The guns of the Dominance opened fire on the hapless Republic ships, red bolts of laser energy absolutely ripping through the defenseless Acclamators. With their shields down, they had absolutely zero defenses and were cut to pieces under the relentless barrage. Mace and Shoan were forced to watch as their supporting units were utterly destroyed, their escape pods destined to float in hostile space until they could mount a proper rescue.

And then, once the Acclamators had been reduced to floating hunks of space debris, the Dominance turned its guns on the Endurance.

The hail of laser fire slammed into the capital ship with equal, unrelenting force. The bridge shook as the whole ship shuddered under the intense assault, many a crew member being thrown from their feet.

"Get to the escape pods!" Admiral Kilian ordered. "We're done for!" The bridge crew scrambled to leave, fires billowing across the terminals as the assault took its toll on the unprotected ship. But as Mace was ushering them out the door, the barrage came to an end. The violent rocking stopped with such suddenness, everyone was forced to look back out the viewport.

The Dominance had stopped firing.

"But... But why?" Kilian wondered.

"I... I don't know." Windu replied. As they continued to watch, the Dominance suddenly vanished, launching into hyperspace.

"What? They're just leaving?!" Kilian exclaimed. "They could've destroyed us, finished us! Why didn't they?" Mace didn't have an answer, pondering the question himself. It was only after a moment when he suddenly put two and two together that he had an answer.

"They wanted to send a message." He realized.

* * *

 _Later that day..._

It took forever before they could get a single communication terminal online and even after they had sent out their distress signal, it took the Republic a while to get another cruiser to their location. However, once those who could be rescued were, Mace Windu stood before the holographic render of Palpatine, Thrawn, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka.

"Master Windu, tell us, what happened out there?" Palpatine implored, desperate to learn about what had transpired and why the Endurance was in such horrible shape, virtually destroyed almost beyond repair.

"The bad news is we can confirm that there is at least one fully-functional Malevolence-type cruiser." He said. "The Dominance is operational."

"Aw Sithspawn." Anakin muttered.

"The Dominance also has all the same firepower and capabilities as the Malevolence did, so we can assume the other five will be identical."

"Double Sithspawn!" Anakin sighed in exasperation.

"The only problem is we have no idea where they're being built and, if we don't find out soon, we'll have six to deal with all at once." Mace concluded. "One of those things was enough to destroy my Acclamators and reduce a Venator to scrap metal. Six of them would surely be the end of the Republic's navy."

"Triple S-" Anakin started to exclaim before being silenced by Obi-Wan slapping his hand over his mouth.

"There's only ever two Sith, Anakin. Let's not jinx this any further." He chided. Anakin gave him a look, raising an eyebrow as he did. Palpatine turned back to the display.

"So you can confirm that the 'Dominance' is active?"

"Indeed. We were hailed by it prior to its attack. The ship was being helmed by a super tactical droid calling itself 'Mazari'." Mace explained, informing them off the brief conversation he'd had prior to the disastrous battle.

"A super tactical droid?" Anakin repeated, mouth now free of Obi-Wan's hand. "Like Kalani? Wait... I'm sensing a trend in names here..."

"Regardless, why would they use a simple droid to helm such a ship? Why not a general like Durge or even Grievous again?" Obi-Wan pondered.

"Perhaps, General, the reason is they need a droid who can compute advanced battle strategies and perform necessary calculations by comparison to your average general. Such a choice would mean that the Dominance is set to take a far more active role in the war and it needs a capable captain to do so." Thrawn calmly said, answering him.

"If that is the case then surely they intend for the other fives cruisers to join the fight as well." Obi-Wan noted, confirming their worst fears.

"We need to destroy these ships and as soon as possible." Palpatine determined. They all understood the need to be rid of such ships beforehand. But now, Mace Windu's disaster had opened all of their eyes to the grim reality they faced.

"Great. Now we just have to find it." Anakin said, sounding none too hopeful.

"A ship of that size really shouldn't be hard to find, Skyguy." Ahsoka piped up. "I mean, if it's the same size as the Malevolence, then we should be able to find it no problem."

"And if we can't, we can always follow the inevitable body trail." Anakin glumly replied. "A cruiser-crusher like that always leaves one behind."

"Even if we don't find it, I'm sure it will find us eventually." Obi-Wan chimed in, adding to the already clouded mood. "But... I'm left wondering... if the Separatists managed to keep this a secret from us, who knows what else they might be planning. What horror they will seek to unleash upon us next?"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Kenobi's question will be answered next chapter!**


	69. Scipio's Log 7418

**Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day all!** **Speaking of romance and relationships, I believe GiantPsychoGecko is the first to coin the term "wraithsoka" as the title of the obvious ship going on here... feel free to use it too everybody, let's make this official! #wraithsokaismyOTP**

 **Oh, one more thing, y'all might want to check your notifications on... oh, say... March 1 at 11am mst. Why? Well...**

* * *

Scipio's Log: Entry 74.18 - New places...

" _I am recording this as I lie in bed, forced here by my internal injuries. I've only been awake for a few days, after having fallen unconscious during the destruction of our Utapau base and being put into a medical coma for surgical purposes. I would like to say that the medical droids here aboard the Dominance are astounding! They can do a great deal of precise work the likes of which I haven't seen before._

" _The Dominance surely possesses an impressive amount of equipment for us to work with. Count Dooku seems to have anticipated our coming and set out to turn one floor along the bridge tower into a working area for Wraith and I. While I have yet to see it all, what Wraith tells me is quite impressive. There is a fully-stocked lab, complete with a maintenance room with enough equipment to repair and build new tech for Wraith, individual quarters for him and I and a fully-functional training room for both ballistic, melee and physical training. It is most certainly everything we could ever need and being that we are now living aboard a Subjugator-class cruiser, one of the deadliest ships in the galaxy, I should think that we are now very well protected."_

 _..._

" _I would also like to note, as an aside, that Wraith has been quiet lately. Ever since his mission to Eridicon Three, which he told me all about, he's been very busy doing a lot of thinking. About what, I'm not sure. But I'd bet all of the Banking Clan's stock that it has something to do with the destruction of our old base. I myself am still uncertain as to how such an ignoble end came to be. But I can see Wraith stewing, his desire for vengeance rising with every passing day, he's practically chomping at the bit to take some long-overdue revenge for having been humiliated in such a manner. Though I can't even imagine where he'd want to begin... though I'm willing to bet he will want to attack the Republic in such a fashion so that no one will ever forget it..."_

End of Log

* * *

 **Author's Note: Coming Soon... a _rampage_ of epic proportions!**


	70. Rampage

**Author's Note: This has been a long time coming... hope y'all enjoy!**

* * *

-Chapter 40: Rampage-

Location: Coruscant

"Violence is the physical manifestation hatred."

After the successful raid on the Republic fleet at Oetchi, Count Dooku himself had come aboard the Dominance to discuss matters with Mazari and The Wraith. Now that the Republic was aware of their big secret, it was time to move ahead with their plans. Currently, the three of them were standing on the bridge as battle droids manned their posts around them.

"Now that the Republic is aware of Iron Tyrant, we have no need to hide this vessel from them any longer." Dooku was saying. "Therefore you can expect to be summoned to active duty very soon."

"What is the status of the Eradictor?" Mazari inquired. The Eradicator was the second Subjugator-class cruiser that was in the process of being constructed.

"Nearing completion. Rear-Admiral Venaki has arrived and is prepared to take charge." The Sith replied. "Iron Tyrant is quickly moving towards completion. Nearly all components have been finished and two more cruisers are in the finishing stages."

" _Well... now that we know that..._ " Wraith muttered, turning around to leave. " _You'll excuse me if I take my leave, sir._ " Detecting a distinct dip in his mood, Dooku called after him,

"Where are you going soldier?"

" _While I appreciate the new ship, I've been up here for too long. I've got work to do._ " Wraith answered, stopping for only a moment.

"The Republic still believes you to be dead, we can use this to our advantage." The Sith added, attempting to dissuade him.

" _With all due respect, my lord, I stayed 'dead' so that these cruisers could be kept a secret. They know about them now, about all of them._ " Wraith replied, turning around to face him. " _Now it's my turn to fully reveal my secret; the fact that I survived their assault on Utapau. They destroyed my home... now I'm gonna go make a mess of theirs._ " He added with a slight growl before turning to leave. " _The Republic is going to learn that there's something a lot scarier than uncontrollable rage..._ "

"And that would be?" Dooku wondered. Wraith stopped at the door and looked over his shoulder.

" _Calculated revenge._ " He answered.

* * *

 _That night, on Coruscant..._

All was calm. All was quiet. Night had fallen across the ecumenopolis that was Coruscant. Lights from streets and buildings illuminated the still-bustling city and its inhabitants with a warm glow. The skylanes were still packed with speeders and sparse crowds milled about the streets. From the Jedi Temple, such an impressive display of civilization could be easily seen and observed with calculated efficiency. But most Jedi had retired for the night, tucked away within the Temple's walls as they slept soundly.

But one Jedi was having a rather restless sleep.

Ahsoka tossed and turned in her bed, images from a vision flashing rapidly through her mind. First she saw nothing, surrounded only by pitch blackness. Then came a spark, a spark that grew into a fire that quickly revealed her surroundings. She stood in a hallway within the Temple, flames licking at the walls and consuming the rest of the building around her. The butchered bodies of Clones and Jedi were spread out before her, scattered down the hall like some gruesome path to the inferno that threatened to burn them all. Ahsoka gasped and stepped back from the awful scene, drawing closer to a window that glowed red from the outside. Ahsoka turned to look and saw the whole of Coruscant engulfed in flames, burning to the ground before her very eyes.

Such death and destruction... what could it all mean?

" _I'm doing this all for you, Ahsoka..._ " a familiar voice informed her, growling as it did. The frightened Togruta whirled about to see the familiar form of Wraith standing tall within the flames. His optics burned with a crimson fury, his body a mere shadowy silhouette within the fire. His optics flashed to life again, glowing with such remarkable intensity. " _You WILL be MINE!_ " He growled, optics blazing so bright their crimson hue consumed Ahsoka's gaze...

Bolting upright in her bed, covered in sweat, Ahsoka gasped for breath as she awoke from her vision. She looked about her room with a frightful look in her eyes, determined to make sure that there was no fire and that all was as it should be.

It was.

Breathing a sigh of relief, the young Padawan rubbed her eyes as she tried to make sense of this. What could this all mean? Was Wraith still alive? How was that even possible? She had seen the remains of his blood-soaked helmet, concrete evidence of his demise.

That's when another thought came to her... had that 'evidence' been faked by Wraith himself?

"If he is alive... then..." She whispered, trying to gather her thoughts. The prospect of Wraith surviving plucked up her courage somehow. She felt determined to try to redeem him again, but this time she would give it her all.

But... what if the vision wasn't real? What if it was just a manifestation of some deeper feelings she needed to deal with?

Deciding she could not solve this on her own, and recalling her successful course of action the last time she'd had such a vision, Ahsoka climbed out of bed to get dressed. She would go to the Jedi Council to see if they might help her...

High in the Council chambers, twelve individuals, all high-ranking Jedi, sat in meeting in one of the towering spires of the Jedi Temple. Shaak Ti, Kit Fisto, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Plo Koon, Adi Gallia, Agen Kolar, Master Yoda and Stass Allie were there in person while Even Piell and Oppo Rancisis were present via hologram, busy on various worlds and unable to attend in person. In their midst stood Anakin Skywalker, the only non-Councillor there but a man whose presence in the Clone Wars demanded his presence here before the Jedi.

Their topic of discussion was how to best combat the growing threat of the Separatists.

"We thought this war was escalating at best. But the appearance of these new heavy cruisers takes it to a whole new level." Kolar was saying. By now, everyone knew of the six Subjugator-class cruisers the Separatists were building and the immense threat they presented.

"Just when we thought we had evened the playing field with Wraith's demise, the Separatists present us with a new challenge to overcome." Plo agreed.

"You sound oddly optimistic about this, Master Koon." Kit mused with a grin.

"We were able to beat the Malevolence once before, Master Fisto. Now we just have to do it six more times." Koon replied.

"The question is, how do we find them? And how many resources can we allocate to their destruction?" Obi-Wan wondered. "We can all agree that they need to be stopped." His fellow councillors nodded in agreement.

"When we took down the Malevolence, all we had to do was destroy the mega ion cannon in order to open it up." Anakin stated. "As soon as we find one, I suggest we launch a two-fold attack. Round one cripples it and then round two destroys it."

"That may have been the case with the Malevolence, but the super tactical droid seemed so certain that they had perfected those flaws and improved the design." Mace said, recalling what Mazari had told him. "We may have to find another weakness."

"I can't stand a waiting game." Anakin sighed, crossing his arms.

"Even a man of action such as yourself, Skywalker, needs to pull back everynow and then." Mundi noted.

"Sounds like something Commander Thrawn would say."

"Speaking of pulling back, how is Ahsoka doing in all of this?" Shaak inquired.

"To be completely honest, I've noticed a bit of a change in her recently." Anakin reluctantly admitted. While he and many others had felt very relieved by Wraith's demise, he had visually noted Ahsoka's lack of celebratory feelings. On several occasions she feigned to be deep in thought, but a quick glance through their Force-bond revealed her downcast feelings.

"Dark have her thoughts been. Quiet has she been since Wraith's death." Yoda commented, having noted and observed the same things as Anakin.

"You don't think..." Skywalker slowly said, treading dangerously close to a subject he'd rather not broach unless absolutely necessary.

"To help him, determined she was." Yoda replied. "Gone is he and his redemption also."

"Ahsoka may be a little headstrong and stubborn, but she is pure of heart and compassionate. She claimed to see something in him that we could not: a tortured soul." Shaak replied, coming to the younger Togruta's defense.

"Maybe. But I still don't like the way he thought about her. If he really knew about the depth of her desire to save him, he could easily exploit those in order to try and turn her." Anakin responded.

"No faith have you in your apprentice, Skywalker?" Yoda asked him in a questioning tone. "Young, Ahsoka is. But also loyal is she. Through and through, a Jedi, she is."

* * *

High in the skies above the Jedi Temple, a cloaked Aka'jor shuttle sat motionless, hovering in place. Then the rear entry slid open as Wraith stepped to the edge of his ship. His optics quickly scanned over the Temple below and detected the numerous thermal signatures located in one of the Temple's spires. Taking a step off the edge, he pushed off as he began a dive down towards the structure, picking up speed with each passing second...

* * *

"I guess you're right. Sorry, masters. This whole situation has run me ragged."

"We can all sympathize with that, Anakin." Obi-Wan replied. "The important thing is to-" He suddenly stopped as his senses picked up a presence that stood out in stark contrast to the radiating nature of those around him.

Everyone else in the room sensed it as well, growing focused and losing track of the conversation.

"Hatred, I sense. Vengeful and powerful." Yoda finally said.

"I sense something too..." Anakin added, "something dark and... angry." The other Jedi nodded, their statements matching and accurately describing what they felt.

"It feels very... familiar." Obi-Wan said, brow furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, a figure crashed through one of the windows, pouncing on Anakin and throwing him to the ground. The stunned Jedi Knight could only look up as he recognized the pair of crimson optics staring back at him.

" _Did you miss me?!_ " Wraith growled, grabbing Anakin by the robes and throwing him into the nearest wall. " _Of course you did, that's why I'm here._ " He continued, reveling in his wordplay. The Jedi Council bolted up from their seats as the super-soldier raised himself to full height. They were shocked beyond words... but there was no mistaking it.

The Wraith lived.

"Wraith...? Impossible...!" Ki-Adi gasped. Without another word, the Separatist berserker surged forward and grabbed Obi-Wan by the throat, lifting him into the air. The other Jedi drew their lightsabers, but dared not move for fear of endangering Obi-Wan even further.

" _You assumed that I had been defeated._ " Wraith rumbled, loud enough for them all to hear. " _That you had won. But the truth is... you were all too easily deceived._ " Turning around, he hurled Obi-Wan across the room until he tumbled to a halt beside the rising Anakin. " _Your gullibility is almost appalling, if I didn't find it so laughable._ " He continued, hands balling into fists.

"How did you survive that?!" Mace demanded. "We saw the helmet... the blood..."

" _You never killed me. Your pathetic raid on my base was hardly enough to scratch me._ " Wraith retorted, not directly answering his question. " _But you did hurt someone close to me and took something of mine... so I'm here to repay the favor._ " Taking a single step forward, Wraith's body became taught, like a predator ready to pounce on his prey. " _Retribution is at hand... Welcome to your living hell, Jedi!_ " He roared. Not waiting another second, the entire Jedi Council rushed him. Wraith quickly scanned over the crowd of Jedi before him and calculated his retaliatory attack within a few quick seconds. The nearest Jedi to him was Agen Kolar, his green lightsaber raised high. Wraith parried with a raised arm and struck the exposed Zabrak's face with a quick punch before he turned on the Jedi opposite him, Kit Fisto, and swung his arm wide to shove his lightsaber out of the way and delivered an equally hard punch right to his face. A kick to his thigh forced him away as Wraith lunged at the other Jedi attacking him. Windu was next, slashing with his purple lightsaber. Wraith parried him and struck with two hard blows to the midsection before following up with two blows across the face before he kicked him away. Shaak and Ki-Adi advanced upon him next and Wraith blocked each slash of their blue lightsabers before he leapt up and struck with a split kick that caught them both on the chin. Adi Galli leapt over her staggered allies and brought her blade crashing into Wraith's raised gauntlets. He met her every blow, blocking each slash, thrust and strike of her blade before he lashed out with a kick that she narrowly avoided. Her lightsaber met his gauntlets again, sparks flaring out from their stalemate.

"You would hit me, Wraith?" The Tholothian wondered as she pulled back and readied herself to advance again. "Such a low blow would be beneath you-"

" _My wrath does not discriminate!_ " Wraith growled, blocking Adi's incoming strike and parrying with a hard blow to her exposed torso. The Tholothian gasped as the air rushed from her lungs, lurching forward as Wraith grabbed her around the shoulders and drove his knee into her gut. Stumbling away, Adi wheezed for air as she clutched her bruised torso, desperate for a moment of peace so she could recover.

But Wraith was in no mood to give her one.

Rounding first one kick, then another to the staggered Tholothian, Wraith devastated Adi with a mighty uppercut that put her flat on her back. Stass lunged forward with lightsaber drawn, ready to help bail her cousin out of trouble. But she soon found herself to be in trouble as Wraith countered her leaping strike with a well-timed roundhouse kick to the abdomen, successfully knocking the wind out of her. As she collapsed to the floor, Wraith lept forward and stomped on her abdomen, crushing several ribs under his boot. Ki-Adi rushed to her aid, but was stopped in his tracks as Wraith grabbed his free arm, snapped it, then slammed his head into the nearest wall. The combat was quick and fierce, one Jedi Master attacking after another only to be rebuffed by Wraith as he attacked them all without restraint. Sure this might be a suicide mission; challenging the whole Jedi Council at once. But his vengeful anger was driving him to do the impossible. He held nothing back, unleashing his mighty potential upon the Jedi Council, proving his superiority over even the likes of them who many in the galaxy deemed 'unstoppable' and 'legendary'. Despite Wraith's power, every Jedi he felled got back up again, drawing on the Force to blot out their wounds and empower them to strike back.

They refused to let this monster win again.

As Plo brought his lightsaber around in a low sweep, Wraith leapt up and lashed out with a hard kick, solid metal boot connecting with the Jedi Master's face. Grunting in pain, Koon barely had time to see Wraith lunge forward, extending his left wrist blade. Mere seconds later, a sharp pain shot through Plo's body as Wraith stabbed him in his left shoulder. As blood seeped into his robes, Wraith spun around and drove his elbow into the Jedi's face. Rearing backward from the impact, Plo Koon was unable to prevent the multiple blows to his body before Wraith grabbed his head and, summoning his vast arm strength, whipped the Jedi around and smashed him into the nearby wall. A resounding crack echoed from Plo Koon as his respirator was cracked, along with his skull. Battered and bleeding, he was helplessly at Wraith's mercy until Mace Windu and Obi-Wan charged in to help him. Together they summoned the Force to push Wraith back into the nearest wall, but the super-soldier retaliated by pushing off and lunging at them, catching Kenobi in a spear as he tackled him to the ground. He bashed his face with his fist several times before Mace picked him up and pushed him away from his friend.

"Hold nothing back! Use the Force on him!" He called to his fellow Jedi. Knowing there was few other means to stop the super-soldier, the Jedi followed suit, raising their hands and trapping Wraith where he was within the Force. Forced to his knees, Wraith growled violently as he struggled to rise to no avail. The Jedi quickly surrounded him, arms still raised and hands still open as they focused on keeping Wraith in place.

They couldn't afford for him to get loose.

"It's over Wraith!" Obi-Wan stated. "You've lost!" From his downed position, Wraith stared up at him, crimson optics ablaze with pure fury.

" _You presume too much... again!_ " He rumbled, anger growing and surging within him. It didn't take long for the RGE-7 to take control, his body consumed by rage as red clouded his vision. Uttering a spine-tingling roar of pure rage, Wraith succumbed to his chemical implant and was totally engulfed by his Feral Rage. The Jedi were overwhelmed as a wave of anger overtook them through the Force, creating a feedback loop that sent many of them to the ground. Such raw emotion was enough to cause them to lose their control over Wraith, allowing him to rise up and deliver swift, bone-crushing blows to Kit, Adi, Ki-Adi and Agen. Shoulders heaving and breath coming in heavy, shallow pants, the super-soldier turned his gaze to Anakin. " _I've been saving the best for last, Skywalker._ " He growled, charging him.

"Aw, you flatter me!" Anakin retorted as he leapt up and swung his blade hard. His lightsaber slammed into Wraith's shoulder, but the super-soldier powered through, surprising the Knight. Before Anakin could even think of a plan of defense, Wraith was already upon him. Rounding a punch to his abdomen, the wind was knocked clean from Anakin's lungs before his jaw was driven into Wraith's knee. Suddenly shoved back into a wall, Anakin found his body pitched forward and into the outstretched arm of his foe. The blow knocked him to the floor and Wraith dropped an armored elbow right into his face, shattering his nose. Rolling to his feet, Wraith turned and delivered a hard stomp to the Jedi's chest, guaranteeing a few cracked ribs or at least a major bruise. Stooping down, Wraith picked up his victim by the throat, hoisting Anakin into the air as the other Jedi fought to regain their senses.

But this battle was about to take a turn.

Master Yoda recovered first and turned to Mace.

"Down to the Temple, all of you. Seal him here we will. Distract him I shall."

"It'll only buy us some time." Mace replied, knowing nothing could keep a determined Wraith from his goals.

"All we need, it is." Yoda replied, grasping the hilt of his lightsaber. Approaching Wraith, Yoda ignited his lightsaber as he stood before his fallen allies. The sound of his blade powering up grabbed Wraith's attention, his head swivelling to spy Yoda standing alone. "With me, your fight is." The short Grand Master declared, ignited green lightsaber in hand. Dumping Anakin on the ground, Wraith turned to face him, anger still hot and boiling within his veins. Reaching behind him, he drew his firesaber and Tyth ignited with a crackle, red flames shooting out until they formed a deadly blade.

" _Suit yourself, Yoda._ " He retorted with a growl. Advancing towards the short Grand Master, Wraith swung Tyth around, a fiery trail behind him. Yoda lept out of the way, exercising extreme agility through the Force as he somersaulted over the super-soldier, his lightsaber grazing his armored back with a shower of sparks. The downed Jedi looked on as The Wraith took on Master Yoda, swinging his blade hard in wide, furious slashes, only for the Grand Master to dance around him, periodically slashing at his armor and leaving a glowing mark behind. Mace turned to Ki-Adi and helped him up.

"We need to go!" He stated.

"But Master Yoda-"

"He's buying us time, go!" The other Jedi heard him and quickly stood, making to leave. A bloody Obi-Wan picked up the equally bloodied Anakin, helping him towards the chamber exit. Meanwhile, Yoda continued to bounce around Wraith, dodging his every strike with a level-head.

"Deny you much, your anger does. Limited your mind is in such a state." He commented, flipping over Wraith and leaving two slashmarks of his own behind in his armor. Wraith was quickly growing frustrated as the short Grand Master dodged every swing of his fiery blade, yet successfully marked him with every strike of his own.

" _Hold! Still! You! Little! Imp!_ " He roared with each swing of his blade. Yoda backflipped over him, double slashes marring his armor some more.

"Why?" He wondered. Wraith turned hard, Tyth in hand as he made to thrust his blade forward.

" _So I can kill you!_ " He shouted in response, stabbing Tyth into the air where Yoda had been. But the green Jedi was already somewhere else, the blow nowhere near him.

"Listen to yourself, do you?" He chided with a slight shake of his head. Wraith struck again with an overhead swing that came crashing into the floor, an attack Yoda dodged as he jumped up and landed on Wraith's back, his lightsaber nicking his shoulder amor. "Foolish you are. Foolish this is. Desperate you must be." Yoda commented as he flipped through the air again. Wraith whipped about with a roar and sent a wave of fire shooting from his blade. It missed Yoda by a significant mile, scorching the wall of the Council chamber and barely missing a few of the fleeing Jedi. "Not so 'super' are you." Yoda commented again with a dry chuckle.

" _Shut up!_ " Wraith roared, driving Tyth into the floor where Yoda had once been standing. By now the rest of the Jedi had piled into the turbolift that would take them down into the Temple. The Council chambers could be remotely sealed off, something only a Jedi would be able to disable. It would buy them enough time to plan their next move and keep Wraith occupied.

"Master Yoda!" Anakin called, letting him know they were clear. Yoda didn't respond, but heard Anakin well enough to know what to do next. Summoning the Force he sent a blast of telekinetic energy right at Wraith's head, staggering the super-soldier. Stumbling back, Wraith was momentarily offset by the move, losing his offensive edge.

Now it was Yoda's turn to go on the attack.

Having sufficiently frustrated Wraith to a point where clarity was far from him, Yoda rushed ahead and assaulted Wraith with a series of fast, acrobatic strikes, flexing his powerful abilities as the Jedi Grand Master. Multiple glowing slashmarks appeared across his armored body as Yoda made to disassemble the super-soldier's armor. He knew he wouln't, as Phrik was incapable of being destroyed by a lightsaber.

But it would certainly do away with Wraith's 'invincible' image.

Putting his lightsaber away, the Jedi Grand Master raised his hands and began to levitate the chairs in the room. With Wraith stuck in the middle, Yoda was able to assault him with the levitated furniture. Wraith saw the first chair flying at him out of the corner of his left optic. Turning to face the impromptu projectile, he ducked just in time as the chair when whizzing by overhead. Another chair came hurtling towards him and he quickly cut it in half with his firesaber. But another one came at him from behind and bashed him upside the head. Wraith gave a deep growl of frustration as he recovered. Another chair came whizzing towards him and he hacked it apart with a flash of flame.

" _Kill you...!_ " He growled, slicing clean through the chair. He cut down two more with ease, severing the chairs into pieces. " _KILL YOU!_ " He thundered as he spun around and cleaved another in two.

"Repeating yourself you are. Healthy that is not." Yoda observed as he continued to throw chairs at The Wraith. The super-soldier did his best to destroy every one aimed at him, but Yoda eventually achieved the upperhand as he used one to take his legs out from under him before dropping another chair on Wraith's head. The dazed berserker looked up from the ground only to see Yoda looking back at him. Yoda himself glanced up, a tempted Wraith following his gaze only to see a cluster of chairs suspended above him.

" _Oh kriffing sithspit-_ " He muttered just as Yoda dropped them on top of him. Wraith was buried beneath the pile of chairs, satisfying the Grand Master as he retreated to join his fellow Jedi in the turbolift.

"Remind me to do that next time I run into him." Anakin mused.

"If you can find enough chairs." Obi-Wan joked.

"Uncomfortable they were." Yoda commented as the lift began to descend, the Council chamber locked down. With the Jedi safely away, all that remained was Wraith beneath the pile of chairs. He soon broke free of his confines, throwing off chairs and pieces of chairs as he stood. Looking around and realizing the Jedi had avoided him, Wraith gave a growl of displeasure as he realized he would need a new plan. He'd come to leave some corpses behind, and all he'd gotten was some slashed armor and an embarrassing setback. Tucking Tyth away in his belt, Wraith turned and stared out the shattered window through which he'd entered.

" _If I can't leave my mark in blood, I'll leave it another way..._ " He growled, arming a series of explosive disks.

Down below, the Council exited the turbolift to be greeted by Ahsoka, stopped in her tracks when the Council she had been going to see was now before her.

"Master?" She wondered, looking at Anakin. As he drew closer, helped by Obi-Wan she could quickly see his bloody face and obvious injuries. "Master! What happened? I felt a surge of anger through the Force. It was unlike anything I've ever felt before."

"It's Wraith. He's alive." Anakin replied, still feeling a little winded after the battle. Ahsoka was taken aback, eyes wide and mouth hung open in shock.

Her vision had been foretelling his return.

"He's what?!" She exclaimed, incredulous. "I-I thought he died on Utapau."

"Unfortunately, he survived." Obi-Wan told her. "And he's none too happy about what we did to his base." He added, stating the obvious. But it could've been worse. Despite many of the Jedi being injured, they were all still standing. Wraith's attack had been rebuffed and Master Yoda's interference had saved them all.

"Deal with him we must. Trapped in the Council chambers he is." The Grand Master stated. Suddenly, a distant rumbled resounded from above them, bringing with it the sound of debris raining on the roof of the Temple.

"I get the feeling we're going to need a new meeting room." Mace sighed.

Outside, Wraith jumped down from the smoking, fiery Council chambers, made so thanks to his high-explosive disks. Landing on the roof below, Wraith stood up as he planned his next move. Considering the mod he was in, dropping down into the Temple and storming the halls wasn't such far-fetched idea-

" _Wraith..."_ A distant voice called within his head. Glancing around, wondering if someone had tampered with his comms, the voice came again again, reverberating within the confines of his skull. " _You will come to the Senate and you will meet me in the office of the Supreme Chancellor."_ The voice commanded him. Shaking his head in an effort to clear his mind, Wraith realized the voice sounded vaguely like Darth Sidious. He'd only ever encountered him once, but it had left a lasting impact on him.

Feeling compelled to obey this voice, Wraith began to plot the quickest course to the Senate...

* * *

 _At the Senate Building..._

Chancellor Palpatine sat in his office, eyes closed as he completed his telepathic communication to The Wraith. He had sensed the super-soldier's arrival almost immediately and had bided his time before reaching out to him through the Force. With him was Mas Amedda, the one of the very few people who knew about his identity as Darth Sidious. Palpatine was planning on having words with this super-soldier concerning this unsanctioned assault on Coruscant. No doubt it had something to do with the destruction of his base, but revenge was something to be dished out at the proper time. Specifically, when he deemed it allowable.

Perhaps the soldier was getting too reliant on himself again...

"What do you plan to do, Chancellor?" Amedda inquired.

"Once I have occupied The Wraith's attention, you must find a way to alert the Jedi. I will make this seem like a natural progression, that this was where he intended to go next." Palpatine replied. "The Jedi must never know the truth behind the super-soldier's connection to me."

Outside the Senate building, a random airspeeder suddenly veered out of the nearby skylane and crashed into the nearest dock entrance, killing two senate guards who were standing outside. From the burning wreck, Wraith lept out and hit the ground with a heavy thud. Little did he realize that his every move was being sensed by Palpatine, even as he entered the building. Making his way through the corridors, Wraith's thunderous presence scared passing senators into running away, screaming in terror. Some of them he cut down, shot where they stood by his slugthrowers. Others he allowed to run so that they might live in fear of his presence here on Coruscant.

Their home was no longer safe.

All the while he followed after this innate sense that was leading him deeper into the senate building. He didn't know who or what was drawing him in the direction he took, but all he knew was he had to find the source of this.

His path took him to the door of the Chancellor's office and he tore it open with his bare hands, stalking inside much to the fear of Mas Amedda. Palpatine simply regarded him with a calm, even attitude.

"Chairman Amedda, if you would kindly give us a moment." Palpatine stated. Mas was all too happy to leave, stepping past the super-soldier and avoiding his withering gaze. "Your focus is me, soldier." Palpatine stated, drawing his attention back to him.

" _You presume to command me, Palpatine? You overstep yourself!_ " Wraith growled in retort.

"As do you. You overstep your reach by coming here, unsanctioned and without just cause." Palpatine replied. "State your business here."

" _I do not answer to you, you old fool!_ " Wraith shot back. " _My mission is my own, as are my motives!_ " He firmly stated. With a sudden snarl, Palpatine quickly stood up and blasted Wraith with bolts of Force lightning, knocking the super-soldier onto his back.

"Rebellious cur!" He hissed, finally becoming his true self. "Again you step out of line and assume a control you do not possess!" Shaking off the assault, Wraith looked up from the floor as he suddenly recognized that there was a lot more to Palpatine than he first thought.

But then... everything made sense.

" _You... You are Darth Sidious...!_ " He realized, putting two and two together. Palpatine calmly accepted Wraith's understanding of his twin identities, but knew this would be an issue he needed to remedy, sooner rather than later. He couldn't afford to have a volatile super-soldier knowing his true identity.

"I am." He calmly replied, slowly beginning to take on his identity as a Sith Lord. "I am your master. And you will do as I command." He ordered. Rising to his feet, Wraith said nothing as he raised himself to full height, comprehending the fact that Chancellor Palpatine of the Republic was also Darth Sidious of the Sith. Then, Wraith slowly raised his arm and extended a finger, pointing at Palpatine.

" _Here's what I'm going to do: I am going to kill you. Then I am going to kill everyone in the senate tonight. Then I'm going to leave and lead the Separatists to victory..._ " He growled, threatening the Chancellor. Palpatine nodded slowly.

"Your hatred is... admirable. Your anger is strong, I can sense it. This is good. As representatives of Sith ideals, anger is a very important trait." Palpatine told him, walking around his desk. "Let it grow, let it consume you. Let your hatred fill your heart entirely." He darkly encouraged. "Until there is no room left... for _anyone_ else."

" _My anger is a fuel. It strengthens me, empowers me._ " Wraith replied, ignoring his final words. " _I do not let it consume me. Rather, I control it._ " He stated. " _And I will unleash it upon you and your two-faced nature!_ " Palpatine's gaze narrowed, frowning as he glared at Wraith.

"You would dare to strike your master?!" He responded angrily.

" _I would dare strike a cowardly fool!_ " Wraith thundered, drawing Tyth from behind him. " _The Separatists deserve true, powerful leaders. Not conniving old men who lie through their teeth!_ " Palpatine summoned his own lightsaber to him from within the sleeve of his clothes and switched on its red blade. Wraith responded by igniting Tyth, the flames of his firesaber glowing red in reflection of his own anger. Without any further prelude, Sith and super-soldier lunged towards the other. Lightsaber crashed into firesaber as a wild duel broke out between the two, Palpatine summoning all of his power and skills to counter Wraith's own. He was a formidable opponent, but so was The Wraith. Already tense and with his anger bubbling just under the surface, the super-soldier's already impressive base-abailities were enhanced mightily by his unstable state. He fought with a passion, a desire wrought from agitation and resentment. He would prove himself mightier than Palpatine, he would show him once and for all!

Striking hard with whizzing, winding slashes, the two opponents struck and parried, struck and parried. Both of them were proving to be equal in many regards... but Palpatine still had one more ploy up his sleeve.

Reaching out through the Force he invaded Wraith's mind, forcefully exploring his thoughts as they duelled. Wraith was momentarily overwhelmed by the mental barrage, but surged back into the action with a roar, Tyth's blazing blade melting the floor as he narrowly missed Palpatine.

"So, you still have feelings for Anakin Skywalker's apprentice... I thought I'd rooted that out of you..." The Sith commented.

" _Never..._ " The super-soldier growled, swinging Tyth around and slamming his blade into Palpatine's. Their weapons became locked in a clash, both combatants struggling to overwhelm the other.

"Your pursuit is useless, Wraith! Your desires for her will only end in heartbreak!" Sidious declared.

" _What do you know of my desires?_ " Wraith growled in reply, summoning enough strength to throw Palpatine back. The Sith Lord recovered quickly, but did not move to follow up.

Perhaps his words would serve as far more potent weapons.

"The Force has allowed me to foresee your future... and hers. She will break your heart, for her heart desires someone else-" Palpatine started to say. But his words sparked something within Wraith and he interrupted him.

" _Who? Tell me!_ " He demanded. In his current state, Wraith was ready to rip off anyone's head. But Palaptine didn't know who. The answer had eluded him. All he saw was the phantom spectre of a man, a man who was not The Wraith, standing with Ahsoka.

"Captain Rex." He lied. Wraith shook his head in disbelief, shocked by the answer he thought was the truth.

" _That... That Clone?_ " He sputtered, fury quickly rising within him. " _She would fall for a waste of flesh like him?!_ " He shouted.

"You have not been in my position. As an overseer of the entire army, I have seen their interactions... how they 'work' together..." Palpatine continued, building upon his lie. Wraith may be angry right now, but his intense emotions left him susceptible to influences. As long as he didn't know the truth, this lie might as well be the truth. "There is a definite spark between them, one that could grow and bloom into something far greater. She doesn't care for you Wraith. It's all just a facade. She truly cares for Captain Rex. She wants him, she desires hi-"

" _RRRAAAWWWRRR!_ " A pure scream of hatred left Wraith's mouth as his fury was inflamed tenfold. That wretched Clone would die! He would burn in hell with the rest of the Clones Wraith had slaughtered! Tyth burned hotly in response to his enraged state, flames turning white.

Few times had it ever reached its full potential.

"Although, perhaps she has something illicit going on with her master as well." Palaptine added off-hand, as if goading Wraith towards a rage unlike any other. "You never know these days-"

" _ENOUGH! Enough of your lies!_ " Wraith roared, swinging Tyth around before him. " _I will find him and tear him apart!_ " He shouted, mind still set on Rex. Palpatine simply grinned at his furious reply.

"Yes... Good, good!" He encouraged with a villainous smile. "Unleash your anger. Let it consume you..."

" _Oh, I will unleash it... and you and the rest of the Force-forsaken Republic will feel my wrath!_ " Wraith growled, not yet in a state of Feral Rage but dangerously close to it. Raising his blade high, Wraith stormed Palpatine with a furious roar. But the Sith Lord calmly stepped back and reached out with the Force, invading Wraith's mind once again.

This time, he did a lot more than just look around...

Palpatine began to mess with Wraith's mental state, rewriting recent memories and wreaking havoc with him in general. He removed his knowledge of his dual identities of Chancellor and Sith Lord, removed his memory of ever coming to the Senate building and redirected his hatred towards the Clone army... and Captain Rex. His lingering words about Ahsoka and the Clone remained, fuelling Wraith's anger and shifting his focus. Wraith forgot all about Palpatine, the focus of his anger now directed towards Rex and the Clones.

And thoughts of Ahsoka with him, with any of them, inflamed his anger tenfold.

Stopped in mid stride, Wraith's brain took a second to sort itself out as Palpatine ducked down behind his desk. The instant his senses returned, Wraith stowed Tyth and charged the window at the back of Palpatine's office. He crashed through it, not slowing down at all, propelled out into the crisp night air of Coruscant. Taking control of his flight, Wraith launched himself towards a lower skylane, firing a tether from his wrist that latched on to the nearest speeder. Drawn in, he mounted the vehicle, surprising its two occupants; a man and a woman. Drawing his slugthrower, he killed both of them with point-blank headshots before he dumped their bodies and took the controls, veering out of the skylane and towards the local garrison...

 _Minutes later..._

The Jedi Council burst into the office of the Supreme Chancellor, many of them looking worse for wear after Wraith's attack on the Temple. Word from Mas Amedda had circulated quickly and the Jedi deemed it best they tended to others first before tending to their own needs.

"Chancellor Palpatine!" Obi-Wan called, scanning the seemingly empty room for any sign of the Chancellor. It was then that the old man poked his head up from behind his desk.

"Master Jedi! Thank goodness you've arrived!" He exclaimed in relief. The Jedi were by his side immediately.

"Are you well, Chancellor?" Mace inquired.

"I... I think so. But I'm... I'm feeling a bit faint." Palpatine admitted as he was helped into his chair. "Such a whirlwind of panic..." He muttered as the Jedi examined the broken window.

"What happened? Where has Wraith gone?" Mundi inquired.

"I don't know." Palpatine replied, sounding tired and short of breath. "It was all so sudden. He shows up here, looking like he's on the warpath, and then just like that he leaves without warning." He told him. "I heard him uttering something about..." the Chancellor paused, as if trying to gather his thoughts after such a hurried moment. It was then that the light appeared to dawn on him and he looked up wit wide eyes and quietly said, "about the garrison." The Jedi recoiled in shock.

"The garrison..." Obi-Wan gasped. "Those Clones won't stand a chance, we need to stop him!"

"Many of our own forces are stationed there! He could wipe out our army!" Kit fearfully realized.

"Someone send word in advance, we need to go there, right now!" Mace commanded.

* * *

 _At the Coruscant Garrison..._

The Clones at the Coruscant Garrison were on alert. After having witnessed an explosion over at the Jedi Temple, many senior officers feared something was afoot. A double guard was posted with several Clones ordered to prep for an attack or for an immediate mobilization in defence of whatever was here.

As of yet, no official or auxiliary orders had come through.

The Clones milling about were uneasy. Something about the situation seemed off, yet they kept silent and continued about their duties, carrying on like normal. Four Clones strolled through the open grounds outside the central garrison. Equipment slung over their shoulders, they were a mix of engineers and regular troopers, out for a late-night check on a new transport that had some wiring on the fritz. Problem solved, they were headed back to their barracks to join the rest of their brothers for the night.

Little did they realize that they would never make it that far...

Casually walking, conversing like always, none of the troopers were expecting the airspeeder to suddenly drop down from above, careen out of control and crash into a nearby shuttle, both exploding in a fireball and sending a column of smoke high into the sky. The Clones stopped in their tracks, the sudden rush of action too much for them to comprehend. They stood in awe of what they witnessed, not knowing how or what had happened. One of them took a few tentative steps closer, shaking off the stun.

"What was that?" One of them wondered aloud.

"I don't know..." His partner answered with a shrug.

"Maybe we oughtta call for backup, or get somebody else out here." Another suggested. While the others agreed with his suggestion, none of them moved, still fixated on the burning wreck before them. The more adventurous Clone eyed the flames with a curious gaze, not seeing any movement within the wrecks.

"Doesn't seem like there's any survivors." He reported. He turned back to his brothers, a theory in mind. "Maybe it was just-" Suddenly, a blade tied to a chain exploded out from within the flames and speared clean through the Clone's chest. Blood seeped from the open wound, staining his armor crimson. Gasping in pain, the Clone was pulled back into the flames and into the grasp of a shadowy silhouette within the fire. The Clone was promptly beheaded, blood spraying as his decapitated body fell to the ground. It was then that a pair of red optics flashed to life within the flames before Wraith charged forward with a roar, chain blades in hand.

"Holy Sithspit!" One of the Clones shouted in disbelief.

"Alert! Alert!" Another one exclaimed as he scrambled to move.

"Call for backup!" The other cried before Wraith's blades ripped through his body, splitting him into pieces. Handling them by their chains, Wraith swung his blades around in a vicious, sweeping circle that carved through the remaining Clones, blood trailing behind his weapons. Their bodies hit the floor as Wraith turned on the building, stalking forward towards the barracks.

As anticipated, the cries of the Clones and his raucous entry had summoned a crowd of unprepared Clones to the scene of his arrival. They ran outside, barely armored, to see what was happening. The came face to face with four dismembered bodies, a single burning wreck whose fire threatened to spread and a lone hulking super-soldier, dark and shadowy save for his glowing optics. Frozen in place with raw fear, the Clones failed to move as Wraith charged them, blades flying as they carved through the crowd, massacring Clones left and right as his blades tore through them all. Only then did the survivors start moving, scrambling to run as they tripped over the portions of their brothers' bodies and slid through their blood as it spread across the ground. Wraith took advantage of the chaos as he continued to kill his way through the Clones, intent on storming the barracks and gutting both the building and its inhabitants. Amid the chaos, a single sergeant had the foreknowledge to get his squad together, properly equipped and readied for battle. The group of twelve Clones, members of the Coruscant Guard, burst onto the scene with blasters ready. Spying The Wraith, the sergeant commanded his men to open fire and they did, a hail of blue energy bolts flying through the air and peppering Wraith's armored back. The rounds did nothing save for draw his attention, a single red optic looking over his shoulder and casting the most ominous of glares in the squad's direction. Whirling about, Wraith sent one of his chain blades flying through the air and into the head of a Clone, nearly splitting his helmeted head in two. Tearing his blade free, the Clone fell over dead, the halves of his brain spilling out across the ground.

"Kriffin' hell!" One of his squadmates exclaimed.

"How the hell are we supposed to fight this thing?!" Another shouted as he continued firing.

"I'll tell you how," his buddy started, drawing not one but two batons from within his kama, "you show him up, force for force!" He declared, charging the berserker who had just slaughtered his brother.

"Trooper! Get back here now! That's an order!" The sergeant demanded. But the Clone was too hellbent on his own plan to listen. Finding his rush borderline amusing, Wraith stowed his chain blades and advanced towards the Clone.

"Come on, Bucket-head!" He trooper called, twirling his batons. "Come here and get a piece of me!" He challenged. Wraith stepped right up to him, ignoring his offensive capabilities. Triggering an arm blade he shoved it deep into the Clone's waist, causing him to sputter as blood exploded from his wound, the pain forcing him to drop his batons.

" _Just one?_ " Wraith wondered with a growl, his other arm blade appearing as he stabbed through the Clone's chest and hefted his body over his head. " _But I want TWO!_ " He roared, ripping the Clone in half with his raw strength. Screaming in pain, the trooper's innards and blood were dumped from his upper half onto the ground, a portion of his spine dangling from his severed upper body. Throwing away the remains, his shoulders and helmet showered with a smattering of blood, Wraith surged ahead at the remaining Clones, his swords stabbing and hacking and slashing his way through white-armored bodies, blood flying in his wake.

Near the Garrison, a collection of Jedi ran towards the sealed outer gate, the shouts of battle and the column of rising smoke alerting them to the chaos unfolding within.

"We're too late!" Obi-Wan cried.

"Maybe we can still do something!" Mace replied, running alongside his fellow Jedi.

More and more battle-ready Clones were pouring into the exterior grounds, reports of Wraith's presence quickly permeating the ranks at all levels. Commanders and captains began rallying the men under their command, forming units of opposition to stand against The Wraith. Sergeants started prepping their troopers, ensuring each one was prepared for battle. Lieutenants started to draft plans for repulsing the soldier, rad ops and engineers working on getting a Jaeger Company up and runnning.

All out war was consuming the Coruscant Garrison.

And in the thick of it all, surrounded by fire and smoke, Wraith continued his vengeance-filled rampage.

His blaster pistols were running hot, red rounds streaking through the air and tearing through Clones. Multiple units of his explosive disks had been thrown and detonated, select buildings and vehicles coming undone as their explosive power was unleashed. Debris, bodies and blood littered the walkways, left behind in the wake of Wraith's path of destruction. The Clones did their best to counterattack, forming defensive lines and opening fire as soon as they had an opportunity. But none of their tactics worked against him, resulting in only more bodies piling up across the ground.

No established tactic was working against The Wraith.

Worked up into a total frenzy, Wraith was running on autopilot. His Feral Rage had been so inflamed it was now completely dictating his actions. His hijacked brain instructed him to kill and kill and kill. Part of him wanted to hunt down Rex and pay the Clone back for Palpatine's statements concerning him and Ahsoka. The rest of him wanted to burn down their 'home' here on Coruscant, like they had done to his base on Utapau.

Either opportunity was welcome to him in his rage-addled state.

Some of the armies stationed here included the 501st Legion, the 212th Attack Battalion, the 187th and the 327th Star Corps, each of them containing some of the best and brightest Clones produced for the Republic army. It was these Clones that rallied together in an effort to stop Wraith, using advanced tactics in order to prolong their own survival as well as redirect the super-soldier's attention. They knew the Jedi were coming, they just needed to survive until proper leadership could take over.

Several squads of Clones grouped together, deciding to try and take him out en masse with a barrage of all kinds of firepower. Blasters, rockets, thermal detonators, whatever was on hand. The clustered together to focus their fire, trying to maintain a sense of regimental unity despite the odds. Their assault managed to draw Wraith's attention and a few of their attacks scorched his already seared and scuffed armor. But no physical harm had been done to Wraith.

Even if there had been, he would not have felt it. He was too far enraged for his pain receptors to properly notify his brain.

He holstered his blasters as he turned on the Clones. Drawing his less-used slugthrower pistols, Wraith took aim and unleashed a storm of lead, spent shell casings ejecting from his twin weapons and littering the ground behind him as he continued to stalk forward towards the cluster of troopers. Clone after Clone fell to his relentless barrage, bloody holes bored clean through their exploded skulls. When his clips were empty, he reloaded within half a second and kept firing, refusing to let up. The offensive ultimately came to nothing, resulting in more Clone lives added to Wraith's already deadly tally. But this didn't stop the Clones from trying. They were in for the fight of their lives, to them Coruscant itself was on the line, and they'd be damned if they just stood by. If The Wraith wanted a fight, he'd get one...

Which is exactly what the berserker wanted.

The Star Corps were on the battlefield next, the Clones with yellow-stripes adorning their armor kneeling next to their dismembered brothers as they opened fire on Wraith. They did their best to hold some kind of line and to form some kind of defensive maneuver. Any semblance of order was soon lost to the chaos, vanquished by the absolute mayhem brought on by Wraith's onslaught and, one by one, parts and pieces of yellow-plated Clones joined the corpses piling up across the garrison grounds. Galle and Tyto were next to fall, becoming impaled on his blades before they were both beheaded. Their deaths marked the end of the original leaders of the Star Corps, the others had been slaughtered by Wraith on Honoghr many months ago.

But even more men would fall before his bloodlust would be satiated.

Another group of Clones tried to ambush him from his left, opening fire with a barrage of blaster fire. Reloading his slugthrowers within a split second, Wraith gunned them all down without hesitation. Still more poured out of the central building, scrambling to help their brothers dying in the ruins of the barracks. Wraith stowed his slugthrowers, knowing they needed to cool off lest the barrels started to warp, and planned how to handle this new onrush of disposable duplicates. Spying a piece of rebar on the ground next to him, Wraith picked it up and gripped it firmly, turning it into a club as he bashed in the head of the Clone nearest him. His immense strength meant he could bash someone across the skull at speeds hard enough to break bone. And break bone he did, and then some. Those who weren't wearing helmets tasted his brutal wrath first as he clubbed them across the face and then proceeded to bludgeon their heads, reducing the Clones to a messy pile of blood, skull fragments and brain matter. Those who wore helmets didn't stand a chance and their armor was cracked before Wraith unloaded into their exposed heads, the end of his club becoming slick with the blood of Clones.

He was on the warpath, unleashing a hellish fury the likes of which the galaxy had never seen before. Up until this moment, most thought the fury of the Sith was great and terrible.

He was worse.

Clone after Clone fell before his terrible onslaught. Either shot, bludgeoned, ripped apart, gored... the Clone Army was getting slaughtered, facing an onslaught in the form of a single man.

A man who, when incensed, was absolutely unstoppable. Literal hatred incarnate.

Clones continued to fall, the body count rising as Wraith's jacket grew slicker and slicker with the blood of his enemies. By now the Jedi had arrived and took stock of the horror that faced them.

Despite all the battles they'd fought and all the battlefields they'd been to, none of them looked quite like the hellscape this one had turned into... and it was right in their own backyard.

"This has to stop." Obi-Wan determined.

"I think I've got an idea for that." Anakin piped up.

"Believe me, we're all ears, Skywalker." Mace replied. Anakin turn to face his fellow Jedi.

"Master Obi-Wan, you and I will lead our forces in a defensive counterattack. Snips, Master Windu, Master Ti, Master Mundi, you're with us. We'll need the extra manpower against Wraith." He stated first. "Master Secura, Master Fisto, go and help whatever Clones you can. See if you can round up your own forces to try and save the rest." The Jedi nodded in understanding and then broke off into their separate teams. Obi-Wan jumped on his wrist comms.

"Cody! Where are you?"

"South side, General!" Came the reply. "Nearest the wall." The Jedi made a beeline for his position, being sure to avoid informing Wraith of their presence as he butchered another company of Clones. Soon enough they found Commander Cody and his orange-plated 212th Clones, taking shelter behind some storage sheds.

"Glad to see you General." Cody stated as he saluted Kenobi.

"Glad to see you're all still alive." The Jedi replied.

"Do we have a plan, sir?" The Clone wondered.

"We're going to try and force him out through a combined effort." Obi-Wan explained. "Have you made contact with Rex or Appo at all?"

"Yes sir. The Five-Oh-First is to the west of us. They had to relocate once Bucket-head started rampaging through the barracks." Cody reported.

"I'd rather not dwell on how many we've lost today." Kenobi sighed.

"I'll get in contact with him. Obi-Wan, you, Master Ti and Master Mundi strike first. We'll grab my troops and back you up." Anakin stated as he, Ahsoka and Mace started moving. Obi-Wan looked back and forth between his fellow Jedi and the Clones under his command.

"Well, you heard him, let's give Wraith something else to worry about." He said, drawing and igniting his lightsaber.

Dropping his bloody impromptu weapon, Wraith was jarred by a hail of blaster fire that struck him from behind. He turned around, unable to savour his total slaughtering of the Clones before him, realizing the 212th had been rounded up by three Jedi and were attacking him en masse.

Big mistake.

Drawing his carbine, Wraith unleashed his own hail of blaster fire in response, bolts of energy pinging off his heavy armor as he slowly advanced on the newly-amassed Republic forces. Several Clones fell to his barrage before the three Jedi quickly stepped between their Clones and The Wraith, deflecting his blaster fire with their lightsabers. Stowing his carbine, Wraith began picking up speed, his lumbering form looming over them as he drew closer.

"Waxer, Boil, covering fire!" Cody yelled as he moved to aid a fallen Clone. The two Clones were quick to obey, always obedient when it came to fulfilling orders. They stepped out alongside the Jedi and began firing concentrated bursts, drawing Wraith's focus to them.

Their obedience would be the death of them.

"Troopers, behind us!" Shaak commanded them. Before either of them could respond, Wraith had pounced upon Obi-Wan, throwing him to the ground before crushing his ribs under his boot. Shaak and Ki-Adi were quick to come to his aid, but fared just as worse. Mundi's saber was parried, Wraith grabbing his arm and throwing him over his shoulder, laying him flat on the ground. Striking with a back kick, his boot collided with Shaak's hip, causing her to stumble as Wraith whirled about and delivered a high kick that caught her on the chin, knocking her flat on the ground. With the Jedi down, Waxer and Boil had no choice but to keep firing. Wraith turned on them next, ignoring the blue blaster bolts ricocheting off his body. Lunging towards Waxer, Wraith thrust his hand into the Clones side and proceeded to tear out a rib. The Clone fell with a scream of pain, bleeding profusely from his wounded side. Turning the broken rib into a shiv, Wraith stabbed Boil in the neck before tearing away his weapon, a large splatter of blood and flesh hitting the ground as blood freely flowed down Boil's body, staining his white armor crimson. Raising his hands, Wraith thrust the broken rib down and into Boil's helmeted head, impaling his brain on his friend's rib. Kicking the dead Clone aside, Wraith turned back to the wounded Waxer and ripped away his helmet. Blood dripped from Waxer's mouth as the Clone struggled to breath. Wraith had no intention of ending his suffering, but wished to prolong it. Grabbing Waxer's head, Wraith sank his thumbs into the Clone's eyes, Waxer screaming in pain as he was brutally blinded. With a firm grip on his skull, Wraith summoned his incredible strength to tear the Clone's head apart, ripping apart flesh and bone as though it were nothing. Blood sprayed from ruptured veins and artreries, coating Wraith's jacket in thick splatters of red fluid. Finally ripping off the two halves of the Clone's head, Wraith crushed them in his hands before discarding the remains and continuing his rampage. Shaak and Ki-Adi shakily rose in time to see Wraith descend upon the Clones of the 212th, snapping the neck of one before he backhanded Cody with a hit so hard the Clone crashed into a nearby building and crumpled in a heap on the ground. Another Clone he grabbed by the neck and promptly tore out his throat, blood and flesh splattering across the ground as he kicked the soon-to-be corpse away. Crawling to their feet, the Jedi drew their lightsabers again and made to attack Wraith again. However, the berserker stood ready and drew Tyth from behind him, the white blade of pure firing igniting with a fury. Whipping about, Wraith lashed out with his blade with a roar, a wave of flame following his blade and arcing out towards the Jedi. The Force-fire slammed into Shaak and Ki-Adi and bowled them over, their senses overwhelmed by a fiery presence within the Force.

"That blade... is tied to the Force..." Ki-Adi realized, gasping for air.

"How... How can he wield it so...?" Shaak wondered with a cough. Just as Wraith was about to descend upon them, an explosion of blaster fire riddled his body and announced the arrival of the 501st, Anakin, Mace and Appo leading the charge. With a growl, Tyth disappeared behind Wraith as the super-soldier made to engage his new foes. Mace Windu engaged him first, purple blade humming through the air and crashing into Wraith's gunatlets. Winding up and striking again, Wraith allowed Windu's saber to crash into his helmet, striking the raw cortosis guarding it and shorting out the blade. Within a second, Wraith was on the offensive, striking Windu with hard blow after hard blow across the face. Rearing back his left arm, his wrist blade slid out from underneath his hand before he stabbed it deep into Mace, blood staining the Jedi's robes as he gasped in pain. Wrenching his blade free, Wraith punched the new wound, forcing Mace to double over.

" _Not so fearsome without your precious Council, are you?!_ " He shouted, driving another hard blow to Mace's midsection. One more punch knocked the wind out of him, enough for Wraith to throw Windu aside and turn on the Clones. They came in waves, shooting and striking, trying to overwhelm him. But Wraith drew his blades and retaliated with equal, unyielding force, snapping limbs and crushing bodies, tearing through Clones and ripping them apart. Blood splattered the ground, covering debris until it become one solid color across the landscape. Blue-plated bodies now joined the corpses piling up across the ground, pieces of 501st Clones joining the growing dead. Clone after Clone rushed at Wraith, desperate to bring this long nightmare to an end... and Clone after Clone met a bloody, gruesome fate at the hands of The Wraith. All the while, Ahsoka hung back and watched with mixed sadness and horror at the carnage that unfolded. Only one man had caused all of this, a fact that sort of defied her hopes that Wraith was merely a man forced to do the Separatists bidding. This was rage. This was pure human emotion. Wraith felt this, he did this because of how he felt. This was not the tortured soul Ahsoka always thought him to be.

This was the beast within him. Unleashed for all to see.

Having seen enough of his men slaughtered, Anakin surged ahead to attack Wraith with his own war cry. Wraith rushed to meet him with his own roar of fury, tackling Anakin in mid-air and throwing him to the ground, slugging the Jedi with blow after blow. Anakin struggled, fighting back and trying to kick Wraith off of him. But Wraith promptly grabbed his head and slammed it into the ground, stunning him. Grabbing Anakin by the robes and hoisting him off the ground, Wraith battered him with heavy punch after heavy punch until he was slowed as a series of blaster rounds that ricocheted off his helmet.

"Hands off the General, you!" A Clone demanded. Turning to see who was responsible, Wraith's gaze landed on the smoking blaster pistols belonging to Captain Rex.

"Rex... No..." Anakin groaned, trying to keep his friend from suffering a similar fate. Wraith silenced him with a hard punch to the head, knocking Anakin down. His mind flashed back to Scipio's comments on Jabiim, about how Ahsoka could very well be in a relationship with Rex. Then they flashed to Palpatine's words, about the things he claimed to have seen.

With those simple thoughts, his blood boiled and his rage overflowed.

" _Rex...!_ " He growled as he began stalking towards the famed 501st captain.

"That's right, come get me!" Rex responded as he took aim and fired his pistols. But his rounds bounced off Wraith's armoured body, not dissuading him in the slightest. Charging ahead, Wraith lunged at the Clone, ready to spill more blood. Dropping his pistols, Rex quickly readied himself for a fist fight, hoping to gain the upper hand by throwing a quick punch.

But Wraith was ready to counter.

Grabbing the Clone's fist, Wraith viciously twisted his arm so hard he nearly ripped off his hand, shredded skin revealing exposed muscle and protruding bone beneath a torn sleeve. Rex's growl of pain evolved into an agonized cry as Wraith stomped on his knee, snapping it backwards and forcing him to the ground. Grabbing his helmeted head in one hand, Wraith smashed Rex's head into a nearby wall, his helmet cracking under the ferocity of the blow. As Rex slumped forward, Wraith delivered a knee to his face, the impact slamming his head into the wall, which was followed up with a hard punch across his face and a knee to his chest, knocking the wind from his lungs. Rex was slammed back into the wall by a hard kick that crushed his armor and cracked his ribs. Wraith mercilessly continued by punching him across the face again and then delivering a quick jab that shattered the front of his helmet. Grabbing Rex's head and slammed him into the wall again, his head cracking with the impact, the Clone was knocked senseless as a crack was opened across the front of his helmet and Wraith promptly tore it in two, exposing Rex's face and the blood dripping from his mouth. The super-soldier then grasped his head and drove his knee into Rex's exposed face, shattering his nose with a spurt of blood. Rex cried out in pain, but Wraith gave him no room to recover as he proceeded to lay into the Clone with powerful left and right hooks, taking out his anger on Rex. Each heavy blow pounded Rex's face, sending blood and spittle flying from his mouth as Wraith mercilessly unloaded punch after punch, anger and hatred fuelling his blows. He finally let up, anger slightly vented and shoulders heaving in time with his breaths. Rex slumped over, thoroughly beaten. But Wraith grabbed the Clone by the neck and lifted him off the ground, Rex dangling within his firm grip.

" _What makes you think you're so special? Just because your General says so?_ " Wraith growled before rounding a hard punch to Rex's torso, crushing another rib. " _Well he's wrong, there's nothing special about you Clones! You're all the same! You're all just duplicates of the same man: a dead bounty hunter!_ " He roared, clubbing Rex across the face. " _And you... you are nothing but a number!_ " Wraith continued, belittling Rex with every insult his anger-fueled mind could conjure. Pitching the Clone into another wall, Rex crumpled and fell to the ground in a heap, groaning and wincing in pain. " _Seven-five-six-seven..._ " Wraith growled as he stalked over to his downed victim and picked him up by the throat again. " _You're expendable! You can be easily replaced, easily copied over and over again! There's nothing special about you, about any of your kind!_ " He sneered, eyeing the bloody Rex through his optics. " _It's no wonder I was able to slaughter your men on Eridicon so easily._ " His words seemed to shock some life back into Rex's bruised and bloody as he looked to Wraith through wide eyes despite the soldier's crushing grip on his neck.

"You..." He rasped.

" _Yes, that's right. I killed them. All of them. Ripped them apart, bathed in their blood and savoured their dying screams. They begged me for mercy... but I tore them to pieces._ " Wraith growled. Thinking about Fives and Echo and all the other brothers lost to this monster in such a horrific fashion, Rex started to flail against Wraith's grip, clawing at his arm with his good hand. Wraith remained unfazed. " _You are no different from your own kind, Rex. Let me show you..._ " suddenly dropping Rex to the ground, Wraith took hold of his broken arm, " _Let me show you how disposable you really are!_ " He roared, tearing off Rex's arm with a shower of blood erupting in its wake. Rex screamed in pain as his limb was removed, ripped away by brute force. Wraith's sheer power was incredible and undeniable, this much was certain.

But he wasn't even near finished.

The super-soldier proceeded to beat Rex with his own arm, turning the severed limb into a club as he pummeled Rex with hit after hit, so incensed he didn't care how much damage his improvised weapon really did, only caring about how much pain he could inflict. Discarding the limb, Wraith crouched over Rex and delivered another quick jab, this time punching Rex straight in the throat with an audible crack, fracturing his larynx. He coughed, sputtering from the hard impact as his hand reached for his neck. But Wraith laid into him while he was down, mercilessly beating the Clone with his fists over and over again, bashing his face repeatedly until Rex was a bloody mess. Suddenly grabbing him by the throat again and hoisted Rex up before him, blood gushing from the wound in his shoulder as Wraith reared back his arm and deployed his blade.

But before he could inflict another blow, Wraith suddenly stilled as a soft, weak voice called his name.

"Wraith?" Looking behind, Wraith suddenly found himself facing an obviously frightened Ahsoka. Dropping Rex and sheathing his arm blade, he turned around to face her. Anakin looked up in shock as she suddenly made her appearance known.

"Ahsoka! Get away from him!" He weakly cried, thinking his apprentice was doing something foolish. His outburst brought the attention of the other Jedi present, who also looked on in both shock and fear at Ahsoka's presence. This could very well be the death of her!

But she ignored them, her attention solely focused on Wraith's blazing optics.

"What are you doing?" She wondered, looking at him with fear-filled eyes. The soft tone in her words moved Wraith to the core as the adrenaline wore off and a sense of clarity suddenly returned to him, his rage finally dissipating.

" _I... I-I... I'm... taking my revenge._ " He muttered, the words sounding so pathetic to his own hearing as he drew a little closer to her. Ahsoka pressed the issue.

"Revenge?"

" _They destroyed my base... my home... wounded my doctor._ " He said, tilting his head as he surveyed the destruction he'd caused out of the corner of his eye. Ahsoka continued to gaze at him, thinking there was something else going on inside his head.

"You're... lashing out?"

" _I... I guess. I'm just doing things on... well... autopilot..._ " He mumbled, trying to sort out his own head. All he could think about was vengeance, this was done in a blind rage. He wasn't even in control. The past few days had been one long adrenaline rush, his mind constantly saturated in anger until it had finally come to a head. He turned back to Ahsoka, realizing she had witnessed all of this... and he suddenly decided he had made a huge mistake.

His heart was racing now, and not from the adrenaline rush.

His knees felt weak as his head swam, forming a coherent thought was suddenly proving to be very difficult... especially when his mouth was so dry. Wraith suddenly fell to his hands and knees and Ahsoka was instantly by his side. He felt sick, not nearly as sick as he had been after his rampage on Jabiim, but this was pretty close to it. He looked away from her, towards the carnage he had created. The burning buildings, blood-strewn ground, bodies of eviscerated Clones lying here and there.

Surely she hated him now. Maybe this was why she wouldn't end up with him...

"Wraith, what's wrong?" Ahsoka softly asked him, noticing he appeared distracted.

" _It's a fantasy._ " He muttered. Ahsoka cocked her head.

"I'm sorry?" Hoping for some kind of response, Ahsoka was very surprised by Wraith's next movements. Turning to look at her and straightening up, the super-soldier reached up and triggered a switch on the side of his helmet, prompting the guard over his mouth to fold away and reveal a very human mouth and chin.

"You hate me, don't you?" He stated, his voice sounding deep, masculine and clear without the synthetic modifications. Although taken aback, Ahsoka managed to reply,

"I hate what it is you do. Not necessarily you."

"But what I do stems from who I am." He stated. Pausing for a moment, he dwelt on his own personal thoughts for a brief second. "All I've wanted..." Leaving his though unfinished, Wraith stopped talking as he slowly shook his head. "No. I dare not say it." He didn't want his words to push her further away.

"Say what?" Ahsoka asked, hesitantly reaching to touch the exposed part of his face.

"Have you... Did you..." Wraith stammered, trying to find the right words. "Are you in a relationship?" He bluntly asked. Ahsoka shook her head in bewilderment.

"No. I'm a Jedi, I can't." She quickly answered.

"That hasn't stopped others." Wraith mumbled, recalling history. "Have you ever slept with someone?"

"I... What?" She shook her head again in surprise. Ahsoka was quite shocked by his sudden barrage of questions.

"Ever made love? Found somebody you couldn't help but... want to sleep with?" He continued.

"Wraith..." She paused, deciding to find the root of these problems instead of rebuffing them. "What brought this on?"

"You didn't answer me." He replied, his jaw visibly tensing and his heart rate accelerating. Although she thought the question to be both private and personal, the answer embarrassing to say out loud, Ahsoka didn't want to trigger his rage all over again.

"No. I've never slept with anyone. I'm still... you know... a virgin." She told him, feeling warmth rush across her face with every word she said. Wraith seemed to relax but remained silent. "Why do you ask?"

"Someone... said something..." Was all he managed to say, desperately trying to avoid any mental images that might jumpstart his rage all over again. Ahsoka quickly put two and two together.

"Well they're wrong. They lied to you!" She earnestly answered. Wraith seemed to relax a little more at her response, knowing that she was not with anybody and that Palpatine had lied. Ahsoka suddenly had a thought. Perhaps this was another method of torturing him: using his desires against him. "Wraith, look at me." She whispered, guiding his face towards her as her fingers touched the skin of the man beneath the armor. "We can help you. I saw the torture you were put through, remember?" He slowly nodded, wishing to accept her touch but feeling unworthy of it at the same time. "Just surrender. Come with me." She whispered. "Take my hand and come with me. I want to be your friend, not your enemy."

 _I would take that offer._ The voice in his head quietly encouraged him, appearing quite suddenly.

"What makes you so certain I can be saved?" He replied, discouraged. "What makes you so certain you can change me?"

 _Don't look a gift-bantha in the mouth._

"Because, deep down, I know that behind that helmet there is someone who needs my help." Ahsoka told him. "I can see there's some good in you. Good that's been locked away because the Separatists didn't want to see it."

 _She's a smart one. Can she hear me? I need help._

"Maybe it should stay there." Wraith muttered.

 _Aw, for real? Come on! Accept her help!_ Before Ahsoka could say anything, Wraith continued, "I just wish you could like me for who I am."

"Wraith, this isn't who you are-"

"Yes it is." He answered, cutting her off. "This is who I've been trained to be. This is who they want me, no, _need_ me to be. And I will honour those choices."

"But you didn't make them, they were made for you!" Ahsoka responded, trying to convince him otherwise. "You don't have to let someone else choose your life for you!"

"And yet you let it happen to you." He quietly shot back. Turning to look at her, they were so close Ahsoka could've sworn she saw true eyes behind his optics. "You deserve to be yourself, to live, to learn... to love." He whispered. As he did, his gloved hand reached out and caught her cheek, holding her so she faced him. "I'm sorry to part on such terms, but I fear a rift will form if we continue this discussion. I don't want that and I don't think you do either." He told her. Ahsoka slowly nodded, still believing in her heart that Wraith could change. To her utter surprise, he reached down and took her hand. Bringing it back to his face, he pressed a quick kiss to the backs of her fingers. His touch was warm and soft, so very human despite the facade of a cold-hearted monster he often wore. "Until next time, my dear." He breathed before triggering his face guard, rising to his feet and bounding away, heading back through the ruins of the garrison, his cloaking device activating and helping him to disappear into thin air. Ahsoka remained crouched on her knees, watching him leave. That little conversation was enough to spark a great desire to continue her efforts to try and save Wraith. Clearly there was a man in there, she had seen him! There had to be a way to get to him...

The Jedi finally recovered and returned to their feet, but did not go after their quarry.

Instead, they made a beeline straight for Ahsoka.

"Padawan, what were you thinking?!" Anakin shouted, looking quite angry despite his wounded and bloodied appearance.

"If Wraith cares so much about me, then maybe I can get through to him!" She urgently replied, rising from the ground. "You saw how softly he spoke with me, how calm he was. What if Thrawn's right about him being forced to do these things? What if he really doesn't want to fight us?!"

"Then he sure fooled me!" Anakin growled, wincing a little as pain surged through his face. Then he turned and saw Rex on the ground, looking more dead than alive. "Rex... Oh Force, Rex!" He grunted, stumbling over to his Captain. A battered Cody limped over to them, his hand covering a bloody wound in his side.

"Generals, should we pursue him?" He wondered, referring to Wraith.

"Negative. There's been enough bloodshed for one day... no need to waste any more men." Obi-Wan stated, thoroughly winded himself. The Jedi looked around the ruined garrison, taking note of the blood and bodies covering almost every inch of space.

There would be a lot of clean up to do...

* * *

 _Later, on the Dominance..._

" _The death toll continues to climb..."_

" _Millions in property damage..."_

" _Estimates say around five-hundred and fifty-six people have been killed so far, but that number continues to rise..."_

" _Fire and medical services are being pushed to their limit..."_

" _Chaos has broken out in the Senate District..."_

" _The Coruscant Barracks are in flames..."_

" _Is there anything that can be done to stop the infamous Wraith?_ "

Headline after headline and bulletin after bulletin flashed before Scipio's eyes as the Pau'an took in the countless news broadcasts being displayed before him. Lying in bed, the doctor slowly grinned as the intercepted news reports appeared before him on his datapad. It had been brought in by Mazari a few minutes ago and Scipio knew there was only one person who was capable of doing such damage.

His creation had struck again.

The sound of the door opening minutes later and the echoing sound of metal footsteps drew his attention to Wraith's arrival in his room.

" _Mazari said you wanted to see me?_ " He spoke, voicing his presence.

"Yes... I was just watching the news." Scipio stated, gesturing to his datapad and indicating he knew about Wraith's actions. "All for me, my boy?" He wondered, glancing up and smiling a little. "You shouldn't have."

" _No. They shouldn't have._ " Wraith replied as he walked over to Scipio's bed. The doctor got a very close look at his thoroughly bloodied attire. " _They brought this on themselves._ " He stated as justification of his actions. Scipio slowly nodded.

"Yes... Yes, I suppose you're right. Every action breeds a reaction." Scipio mused. "Much like how your presence here, dirty as you are, will caused the medical droid to throw a fit." He jokingly continued. Wraith snorted a laugh as he turned to go. "Are you alright, my boy? Have you worked everything out of your system?" Scipio wondered, switching back to his caring physician mode. Wraith looked over his shoulder.

" _I'm tired Doc. I'm gonna go take a nap._ " He admitted.

"I'll be here when you wake up." Scipio reassured him.

" _If you were anywhere else, I'd be worried._ " Wraith remarked as he left.

* * *

 _The next day, on Coruscant..._

The next day, everybody was feeling the results of Wraith's rampage across Coruscant.

One of the Jedi Temple's spires had been blackened and scorched, the Council Chambers thoroughly destroyed, courtesy of Wraith. The Senate building hadn't suffered a scratch, but the Clone Garrison suffered the most structural damage, with the majority of the base looking like it had been hit by a bombing run. This resulted in Chancellor Palpatine ordering most of the Clones stationed on Coruscant to be moved offworld, either to medical facilities or to other Republic Military bases.

Considering the death count, which mostly consisted of Clones, had risen to the point where staticians guessed that one-third to half of the reserve forces on Coruscant had been slaughtered, there were significantly less able-bodied Clones to move. But there were an innumerable amount of wounded that needed to be shipped out. Captain Rex was one of those staggering statistics.

Not just the Clone army, but the Jedi Council, suffice to say, looked to be in rough shape as well.

Despite their connections to the Force, which often allowed for an increased rate of healing, some injuries were simply going to take time due to their severity. Obi-Wan, Mace, Shaak, Plo Koon, all of them were sporting bandages of varying size covering wounds of varying severity. Some had their limbs in slings but all of them were bearing some brutal reminder of Wraith's visit last night. Anakin had been one of the few to receive a double thrashing and appeared to be more bandaged than the rest.

And right to next him, standing tall without a single scratch on her body, was Ahsoka.

Having been spared any abuse at Wraith's hands, the young Togruta knew she had fared quite well compared to the rest of the Jedi. All because she had chosen to act, rather than react.

The Council was meeting in the Halls of Healing this morning, considering they had no true meeting place available and that most of their members were now residents of the ward.

"Last night revealed a most horrific reality to us. The attack on Utapau failed... The Wraith still lives." Mace began, speaking quite grimly.

"The Republic is going to need more Clones to replace the ones lost. Many of us had our forces halved or quartered last night." Aayla reported.

"Neither of which add to our already growing predicament." Kit continued. "What with the Subjugators somewhere out there."

"So, we've lost up to one-third of our forces here, six ships able to annihilate our fleets at any given time are running about, and the super-soldier we tried to kill is still alive." Anakin recapped, the grim reality setting in with them all. The Jedi Council slowly nodded, realizing that this war was far from over.

If anything, it seemed to be ramping up.

"The Wraith lives... and there are six Subjugator-class cruisers ready to terrorize us..." Obi-Wan mused with dismay. "What more will this cursed war force upon us?"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Not sure when I'll be able to post again, but hopefully it'll be soon!**


	71. Ahsoka's Private Journal 3

Ahsoka's Private Journal

 _"Well... he's back. Turns out they never killed him. And he seemed preeeetty ticked off about what they did to his base. And his doctor."_

 _..._

 _"Okay. Maybe 'ticked off' isn't the right word... 'Livid' is more accurate. I mean he trashed the Temple and the Senate and the Garrison... especially the Garrison. Force, poor Rex... Wraith tore his whole arm off, beat him almost to death."_

 _..._

 _"But then he stopped. Right in the middle of his rampage through the garrison, I showed up and started talking to him and he calmed down. And the things he told me... something was wrong with him, and I mean that in more ways than one. What the Council said made him seem so methodical. But at the garrison he was downright enraged._

 _"I think somebody was messing with him somewhere in between. Maybe from a distance, I don't know. But it's... it's just more evidence for my suggestion that he's being forced. Maybe not everything he does is forced, he seems to be just as passionate and emotional as other beings about certain matters. But I just... I just know there's more to him!_

 _..._

 _"I don't know how to feel about this. Part of me is really upset by the damage he dealt and all the Clones he slaughtered yesterday. But another part of me is like 'Yay, I get a second chance at redeeming him.' But redemption at what cost...? Maybe we could've saved those Clones... If I'd gone to the garrison instead of just sticking around until Anakin called me again then maybe... m-maybe..."_

 _..._

 _"Wait..."_

 _..._

 _..._

 _*distant* *sigh* "Dammit. I thought I... hmph... stupid cheap, disposable things..."_

 _..._

 _*distant* "Where's a towel...?"_

 _..._

 _..._

 _"Well... at least I get to... try again. If I can do this, if I can redeem him... the cost will have been worth it."_

End of Entry


	72. Renovation

**Author's Note: some of you have expressed concern over how "unstoppable" Wraith is by comparison to the likes of Sidious, Windu and others, who are some top-tier players in Star Wars. Don't worry, Wraith will discover his mortality soon enough...**

* * *

-Chapter 41: Renovation-

Location: Coruscant

"No price too high implies a steep cost."

In the wake of Wraith's rampage across Coruscant, the devastation was starting to add up.

With the garrison being hit hardest, repair teams and medical clean-up crews were most occupied with undoing the catastrophic damage Wraith had inflicted to the military complex.

And there was a lot to undo.

After the Council meeting earlier that morning, Anakin Skywalker stood by and watched as the bodies of dead Clones, whole bodies that is, were zipped up inside body bags. Dozens of them were lying on the ground in straight rows, too many for the Jedi to want to count. He watched as medics laid another body marred by blade-wounds into another open bag, another corpse on Wraith's ledger.

"Dammit all..." Anakin sighed, crossing his arms and giving his head a solemn shake.

"I know how you feel." Obi-Wan said as he approached his friend. "If only we had killed him on Utapau." The Jedi Master was sporting a few bandages of his own, having suffered his own beating by Wraith's hand.

"Never thought I'd hear you talk like that, Master." Anakin remarked.

"You must be rubbing off on me." Obi-Wan dryly replied. While intended to be a joke, neither of them were in a laughing mood. Obi-Wan turned to look at the destructive aftermath before them. "What an absolute nightmare." He sighed.

"You're telling me." Anakin agreed.

"How's Rex doing?" Obi-Wan inquired.

"He'll live. I managed to cauterize the wound and keep him from bleeding out. But he's gonna need a prosthetic for sure." His friend replied. Anakin had been there for the medical analysis of his captain, refusing to tend to his own needs until after Rex had been given proper care. Most of the damage Wraith dealt was fixable, given time. But his lost arm was a different story. "He won't be the same..." Anakin muttered.

"Sorry to hear that. I also overheard you talking to Ahsoka."

"What did you hear?"

"Well, maybe _talking_ isn't the right word." Obi-Wan corrected himself. "You certainly did give her an earful, metaphorically speaking... quite loudly, might I add."

"She did something incredibly dangerous. Dangerous in multiple ways." Anakin stated, defending his actions. "She needed correction."

"Unpack that for me. 'Dangerous' how so?"

"Not only was it dangerous for her to approach him while he was on the warpath, but the way she was talking to him was probably enough to fuel his feelings for her." Anakin replied in a rather emphatic tone. Obi-Wan could tell his friend was getting a tad riled up.

"But... she wants to help him."

"Well I want him dead!" Anakin retorted. "Look at this, Obi-Wan," he declared, gesturing to the destruction around them, "I want to put a stop to _this_. Her actions were not conducive to saving the lives of Clones, she was fueling forbidden thoughts instead!"

"Maybe she needs coaching as to how to better help Wraith, rather than a scolding." Obi-Wan suggested.

"I don't think that monster can be saved." Anakin bitterly replied. "Her optimism can only last for so long before reality hits her like a runaway reek. I'm trying to help her see that."

"Are you sure you're helping? Are you sure you're not fueling thoughts of defiance instead with your hard-handed approach?" Obi-Wan countered.

"She'll come around. She always does." Anakin responded, firm in his beliefs and his approach.

"Well, if you say so..." Obi-Wan relented, wondering if he might have to have this talk again another time. "Let's just make sure another one of _these_ doesn't unfold."

"A tragedy to be certain." Another voice calmly stated. The two Jedi turned to see none other than Commander Thrawn, dressed in his black Chiss Navy uniform. "My condolences for your losses, Generals." The Chiss quietly added as he stepped over to the two Jedi.

"Commander Thrawn," Obi-Wan greeted, the arrival of the visiting officer unexpected, "fancy seeing you again."

"I thought you had left us." Anakin wondered bluntly.

"It had been my intention to return to the Chiss Ascendency. Until Wraith's recent outburst and notable return, that is." Thrawn replied. "Chancellor Palpatine contacted me early this morning. I am here, not only to survey the damage from last night's raid, but to also inform you we wish to hold a meeting with the Jedi Council." He informed them.

"We'll be sure to let them know." Obi-Wan replied. "Where will it be held?"

"Chancellor Palpatine wishes for it to be held in his office later today." Thrawn quietly responded.

"Very well." Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. Thrawn did so as well before turning on heel and leaving for other parts of the garrison. "Well, if Chancellor Palpatine saw fit to involve Thrawn, this must be serious."

"You think?" Anakin wondered, almost incredulous to his friend's notion. "But it does leave me wondering what the Chancellor might have in store..."

"I suppose that question will be answered later today." Obi-Wan surmised.

* * *

 _Later that day..._

The Jedi Council, looking a little less than spectacular, assembled in Palpatine's office at Thrawn's request. Many of them were sporting bandages as they healed up from Wraith's rampage, nearly all of them feeling the effects of his attack on the Temple. Anakin joined them, given his frontline presence, and stood off to the side as they faced Palpatine's desk. Thrawn stood adjacent to the Chancellor, hands clasped behind his back and exercising a very calm yet commanding veneer.

"Master Jedi, I do hope you're all recovering well after last night." Palpatine began, having witnessed the harrowing events himself.

"I'd like to say we've had worse... but I can't think of anything worse." Mace remarked.

"Indubitably. Last night was a very trying time for all involved." Palpatine agreed. "However, it also revealed the rather arrogant nature of our foe as he seeks to come and go as he pleases. Something that cannot stand, as I think you'll all agree with." The Council nodded, knowing that Coruscant could not withstand repeated assaults like this. "My response has been to collaborate with Commander Thrawn so his skills and talents in the field of strategy may be put to best use combating Wraith. I know it sounds like we've said this before, but please bear with us. Commander, the floor is yours."

"Thank you, Chancellor." The Chiss quietly thanked him. With his gaze on the assembled Jedi, Thrawn folded his arms behind his back and began. "This meeting concerns the future of the Republic... a future that will not come to pass so long as The Wraith acts as boldly as he does. If not even the capital of the Republic is safe from his assaults, this war may end sooner than we all would like with an outcome none of us would prefer." Thrawn calmly stated, sinister overtones lacing the entirety of his every word. The Jedi understood what he was hinting at, although they'd very much prefer to not dwell on the topic. "Therefore it is my personal belief that the Republic find a much more permanent solution to The Wraith."

"With all due respect, Commander Thrawn, we have been trying to deal with Wraith only to be met with setbacks and failure." Mace interjected. "You know this."

"I am aware of your efforts, General. No disrespect intended, but they have all been misguided and flawed." Thrawn calmly replied. The Jedi swapped curious glances, questioning what Thrawn may be hinting at.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Obi-Wan queried, voicing the question on everyone's mind. Thrawn regarded him with a calm and collected gaze.

"Each solution put forward by the Republic has been in an effort to meet Wraith strength for strength in an attempt to strongarm him into submission. Surely it is born of a natural and emotional response, but it is one that simply will not work under the current circumstances." He explained with methodical precision. "Need I remind you that I offered you a solution to him when we first met, General. One that many of you thought very highly of. And yet I have not seen your Clone armies attempting to use any of the practical solutions I suggested. What I do see are bigger and deadlier Clones, larger armies comprised of soldiers trained in the most lethal forms of combat... All of which have met with minimal success and have not at all been in accordance with the solution I offered."

"We have been following it!" Anakin suddenly exclaimed. "We created Jaeger Company, we outfitted blaze troopers to go after him-"

"And each time he had an answer for them." Thrawn calmly stated, cutting him off. "You are attempting to meet him with equal force and you are playing into his hand, General. My recommendation was for you to outsmart him, to keep your distance and to avoid playing by his rules. I do not believe you've done any of those." Anakin frowned and crossed his arms. He thought that their efforts to reinforce the Clone army had been successful. The blaze troopers especially. The first time they had been deployed, they had Wraith beaten and on the run.

"What about you? What've you been doing to help?" He curtly wondered. Thrawn took his words in stride and continued.

"I have been studying every encounter the Republic has had with Wraith. I have been asking the pertinent questions and understanding who he is as a man." He calmly answered. "While you have been busy reacting to him, I have been busy acting upon the threat he poses." That seemed to shut Anakin up and, with his questions sufficiently sated, Thrawn continued on with the rest of the Council. "As an observer, I have watched each of the aforementioned assaults on The Wraith and have witnessed his capacity to evolve and rise to meet any new challenge that might knock him down. There is much more to this man than meets the eye, more than I first assumed. So much so that I have had to annotate my original report." He informed them. "To that end, I have been busy working on new tactics by which to approach the problem he presents and have been assisting Chancellor Palpatine and the Republic Army's Research and Development department with a few new projects that should help us... when applied correctly."

"Commander, if I may," Kit Fisto said, jumping in, "how exactly do we integrate your new suggestions with our current courses of action?"

"Simple. You don't." Thrawn plainly answered, much to the Council's surprise. "You're going to have to forget everything you know about tactics. All of you. You will have to start fresh and adopt an entirely new approach to The Wraith." He calmly explained. Yet there was a part two to his answer, one more complex than what he was already telling them. "However, you must also be open to changing your strategy every time you encounter him."

"And why is that?" Mace asked, seeking clarification.

"If you continue down your current path of resistance, there soon won't be a Republic Army left for him to fight. The key to defeating Wraith requires active observation and active adaptation to his own approach. You will have to be willing to change to fit the scenario he presents you, much like he does."

"This we can all agree on, Commander. But how do we do it?" Obi-Wan wondered. "Sure, we may understand who he is, what he's wearing and how he operates... but that's all useless if we can't use it to our advantage. I guess what I'm trying to ask is, what would a successful approach look like?" Thrawn tilted his head in positive acknowledgement.

"An astute observation, General." He calmly replied with a hint of approval. "To that end, there is no one method of implementation. Only a series of underlying objectives that each strategy must have in order to be successful. As for execution, I have concluded that we must be more... original where The Wraith is concerned."

"Original? How so?" Shaak inquired. Thrawn had an answer ready for her.

"Action patterns are predictable courses of action people take during certain situations. No one is immune to these and they make all of us, myself included, very easy to know and understand. But while some may take a very long time to understand these 'action patterns', Wraith appears to have the uncanny ability to deduce them in seconds." He explained in an insightful, quiet tone. "This is how he has been able to draft a response to every threat you've sent his way. Given how Jedi all come from the same order, and share similar backgrounds, and how Clones are basically all the same man, it seems quite obvious how he has come to realize the best courses for overcoming all odds. To put it plainly, you send the same person, just wearing a different outfit, to fight him and hope they will claim victory over him." Thrawn paused as the Jedi dwelt on this information for a moment. The Chiss Commander knew he couldn't force them to abide by his logic. That would be a decision they had to make for themselves. But, if he could sell this information in such a manner that they would readily accept it, his plans might come to fruition sooner rather than later. "In conclusion, Master Jedi, you will have to do something Wraith will never expect a Jedi to do in order to beat him." He declared, challenging them.

"Well... acting outside the box happens to be a specialty of mine." Anakin mused with a slight smirk.

"Then why haven't you?" Obi-Wan dryly quipped. Anakin rolled his eyes in response.

"I am aware of your penchant for being most unorthodox with your plans, General Skywalker. Quiet frankly, I believe that style of planning is exactly what the Republic might need right now." Thrawn commented. To Anakin, it almost sounded like the Chiss was praising him.

"I have a saying Commander: whatever it takes to win." The Knight replied, affirming his rash nature to the visiting officer.

"'Whatever it takes'..." Thrawn thoughtfully repeated, quietly considering Anakin's rather bold statement. "Then I suppose you would not be opposed to using your apprentice as bait to lure The Wraith into an inescapable trap?" Thrawn suddenly asked. Anakin tensed up, suddenly taken aback. The rest of the Council seemed just as on edge.

"Woah woah, hold on a minute!" Anakin exclaimed, trying to halt Thrawn's idea.

"You said it yourself, _whatever it takes_." Thrawn repeated, using Anakin's words against him. The Jedi said nothing in retort, his gaze focused on Thrawn as he realized what the Chiss was attempting to prove. Thrawn took note of Anakin's silence and steady gaze and believed he had gotten his point across. "Might I suggest you choose your words carefully, General. While your unorthodox ways might prove successful they also imply high-risk, high-reward potential. A fifty-fifty chance we cannot afford to lose at this juncture." He stated.

"Yeah, but that was low, Commander. I don't want Ahsoka anywhere near this freak." Anakin retorted, not liking the apparent role his apprentice had in all of this.

"And what has you so afraid? I have heard Wraith's personal recordings also, therefore I know of his feelings for Ahsoka." Thrawn calmly revealed. "Tell me, what has you so worried about the two of them interacting?"

"Because if he can do what he wants, what's to stop him from... well..." Anakin trailed off, trying to phrase things in a manner that was both indicative of his own wishes and hinting at what he feared might transpire. "I'm just trying to be preventative."

"Fear, binds you it does." Master Yoda suddenly stated. The Grand Master then sighed. "Forgotten already, young Skywalker? Fear, a path to the Dark Side is it. Control you it does, ineffective you are rendered." He reprimanded.

"Master Yoda is correct, Anakin." Mace agreed. "While your desire to train Ahsoka to be a model Jedi is admirable, be careful it does not border on emotional attachment."

"Yes Masters." Anakin meekly agreed, despising the fact he was being reprimanded in such a public way. And yet Thrawn found this information most insightful and recalled a conversation he'd had with Ahsoka, concerning an angle that was very different from the usual topic of Wraith's destruction, that being Wraith's salvation.

"She came to me once. Prior to your engagement on Aphran. She was asking about a better way to get through to him, about a way to try to appeal to the man beneath the armor." He thoughtfully and quietly revealed, much to Anakin's surprise. "She is a compassionate and kind-hearted girl. Because of her youth she sees more than any of us. We see the super-soldier and the effect he has on our numbers. She sees a man with thoughts and dreams and ambitions of his own... and questions if his actions are truly his or if they have been forced upon him. Life has not yet hardened her as it has us." Thrawn stopped as he allowed the Jedi to process this. Deep down, the commander wondered if there was another way to approach Wraith that didn't require force or firepower. Perhaps Ahsoka had stumbled across this path simply due to her desire to see Wraith freed. But there was also the possibly that only she had found this because of Wraith's feelings for her and that he allowed himself to be more open around her and only her.

Perhaps this path was one only Ahsoka could walk.

But until such a solution could be found, Thrawn knew they needed to focus on the present threat. Such potential could not be acted upon until concrete proof could be found. They would have to focus on their current circumstances for now. "Unfortunately, such sentiments will only get us so far, what with our enemy being so hellbent on our destruction. So until a tried and true method concerning The Wraith's rehabilitation is found, this path is better left alone."

"Do you really think it's possible for him to be rehabilitated, Commander?" Adi inquired.

"If Padawan Tano's belief that he has been brainwashed proves true, then yes, I do think it is possible. However, concrete evidence for such a statement does not exist just yet, so I would recommend you do not anticipate the day when Wraith fights for the Republic, as that shall not be any time soon." Thrawn calmly replied. "Therefore we shall approach The Wraith as a foe and treat him as the worst of our enemies. He shall be handled with calculated precision and effectively removed from the battlefield with all possible haste."

"Though I might sound a bit redundant, Commander, might you have a new plan for dealing with this super-soldier?" Master Fisto asked.

"I have much more than a plan Master Jedi." Thrawn quietly responded. "The Wraith has proved himself a very credible threat, one I do not wish to see reach my home and my people." It was then that Palpatine chimed in with startling news.

"To such an end, I have offered Commander Thrawn a commission with the Republic Army, one he has most graciously accepted." The Chancellor announced. The Jedi were stunned by his announcement, not expecting it in the slightest.

"You... You're joining us then?" Obi-Wan queried, seeking to affirm this startling news was in fact for real. Thrawn nodded in affirmation.

"I am now entering the Clone Wars as a special analyst concerning The Wraith." He quietly explained. "Master Jedi, while it is not my intention to supersede your position of leadership, The Wraith is forcing us all to change the way we approach this war." Thrawn stated. "From this moment on, any encounters with The Wraith will be directed to me and I will take charge of the situation. Starting immediately." The Chiss explained. The Jedi Council shared a moment of debate as they processed and accepted Thrawn's continued presence in the Clone Wars. This would take some getting used to, now having a senior specialist to refer to whenever The Wraith was involved. But with Thrawn having proved himself an ingenious strategist and bearing a sound a calculating mind, the Jedi concluded his semi-permanent residence was of no cause for concern.

"Alright, Commander. What do you have in mind?" Mace asked him as the Council's attention returned to the Chiss. "How are we to respond to the threat presented us?"

"Such a question I have asked myself many times over the course of today. It has taken a long time but I believe I've finally determined a way to finally force The Wraith to know what defeat feels like." Thrawn replied in a clear and even voice. Removing his arms from behind his back, he placed a holoprojector down on Palpatine's desk, a blue glow rising from the active device. "And here's how we're going to do it..."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Stay tuned, there'll be more coming!**


	73. Slugfest

**Author's Note: 30 pages and twenty thousand words later... good gravy, y'all are wlecome! This chapter really put the 'epic' in 'epic struggle' and I do hope you don't mind if the next chapter is a bit shorter. Regardless, enjoy!**

* * *

-Chapter 42: Slugfest

Location: Celanon

"History is written by the victorious."

Time passed, slowly and quietly. No missions had come in since his rampage across Coruscant and The Wraith was starting to get anxious. He needed something to get his blood pumping, something that would fuel the adrenaline that sat stagnant in his veins. But he refused to act without just cause, his rampage had been justified by the Republic's assault on his last base and further motivated by Scipio's condition. So until something sanctioned came in, the super-soldier was forced to wait.

During this period, Scipio's condition had greatly improved to a point where the Pau'an doctor was able to walk around a little. The medical droids recommended he take it easy so to not aggravate his wounded innards. Despite this setback, the doctor was well on his way to having fully recovered. He and Wraith took some time to get to know their part of the Dominance, checking out the lab, machine room, training facilities and the small cellblock. Enough for up to six prisoners, the cellblock was an interesting addition but also a welcome one.

And then, finally, Wraith was contacted by Count Dooku with an assignment.

And a big one at that.

Scipio and Wraith stood side by side before a holotable and the renderings of both Count Dooku and General Grievous.

"So, this is the super-soldier you speak so highly of, Count." Grievous mused with a rasp as he examined Wraith. "He does cut a very imposing figure."

"As is the point, General. Having gained such notoriety by his actions, his very appearance strikes fear into the heart of all Republic military affiliates." Dooku stated. Wraith crossed one arm across his chest and bowed from the waist.

" _All in service to the Confederacy, sirs._ " He replied. Straightening up, he turned to the cyborg General. " _General Grievous, it is an honor to meet such a high-ranking individual as yourself. I will admit, you are one of my idols._ " He admitted. Grievous chuckled.

"His intelligence is also impressive." The General mused.

"I take you now to the point at hand, soldier." Dooku stated, moving them along. The holographic render of a planet suddenly appeared between them. "Republic forces have made a deep cut into our territory and have taken the world of Celanon by force." He explained. "It appears to be in response to your rampage, soldier." He added as an aside. Wraith shrugged.

" _They can try. But they won't succeed._ " He rumbled.

"A collective of survivors have banded together to form a rebellion, but the Republic has been most relentless in tightening their grip on the world. Their leader, one Kage Videl, has reached out to us and begged us for aid." Dooku informed them.

" _And I take it we plan on responding?_ " Wraith inquired.

"As long as they stand loyal to us, we will not abandon our own." Dooku stated. "We are planning to retake Celanon and need you to join us, soldier."

" _I am ready and willing._ " Wraith replied.

"You shall begin by joining us aboard the Invisible Hand, it will be our ship of choice for this endeavour."

"Begging your pardon, my lord," Scipio interjected, "but why not use this fantastic ship on which we reside?" He wondered. "Surely it has enough firepower comparable to a whole fleet."

"We wish to keep the Subjugators out of battle for the time being. If we lose one before they are all completed, it would greatly lessen our grand scheme." Dooku replied. "However, the Republic fleet is small enough for us to use a series of Municifient frigates in addition to our own capital ship without worry of major losses."

" _When does this fleet plan to leave for Celanon?_ " Wraith asked.

"As soon as possible." Dooku answered.

" _Then I best get moving._ " Wraith stated as he made to leave. " _Stay out of trouble Doc._ " He added.

"Don't you worry about me, my boy. I plan on merely reading datapads today." Scipio answered. Wraith nodded and exited the briefing room, destined for the hangar below where his shuttle was waiting.

* * *

 _Elsewhere in the galaxy, on Mortis..._

Ahsoka sat alone by the fire she had constructed. It was late at night on this bizarre world she, Master Kenobi and Skyguy had crashed on, and she was still trying to sort out where they were. Things seemed to be happening wildly and at random, inexplicably changing without rhyme or reason. She had just received a vision of someone who claimed to be her future self, warning her to sever ties with Anakin lest his Dark Side tendencies begin to corrupt her as well.

It had been more than a little eerie. She had been noticing Anakin's declining behavior ever since that fateful battle with The Wraith on Tibrin. But was it really as bad as that apparition said it could be? Was that as bad as her future could get? Was that the only outcome? She had so many questions and was wrestling with all of them.

At that moment, images flashed through her mind as she experienced another vision. A vision of the future.

More specifically, a vision of what she could only describe as _her_ future.

She saw herself, or at least someone who looked a lot like herself, looking much older with long headtails and expanded markings across her face, sitting on a sofa reclining against a rugged and handsome man. This man was broad and muscular, so much so that Ahsoka could easily deem him the walking-definition of physical perfection. He had long dark-red hair that reached to the base of his neck, neatly combed back so only a few stray bangs hung before his face. His bright green eyes stared lovingly at a bundle of blue blankets in Ahsoka's arms, whom he had his arm around.

And there, in her arms, to her complete and utter shock, was an infant Togruta.

She couldn't have been more than a few weeks old, judging by the way her skin was so soft it was practically glowing and the small size of her headtails and facial markings. But unlike any other Togruta she'd seen, this child's skin was like that of a human's; peachy and pale.

Was this... Was this child hers? A product of her relationship with this human man?

Shaking her head and closing her eyes, Ahsoka rushed the thoughts from her mind.

"The future is always in motion, never solid, always changing." She quickly repeated to herself, silently hoping this vision was not true. At the moment, she couldn't imagine herself dabbling in something so forbidden like a relationship, marriage included, especially one that produced a child!

Ahsoka began to worriedly ponder how this could be, completely forgetting about her strange surroundings...

* * *

 _Hours later..._

Arriving aboard the Invisible Hand, Wraith was promptly escorted to the ship's bridge by a pair of battle droids. The super-soldier took note of how the ship's corridors were notably similar and felt a bit smaller to those of the Dominance. The halls of the Dominance provided a sense of openness that effectively accommodated his size and bulk. While he knew that the Invisible Hand had to be designed with similar measurements, something about the corridors just felt constrictive and confining. Perhaps it was because he knew the destroyer to be a smaller ship, but he couldn't know for certain.

Entering the bridge, Wraith was treated to the sight of General Grievous and another tall, heavily armored individual next to him as they examined a display on a holotable before them. It didn't take him long to recognize who this cybernetic hunter was: the Gen'Dai bounty hunter known as Durge, the fearsome Separatist field commander and easily just as deadly and terrifying an opponent as Wraith was.

" _Now I'm really starting to like this assignment._ " He muttered under his breath, smiling beneath his mask. Grievous took note of his arrival and gestured to his compatriot as Wraith drew closer.

"Wraith, this is Durge. He will be your primary superior for the majority of this battle. In addition to myself and Count Dooku, of course." He said.

" _Of course._ " Wraith agreed with a nod. Durge walked around the table to properly greet the super-soldier.

"How ya' doin', kid? High command's told me about you and your helluva-long list of achievements. Gotta admit, I'm impressed. And I don't impress easily." He stated. Wraith couldn't help but tilt his head up in order to look Durge in the optics. The mechanized commander stood at a whopping nine feet, eight inches. Almost ten feet tall!

" _I too am aware of your feats, Durge. You are one of my idols, someone I aspire to take after... especially in the bloodlust department._ " Wraith replied. Durge cackled.

"Sounds like he's got his head screwed on straight!" He noted to Grievous.

"I thought so too." The General replied.

"You seem alright, kid. Stick with me and we'll go places!" Durge continued, clapping Wraith on the shoulder. His mighty hand was enough to stagger the super-soldier a little. "I heard about your little stunt on Coruscant. Pretty badass if you ask me!"

" _It was a partially emotional outburst. But, yes, the Republic had it coming._ " Wraith informed him.

"Damn right, they did. All those damn Clones need to hurry up an' die!" Durge emphatically agreed, pounding his hand with his fist. "Bet you an' me will see to that, eh?"

" _Every opportunity to off some duplicates is a good opportunity._ "

"'Duplicates'! Hah!" The Gen'Dai laughed loudly as he dwelt on Wraith's preferred term for Clones. "I like this kid, Grievous! A man after my own preferences!" He exclaimed to the General. Grievous chuckled in agreement as Durge pressed Wraith with another question. "How about Jedi, huh? Whaddya think about them?"

" _Arrogant and over-rated fools._ " Wraith replied, crossing his arms. Durge started cackling again.

"It's like they cloned me!" He said, quite loudly. His titanic metal arm fell around Wraith's shoulders as the hunter pulled him in close. "I have a good feeling about this partnership, Wraith. You and I will be the bane of the Republic!" Durge declared.

" _I like that sounds of that._ " Wraith responded with a nod. " _But I would also like to know what our plans are for Celanon._ "

"Count Dooku is transmitting a message to the planet's leaders as we speak, informing them of our coming arrival." Grievous replied. "They will give us some information to work with, as will the local resistance efforts."

" _Which we can then use to learn the battlefield beforehand._ " Wraith surmised. " _A tactically sound move._ " He determined with a nod of agreement.

"You like all this planning stuff, eh Wraith?" Durge wondered.

" _I am essentially geared for it. The scientists behind Project Sunstorm spent fifteen years turning me into the perfect solider. Being a tactical genius was one of the outcomes._ " The super-solider responded. " _Even still, my favorite pastime is when they point me in the direction of the Republic and then let me loose._ " He added with a slight growl. Durge chuckled.

"You and I are gonna get along just fine."

* * *

Wraith spent the better part of trip to Celanon pouring over the tactical data the locals had sent them, analyzing the Republic positions the resistance scouts had managed to identify. The invading army had gone straight for the planet's capital: Celanon City, meaning urban warfare would be a given. He memorized the city's roads and pathways, assuming many of them had been thoroughly destroyed by the Republic's assault on the city. It seemed a likely possibility that the Republic might try to funnel the Separatists through roads of their choosing, likely laden with traps and ambushes. It would be up to the likes of him and Durge to clear a path for the droids, a task he had been anticipating. He was looking forward to working alongside the Gen'Dai hunter, wanting to examine Durge's arsenal of weapons as well as observe his fighting styles. So far, Celanon was proving to be a welcome engagement.

But Wraith would be totally unprepared for the other events that would transpire over the course of this day.

In his shuttle, Wraith was busy ensuring his gear was in proper order. He had already attached his kinetic plates to his gauntlets and was now swapping out tools. Exchanging his regular blue duster for his urban camouflage one required shifting all of his concealed tech over to it. He was thankful much was stored on his belt, but there were a few devices in his inner pockets that needed to be changed over. He stood alone, organizing his gear before the weapons locker Scipio had installed. His jacket was off, revealing a tight, specially-designed working shirt covering his muscular body. It was then, in his unprepared state, that something strange occurred.

"Hello Wraith." A sweet, feminine voice called to him. Wraith's head shot up and he froze in place, knowing he was supposed to be alone. Suddenly whirling about and deploying his arm blade, Wraith found himself staring at Ahsoka.

" _Ahsoka?!_ " He gaped, wondering how she could possibly be in here with him.

It was then that he realized something was wrong with her.

Her skin was pale, very pale, and her veins were visibly blackened. Her eyes were yellow and the expression on her face was twisted, like she was some other version of the Togruta girl he knew.

This was _not_ the Ahsoka he knew. And her changed appearance caused him to feel something he'd never felt before... fear.

" _What is wrong with you?_ " He wondered, blade disappearing back into his arm.

"Nothing's wrong with me." She replied in a sing-songy tone. There was even something off with her voice. It was her alright, but Wraith could clearly see she wasn't well. "I'm perfectly fine." She started walking towards him, her hands behind her back as her body swayed from side to side, like she didn't have a care in the world. "I just wanna talk, Wraith. Is that so bad?" She wondered.

" _I... I suppose..._ " He mumbled. Then he shook his head, snapping himself back to reality. " _No. There is something wrong with you._ " He stated, the fear kicking in again. Ahsoka giggled. _Giggled._

"There's nothing wrong with me." She told him. She wasn't far away from him now. She was close enough Wraith could see every little detail of her body. Her pointed teeth, which he always thought to be rather alluring, now looked downright dangerous.

Everything about this... 'dark' Ahsoka was definitely wrong.

" _What do you wish to talk about?_ " He hesitantly wondered.

"You, me... and the thing you have for me." She replied. "I know you like me. You think I'm beautiful. The Jedi say you desire me." Ahsoka revealed. Wraith maintained his even composure, but a questioning feeling fluttered in the pit of his stomach. "But I think it's more than that." Ahsoka continued, a somewhat sinister grin appearing on her face. "You don't just like me... you looooove me." She emphatically said, stepping closer to him. "You really love me. Head over heels even!" She exclaimed, suddenly chuckling. "But you're afraid it won't work. You're afraid we're too different. You're a bad guy... and I'm a good girl."

" _I am._ " He rumbled in a low voice, but even as he said those words his mind was not on this conversation. This was too strange, too confusing. How was this happening, what caused this? How the hell was she even here? Ahsoka giggled at his response.

"It's okay. I have a dark side too." She told him in a low voice, her smile both alluring and unsettling. "We could get into all kinds of trouble together." She added in a rather teasing tone. "I can be whatever you want me to be. I can be your little Togruta slut." She whispered with a devilish smile. Her words surprised Wraith and instantly shook him out of his confused stupor.

" _No. No..._ " he growled, fighting off the desire that swelled within him. " _That is not what I want!_ " He stated, tearing his crimson gaze away from her.

"Aw, of course it is Wraith." Ahsoka continued in a sympathetic tone. "You want me... and a big, powerful Separatist like you takes what he wants. And that includes me..."

" _Ahsoka that is not what I want!_ " Wraith repeated, quite firmly this time. The dark Ahsoka appeared to be taken aback by his words. Then, with a smile, Ahsoka undid her belt and dropped it.

"You sure?" She wondered, moving her hips side to side as she started to slide her leggings down, revealing her bare, dull-orange thighs. "You sure this isn't what you wanted all along?" Then she reached for the diamond-shaped cutout above her chest and pulled it down, teasing him with a gratuitous display of her cleavage. "You sure you don't want all of this...?" She asked in a seductive voice. Wraith turned away, he knew she was trying to tempt him. But he refused to give in. This wasn't her!

" _Ahsoka! Enough!_ " Wraith growled firmly, denying his own attraction to what he was witnessing. " _Yes, that is what I want. But not like this._ " He told her. " _I want you to want me. I don't want to take anything from you or do anything that you don't want._ "

"Now that's no fun." She pouted, fixing her clothes and putting her belt back on. "What kinda bad guy doesn't wanna have fun with a willing girl like me?"

" _You are attempting to appeal to a part of me that has no application to you._ " He answered. " _My power and potential is applied to my trade. Not against you, as you would insinuate._ "

"What, you think you're so 'high and mighty' now?" Ahsoka demanded, practically accusing him, as she put her belt back on.

" _I will have nothing to do with this... perversion of the real you._ " Wraith rumbled as his hands clenched into fists.

"Oh, whatever!" Ahsoka waved him off, appearing disgusted all of a sudden. "You're such a disappointment! You think I want that? Pah!" She spat, her venomous words totally out of character for her. "You're such a monster! It will never work between us!"

" _I AM NOT...!_ " His roar was cut short as he stopped himself, refusing to give in to what this dark Ahsoka wanted. " _I may be a monster, but at least that is who I am._ " He calmly stated. But there was a definite edge to his voice. " _This... This isn't you._ "

"Oh yeah? Can the real me do this?!" Ahsoka surged forward and lashed out with her lightsaber. The green blade hummed through the air and passed through Wraith's torso.

But it did not affect him at all.

Recoiling with a gasp and clutching his body where he saw the saber strike, Wraith felt no wound and no pain. It was like it never happened. He looked down, his heart racing, but he saw no damage. He looked up, ready to demand an answer from the dark Ahsoka.

And just like that, she was gone.

" _What the hell...?_ " He breathed, dumbstruck by what had taken place. What even was that? She seemed so real, but at the same time it couldn't have been real. She was never there, she could never have gotten aboard the Invisible Hand. Nothing made sense and Wraith was left shaking his head in utter confusion... and was left shaken to the core.

"Hey kid! Boss says we're comin' outta hyperspace, so get ready for landfall!" Durge's voice boomed over his comms.

" _Understood._ " Wraith quickly replied, forcing himself back to the task at hand. Turning around he threw on his grey jacket and holstered all of his weapons, performing a quick final check before he departed his ship, doing his best to focus on the battle to come and nothing else.

Yet no matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn't shake that encounter from his mind.

* * *

 _Later, in Celanon City..._

Having established a formidable presence over the planet, the Separatist armies descended to the surface of Celanon, destined for the outskirts of Celanon City. The planetary capital, Celanon City was full of towering high-rise buildings, all built to support the planet's booming merchant economy. But with the Republic invasion, many of the once splendid constructs were now full of holes and torn to pieces, smoke rising from still raging fires within the husks of the buildings. The city streets, once jam-packed with citizens around the clock, now stood empty and filled with only debris.

It was a clear, sunny sky that met the Separatists as they descended. Perfect weather for those who wished to fight a battle or wage a war. Refugees, the displaced inhabitants of the city and a mix of humans, Bith, Duros and the native Nalroni, had fled the advancing Republic and were now all huddled together in a colossal camp near where the Separatist's destined landing spot was to be. Dirty, ragged civilians, disheartened in spirit, looked up as the mighty thrum of droning engines, belonging to C-9979 landing craft, announced the arrival of the droid army. Looks of desperation turned to expressions of excitement, shouts of joy rising all over the camp as the people of Celanon ran to greet their saviours. Local enforcers did their best to keep the refugees back, ordering them to keep their distance so that the Separatists could do their job. The landing craft set down and thier mighty bay doors opened, MTT troop carriers and AAT tanks rolling out much to the glee of the onlookers. The Separatists had arrived in full force, a display that would assure the galaxy that they would be willing to defend worlds loyal to them no matter what opposition the Republic offered.

Surely this display would be enough to send a strong message, their actions a stern warning that the Republic would be foolish to ignore.

Disembarking his solar sailor, Count Dooku and The Wraith emerged from between landing craft, revealing themselves to the distant throng. A great clamour arose at the sight of the Separatist supreme leader and the deadly super-soldier whom many had come to greatly admire. Realizing this, Wraith paused behind Dooku and turned to the crowd, crossing one arm over his chest before throwing his arm up into the air as a salute to the people. Many returned the gesture, a roar of approval reaching his audio receptors. Chuckling to himself, Wraith turned and made to rejoin the collective of leaders standing before him.

"Guess you're something of a celebrity around here, huh?" The Gen'Dai wondered as he walked up.

" _They are a people who look up to the Separatists, Durge. We are their heroes, not the Republic. Admittedly the admiration and praise is a welcome change of pace._ " Wraith replied.

"You said it!" Durge agreed.

"The people's cooperation will go a long way in helping us retake Celanon." Dooku stated. "Now it is just a matter of retaking their city."

"A fact easier said than done." Grievous rasped.

" _We should start by moving into the city, maybe try to establish a base along the outskirts. We don't want these people to get caught in the crossfire._ " Wraith suggested. Dooku agreed with him and they made to lead their forces deeper into the permacrete and glass jungle that stood prominently before them. To do so, they needed to bypass a stream of refugees evacuating the city, something the local enforcers quickly got to work on. But as they did, two human women burst from the crowd and ran over to Wraith.

"Help me! Help me, please!" The oldest of the two cried as she rushed over to him. "My daughter! I can't find my daughter!" She shrieked, clearly hysterical, clinging to Wraith with a look of wild desperation in her eyes.

" _Calm yourself ma'am._ " Wraith urged her, easing her back and off of him. He quickly analyzed her short, white-haired appearance and guessed her age to be somewhere over sixty. " _Where did you last see her?_ " He asked. It was the younger, ebony-haired woman who answered him.

"She's my younger sister. We were separated when the Clones attacked us in the guild section." Wraith regarded her and nodded in understanding. "She looks just like me. Please, you must help us!" She begged him.

" _Understood._ " Wraith replied, taking a moment to memorize her physical features. " _If I find her, I will bring her back._ " He assured them. The woman breathlessly thanked him before another enforcer moved them on into the camp. Wraith turned on heel and jogged over to Dooku and the others, standing beside an AAT.

"Kinda hysterical, that one." Durge commented as he arrived.

"The Republic claim to be peaceful... yet here they are tearing apart families." Dooku added.

" _True, but they also revealed something to us. They claimed that the Republic had forced them out of the guild section. That's not far from here._ " Wraith stated, having memorized a map of the city and compared it to their current position.

"Indeed." Dooku thoughtfully mused as he crossed his arms.

" _If we want to maintain any sort of advantage, we need to keep the Republic from establishing a foothold this close to our staging area._ " Wraith continued.

"Agreed. Wraith, Durge, investigate the guild section and eliminate any Republic opposition. Report back to us once you have swept the area." Dooku ordered.

"Right. You an' me, kid! Let's fly!" Durge gleefully stated as his jet pack extended from behind him.

" _I don't fly... I move out!_ " Wraith replied, breaking into a sprint towards the city, Durge taking off after him. The two Separatist warriors moved side by side as they found themselves on a main footpath that would bypass the oncoming refugees and take them on a straight path to the market sector. Wraith's superhuman stamina powered him onwards, sprinting non-stop at a speed that was able to match Durge's thrusters, surprising him. Looking over and seeing Wraith's limbs almost a blur as he kept pace with him, Durge chuckled to himself.

"Remind me to get a dose of that serum." He commented over his comms.

" _Sorry, it's an exclusive number._ " Wraith retorted, optics on the road. Durge shrugged.

"Thought I might get lucky."

After several minutes of continuous momentum, Wraith and Durge arrived on the edge of the guild section. Sliding to a halt, Wraith quickly surveyed their surroundings, examining the damaged buildings around him an empty courtyard in front of him. Rubble and debris were strewn about, the remains of destroyed stalls and vehicles evidence of where they were located.

"I'm guessing this is the place... guessing, mind you." Durge stated as he touched down, wings retracting into his pack. Wraith said nothing, pinging his sensors as his optics sweeped back and forth. Then, he found something.

" _Thermal's picked up a cluster of hits to the southwest. I'm willing to bet they're Clones, but they might also be civilians._ "

"Depends on how quickly they wanted to peel out." Durge mused as he reached behind him for a power cord as a big carbine repeater unfolded from his arm and into his grip. Wraith drew his own carbine from behind him and armed it, power cells coming online with a hum. The two moved closer to Wraith's finding, winding around destroyed buildings as they made their way through the empty streets. Rounding a corner, they found themselves staring at a heaping mound of rubble, having fallen from one of the buildings around them.

" _Looks like the Republic showed this place no mercy._ " Wraith quietly muttered. " _What were they doing, deliberately attacking civilians?_ "

"Maybe the resistance effort was hiding among the crowd. I wouldn't discriminate if they were hiding in plain sight." Durge suggested. The two of them crawled over the rubble, both of their heavy boots crushing permacrete under them as they rose to the top.

And when they reached the top, Wraith and Durge found themselves less than ten feet away from a squad of Clones.

"Well, would you look at that. We got ourselves some white-clad duplicates!" Durge chuckled as sadistic thoughts entered his mind. Powering up his carbine, Durge cocked his weapon as the troopers suddenly recognized the imminent danger they were in. "Let's kill 'em all!"

" _Gladly._ " Wraith growled, leaping forward and opening fire with his carbine. Durge did the same, pulling the trigger as heavy, thunderous rounds exploded from his cannon at high speed and ripped through Clones. Caught off guard, the troopers fell in droves as Wraith and Durge cut them down with relentless efficiency. Their twin blasters blazing away, the Clones nearest them died first while the ones further away quickly scrambled to counterattack.

It was just two men, they thought, surely they wouldn't be a problem...

When the blue fire started shelling them, Wraith paused and quickly analyzed the Republic's change in tactics. " _What's say we take this to an up close and personal level?_ " Wraith wondered, stowing his carbine behind him.

"You're speakin' my language, kid!" Durge replied as he kicked his jet pack into gear. "Go ahead, I'll cover ya!" Wraith gave a quick nod and broke into a sprint. Charging ahead with an unquenchable desire to spill blood, Wraith triggered his arm blades and tore into the Clones before him. Durge joined him soon after, producing a flail in his other hand as he lashed out at the entrenched Clones. Ripping and tearing, hacking through bodies with blood and severed limbs flying, Wraith gave a roar as his blades shredded Clone after Clone, vivisecting their bodies with a messy spray of red fluid every time.

" _Nothing like spilling Clone blood to get the adrenaline pumping!_ " He growled as he tore apart another Clone, his victim screaming in pain as he was brutally killed.

But it reality, he was attempting to purge his body of the remaining emotions left from his connection with the corrupted Ahsoka. They had been bothering him all the time and he hoped a decent firefight would be enough to clear his head.

"I like the way you think, kid!" Durge shouted over the clamour. Pulling a Clone in with his flail, Durge pulled him to the ground and crushed his head under his foot. Grabbing another Clone by the chest armor, Durge picked him up off the ground and promptly threw him towards the super-soldier. "Think fast!" He called in warning. Turning about and seeing the Clone hurtling towards him, Wraith acted on the first plan that came to mind. Dropping to one knee, he held up his arm and tensed up, his muscles going taut. The Clone made contact with his blade and was bisected, quickly shorn in two as his flying body met the razor-sharp edge of Wraith's weapon. Blood splattered the ground and a brief shower doused Wraith, covering his camo-grey shoudlers and helmet with blood as the two halves of the Clones landed on the ground with a wet splat. "Nice move!" Durge remarked.

" _The constant praise is not necessary._ " Wraith replied, blade disappearing into his gauntlet. " _On you're right._ " He added. Durge whirled about and leveled his carbine at the Clone Wraith had spotted, blasting him at point-blank range and evaporating his head in a shower of blood.

"Thanks." Wraith nodded and blasted two more Clones with his drawn pistols before he attacked another with a hook kick that put him on the ground, executing him while he was down. It was then that his sensors picked up a fresh batch of thermal targets that were nowhere near this battle.

" _Durge, handle the rest of these, I'm detecting more Clones a street over!_ " Wraith explained as he bounded across the rubble towards his new find.

"Copy that, kid!" Durge called over his shoulder, his flail producing a series of spikes that tore into another Clone, ripping clean through his armor. With this battle under control, Wraith was free to investigate this new batch of thermals. Running some possibilities through his mind, Wraith determined there was a high probability of them being Clones, with a slim chance of it being some civilians. Either way, he had an appropriate response prepared for either occasion.

But he needed to know for certain first.

Leaving the clamor of combat and the screams of dying Clones behind him, the super-soldier soon found himself in the shadows of the ruins of another high-rise, slowly creeping towards this little group. Careful poking his head around the edge of the building, scouting out this other rubble-strewn courtyard, Wraith's suspicions were quickly confirmed. He found Clones alright, five of them to be exact. Along with a young, black-haired woman who looked exactly like the woman he'd spoken to earlier.

He'd found the lost sister.

Problem was, the Clones had found her too.

"What've we got here... a little Separatist schutta!" One of them remarked as he advanced upon the fallen woman, rifle in hand. Said woman was on the ground, her arms in the grasp of another trooper who was standing directly behind her. She was struggling fiercely to get free.

"Get your hands off me, you filthy dewbacks!" She cried. Her outburst roused only a chuckle from the Clones.

"Looks like we got a lively one on our hands!" Another trooper mused. Wraith quickly calculated his best angle of approach and began to stalk the Clones, quietly advancing on them. He did not know what their true intentions were, but based on their actions he could only assume they were up to no good.

No Separatist-aligned civilian would suffer such a barbaric fate while he was around.

One of the troopers knelt down and forced the woman to face him.

"This is what's you deserve for working with those damn clankers!" He hissed, threatening her with what was to come.

" _And this is what you deserve for existing in the first place!_ " Wraith growled as he made his presence known, a pair of throwing knives whistling through the air before becoming embedded square in the back of the trooper's head. The other Clones were quick to react, but Wraith was quicker. Slugthrower in hand, Wraith promptly obliterated the heads of two other Clones while a third slug tore through the chest of another Clone, leaving a hole where his heart had once been. The last Clone took two slugs through his knees and fell to the ground, screaming in agony. Wraith promptly executed him with another slug to the head, blood and brain matter splattering across the ground. With the last of them dead, Wraith holstered his weapon and stooped down to help up the woman. " _Are you well?_ "

"I am now..." She replied, taking his head. Looking up, her eyes locked with his crimson optics and she quickly recognized her savior despite his blood-splattered appearance. "You... You are The Wraith." She said in awe.

" _I am._ " He answered. The woman breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you sir." She whispered, clinging to him.

" _I encountered your mother and sister, they informed me of your disappearance. You are fortunate I managed to find you._ " He stated.

"My family lives? Please... will you take me to them?" She asked.

" _I'll do my best._ " Wraith answered, reaching for his comms. He needed to check in with his comrade. " _Durge, how're those Clones?_ "

"Dead on the ground!" The Gen'Dai replied. "You pickin' up any more on your scanners?"

" _No. I think we've cleared them out._ " Wraith said, concluding their work here was done. " _Let's get back to the staging area._ "

* * *

The droid army was on the move by the time Wraith and Durge returned to the staging grounds. The super-soldier headed for the refugee camp with the young woman while Durge returned to Dooku's side, the Count standing near a holotable that had been set up near their makeshift headquarters.

"The Clones have been dislodged from the guild section, sir. We're in the clear." He reported.

"Then it is time for us to make our move." Dooku replied. "I have spoken with some of the city's leaders and they tell me that Kage Videl's resistance forces were last seen fighting the Republic in a northeast sector. We should link up with them as they would have current information on the Republic's whereabouts."

"Sounds like a plan." Durge agreed. It was then that Wraith jogged over to them, the young woman safely reunited with her mother and sister.

" _There's one happy family for you._ " He muttered as he stepped over to Dooku.

"Was the old lady all over you again?" Durge wondered.

" _Pretty sure she wanted to be my mother-in-law._ " Wraith mumbled, crossing his arms. Durge cackled loudly, the super-soldier rolling his eyes beneath his helmet in response. " _What now, my lord?_ "

"We make for the southwest sector of the city and find Kage Videl's resistance." Dooku answered.

" _Is Grevious already moving?_ "

"He is. I have stayed behind to discuss tactics with you." Dooku answered. He turned to the Gen'Dai. "Durge, fly to Grievous' position and join him on the front lines." He ordered.

"With pleasure boss!" Durge emphatically replied before taking to the skies, leaving Wraith and Dooku alone. The Count escorted the soldier over to the nearby holotable where he pulled up a render of the city, the occupying Republic forces highlighted in red.

"I have spoken with the local leaders and they have supplied me with what little data they managed to acquire from the resistance before the Republic took total control of the city." Dooku explained, gesturing to the render. Wraith crossed his arms as he thoughtfully examined the layout before him. Coupling this with his prior knowledge about the city and the planet, Wraith was quickly amassing quite the knowledge base for this fight. "Take a look at the Republic forces. They're concentrated in one area near the city centre, but their ground units are spread far and wide across the city."

" _They're trying to cover as much ground as possible. They want this city out of our hands and they're doing their damnedest to keep that up._ " Wraith replied, tactical mindset taking over as he slipped into his analytical mode. A mode, he felt, he hadn't been in for a long time.

It felt good to be back in it.

"It would appear so." Dooku agreed. "We need to determine what their plans are. They have not moved from this city, they have not even made an advance elsewhere on the planet." He explained. Wraith grew even more thoughtful as he did his best to get into his enemies' head.

" _This is the capital. They must think that holding this is equal to them controlling the rest of the planet._ " Wraith surmised.

"That is a valid tactic?" Dooku wondered.

" _It's what I'd do. Cut off the head and the body falls._ " Wraith replied. " _As for their continued presence in this city and why they haven't spread out, I don't know why just yet._ " Leaning against the holotable, he studied the map carefully. His gaze passed over each and every position marked in red, examining the surroundings and looking for a pattern in the Republic lines. " _Looks like the bulk of their forces are being used to defend their forward position, a place far from their command center._ " He commented, gesturing to the multiple waves of red lines that extended out from where their field command was situated. It appeared to be a fairly routine defensive placement. The Republic had obviously witnessed their arrival and were making their stand, trying to head off the droid army before they got too close. " _They're prepping for us._ " He added, nodding a little. But then, something clicked in his mind. Why would the Republic put up such a rigorous defense before the Separatists were even close to their headquarters? " _Wait... they want to keep us away from their position..._ " He slowly and quiet realized, staring intently at the map before him. He continued to observe the Republic lines as Dooku watched him, waiting for him to continue. " _They're not ready for us. They're putting up a front._ " He finally stated, realizing the Republic's apparent bluff.

"How can you be certain?" Dooku wondered.

" _Why else would they put so much effort into their defense when we've only just arrived?_ " Wraith countered. " _They're panicking. They know this is Separatist territory, that this world truly belongs to us. They want to keep what they've got and their desperation shows._ " Dooku straightened up, folding his hand behind his back as he examined the map with Wraith's realization in mind.

"How should we proceed then?" He asked.

" _I get the feeling we'll really have to 'divide and conquer' today. The Republic is spread out, covering multiple hotspots that we need control of._ " Wraith replied, pointing to various clusters that were not joined to the main lines of defense. " _But the rest of their troops are solidified in a defensive formation throughout the rest of the city, giving us multiple barricades we need to get past._ "

"Why do you suppose that is? Apart from the obvious, of course."

" _Urban warfare, my lord. They're making the best use of the terrain, forcing us to run their little gambit in order to wear us out, before we can reach their command center and do some real damage._ " Wraith responded. He was quickly piecing together the Republic's game, figuring them out now before the battle of Celanon truly got underway. " _That and they know this is hostile territory for them, resistance could come from anywhere. They're playing the defensive game, trying to be safe about all this while waiting with baited breath for our arrival._ "

"And how shall we respond?" Dooku asked.

" _The Republic appears to be trying to get us to run a gauntlet, hoping multiple, fortified defensive positions will be enough to break our efforts and exhaust us._ " Wraith explained, highlighting the specific pattern in which the red lines were organized. " _I say we just punch right through their lines, prove them wrong and make them even more fearful._ "

"Do you believe we have what it takes to accomplish such a strategy? A forward assault could be costly." The Sith queried, wanting to make certain their strategy would be sound.

" _Put Durge, Grievous and I on the front lines and we will manage, my lord. Together we have a strength that no Clone army can match._ " Wraith firmly replied, his belief in the potential of him and his leaders quite obvious.

"Very well. We will relay this information to General Grievous. Once we acquire the data the resistance possesses, we will make our move." Dooku stated.

" _Then I better go join them._ "

* * *

Kage Videl's resistance was nothing more than a few ragtag members of the Celanon City Volunteer Defense Department, barely any of them were as seasoned as Kage himself, a man who had moved his family to Celanon after a stint as a military commander serving on Chandrila. But he cared deeply for the well-being of the citizens of Celanon, almost as much as he did for his own family. Which was why he started up this resistance once the Republic invaded. Some might call them zealous, others insane. But they did what they did in the name of their fellow citizens.

The Clones were a well-trained fighting force, their skill giving them a significant advantage over the resistance. But Kage and his freedom fighters were stubborn and determined. If they couldn't take back their city, the least they could do was be a thorn in the Republic's side.

A rocket whizzed past overhead, exploding in a column of flame behind the resistance line, a hail of blue blaster rounds following as the Republic mercilessly assaulted them. Kage and his men crouched behind pieces of fallen building and whatever large debris they could find.

"They're really givin' it their all!" A Duros commented over the clamor.

"They want us gone!" Kage replied, gripping his rifle tightly. "But we're not going anywhere!" The forty-something man cut a fierce appearance with his black, shirt-cut hair, bright green eyes and sharp goatee. He was as recognizable a figure as they came. "Come on men! For Celanon!" He cried, poking over the debris and returning fire with a few scattered shots towards the Clones. The two dozen men with him joined in his counterattack.

Meanwhile, the Clones were finding the resistance nothing more than an irritating nuisance. They had their orders to capture them all, preferably alive. But Commander Kert was a Clone who knew when it was time for a change of plans. And that time was drawing near...

"Commander Kert, sir," a trooper called as he dashed to his side with urgent news, "scouts report the droid army is making its way through the city. Looks like they're coming here." Kert shook his head. He had hoped they could clean up this resistance before the real fight began. Unfortunately, the Separatists seldom played by the Republic's preferred timetable.

"I know our orders were to get them to surrender... but it looks like we don't have a choice any longer." He grimly replied. "Get a message back to the General. Tell him we're doubling back to reinforce the second line, the resistance has been dealt with." He ordered. The trooper nodded in understanding before leaving. "Lieutenant! Increase the barrage, none of them are leaving!" Kert commanded a green-plated trooper.

Kage and his men suddenly found themselves under another fierce barrage, several Nalroni falling with scorch marks marring their chests. Kage and the rest ducked down as the Republic continued, refusing to give them any breathing room.

"Sir! We can't survive another push like that!" A Duros exclaimed.

"Do they want us dead or alive?!" A human questioned. Kage sighed in disappointment. He hated running from a fight. But for the sake of his men, he had no choice.

"Fall back. Head for the embassy." He ordered begrudgingly. The men around him nodded and began to quietly creep away, using the debris for cover.

But then, the rush of turbines alerted them to a presence above.

Durge swooped in from overhead, blasting the Republic lines with a flamethrower that popped out of his right gauntlet. The resistance fighters watched in awe as Durge held the Republic back, his belt-fed carbine now blazing away at them as well.

" _Kage Videl?_ " The weary resistance leader turned to see Wraith standing behind them, carbine drawn and perched atop a chunk of permacrete. His fellow soldiers gawked at the sight of the legendary super-solider in their presence. They had thought all hope lost... until now. " _Count Dooku requests your presence._ " Wraith continued as he stepped down into their midst. Kage walked closer to him, eyes darting back and forth as he studied Wraith's every feature. His men were just as enraptured. Never did they think they would ever meet the man who beat the Chosen One, the man who inspired their brothers and who their sons sought to imitate.

"The Wraith... The legendary Wraith..." Kage breathed.

" _Such titles are not necessary._ " Wraith replied, laying a hand on the man's shoulder. " _I'm a fighter, just like you._ "

"Then... Then let's fight! We have a chance now!" Kage declared, charging his rifle.

" _No Kage. Not this time._ " Wraith stopped him. " _We need to pick and choose our battles if we want to see Celanon free._ "

"But... But we've been running for so long." Kage countered, desperate to strike a blow to the Republic on behalf of his people. "To actually be able to stand a fight for once-"

" _You will get your chance to fight. Right now, I need you alive._ " Wraith continued.

"But the resistance-"

" _There will be no resistance if none of you are left alive!_ " Wraith firmly stated. " _Now go. Durge and I will cover you. Count Dooku needs any data you might've acquired concerning the Republic._ " He explained, shouldering his carbine.

"Wait. There's more of us. Further south." Kage suddenly informed him. "My son Khol, he's leading another group of fighters. He has more data you can use." Wraith quickly digested this new information. Dooku would need to be informed. Durge continued fighting in the background, the scream of a dying Clone echoing loudly as the Gen'Dai shredded him with his flechette launcher.

" _We'll get to him in due time._ " Wraith finally said. He turned to the other resistance fighters. " _All of you, go!_ " He commanded. The men wasted no time retreating, leaving Wraith alone with Kage. The new information he'd revealed changed his demeanor greatly, something Wraith quickly took note of. " _You're worried about your son._ " He observed.

"I am. But he's done me and all of Celanon proud by standing up to the Republic." Videl replied with a nod.

" _I'll see to it you get to see him again._ " Wraith promised. Kage nodded in understanding and moved out as Wraith started jogging towards Durge.

"Could use your help, kid!" The Gen'Dai shouted over the comms. From his position, Wraith took aim and fired a burst of rounds, gunning down several Clones with precise shots. A nearby rocket trooper took aim at the super-soldier, but was quickly cut down by another blast from Wraith's carbine. He managed to fire one last shot before he keeled over, his rocket racing high into the air, over Durge and over Wraith. Flying over them in a wide arc, the projectile came down hard right in the midst of the fleeing rebel fighters. Wraith turned around in time to see a blast of flame send men flying in every direction.

" _Kage!_ " He shouted, charging back towards the group. Sprinting past the bodies of others, Wraith slid to a halt over Videl's blackened body. The man was sporting a nasty wound across his forehead, blood dripping down his face. Wraith have him a shake. " _Kage! Stay with me!_ " He growled, desperate to keep him alive. The injured man sputtered and fished a data chip out of his belt with a weak hand.

"H-Here..." he weakly rasped, offering it to Wraith. "I-It's all we've... l-learned..." The super-soldier took it, clasping the man's hand as he did. "Tell my son... I'm proud of him..."

" _You can tell him yourself, just hang on!_ " Wraith stayed, reaching for his comms. Kage sputtered and coughed, blood spraying from his mouth.

"It was... an honor... to meet you..." Kage whispered, his body slowly falling still. Wraith's scanners quickly recognized that Kage's body was shutting down. His injuries were too severe and he would not live long enough for medics to arrive.

There was nothing he could do.

With a sigh, Wraith retracted his mouth guard, letting the resistance leader see a glimpse of his true face.

"The honor is mine." He replied, clasping Kage's hand tightly. The man gave a weak smile before he lost strength and fell limp, his heart stopping as he died. Wraith shook his head sadly, mourning the loss and the absolute waste around him that didn't have to be. "Your death will not be in vain." He whispered. Releasing Kage's hand, Wraith took the drive and stuffed it into his jacket, rising to his feet as he did. " _Durge, it's time to go!_ " He stated, mouthguard sliding into place.

"The resistance all clear?" Durge called over the comms.

" _They're all dead. That last rocket killed them._ " Wraith uttered with a growl. Maybe he could've done something...

"Damn. Alright, fine!" The Gen'Dai relented. "Give me some breathing room, would ya?" Wraith obliged, stowing his carbine and sprinting towards Durge. An impressive amount of bloody corpses were already strewn across the ground, evidence of Durge's relentless killing spree.

Right now, Wraith was in the mood to do something similar.

Rushing past Durge, blades slid out over his hands as Wraith tore into the nearest Clone, cutting him to pieces with a quick swipe.

" _You killed a good man today!_ " Wraith growled as he tore apart another one. He quickly turned on another one who was rushing towards him. " _I hope!_ " He rumbled, attacking low and cutting off his legs. " _You're happy!_ " He finished, bringing his other blade down and beheading the Clone. Sheathing his blades, Wraith drew his pistols and opened fire, gunning down Clone after Clone and quickly growing lost in the blur of activity unfolding around him.

"Thanks kid! I'm clear!" Durge's voice stated through his comms. Taking that as his que, Wraith turned on heel and booked it after Durge. The remaining Republic troops fired a few scattered shots after him didn't have it in them to give chase. But they were able to get a single message back to their General.

The Wraith was here.

* * *

"So Kage was killed. That is most unfortunate." Dooku quietly said.

" _He managed to give me his data before his death._ " Wraith continued. " _I have it right here._ " He said, plugging the drive into a holoprojector. He held it out before Dooku, Grievous and Durge and a map of the city soon appeared. Marked on it were a series of additional red sites not present on their current understanding of the city.

"The Republic has set up a command center in the middle of the city." Grievous observed.

"Damn good place to put it. And look! They got a force field generator close by." Durge added, pointing at the new construct a few kilometers away from the command center.

" _They're doing a good job of protecting their center of operations._ " Wraith mused, agreeing with both his commanders. " _If we can't take down that central mobile hub, they can hold out behind that force field until reinforcements arrive._ "

"Fortunately, it would appear their defenses are focused towards the mainland and not towards the harbor district in the southwest." Dooku commented. "This is good. They are weaker in this one spot."

" _I bet that's where the second resistance unit is._ " Wraith stated. " _Kage told me his son Khol was leading another group to the southwest of him. They might be trying to exploit this weakness in their defenses._ "

"And I'm willing to bet they don't have the resources to last against the Republic if they do engage them. I mean, if the last group was any indicator..." Durge said, crossing his arms. Wraith powered down the holomap as Dooku turned to him.

"What do you recommend, soldier?"

" _If we're going to do this, we have to fully commit. Once we start moving and the Republic figures us out, they're going to send as many of their troops as they can spare to reinforce those lines. We have to punch through their defenses now while we can._ " Wraith replied, the gears in his head turning as he explained his newly devised plan.

"And the resistance?" Dooku inquired.

" _We bail them out first. They might have additional data that can help us._ "

"But we have no idea where they are." Durge interjected. "They could be anywhere in the harbor district!"

" _Send me ahead. I'll find them and let you know._ " Wraith suggested, turning to Dooku. The Count nodded, processing the unfolding plan.

"Very well." He surmised, looking up to the cyborg General. "General Grievous, we make for the south of the city. Wraith... find the resistance. This war is about to begin." He commanded.

* * *

 _Later..._

The group of a dozen resistance fighters jogged through the debris-strewn streets, passing under the shadows of wrecked high-rise complexes adjacent to Celanon's harbor. Comprised of mostly humans as well as a smattering of Bith and Duros, the ragtag group of vastly under-resourced freedom fighters was doing their best to avoid any Republic assaults and survive as long as they could, all while dealing as much damage as they could to the invading army.

It was a task easier said than done.

They came to a halt in the middle of a street, pausing as they assessed their surroundings.

"Were we followed?" A young man with short black hair asked his fellows.

"I don't think so." Another helmeted human replied. "Khol... all due respect, but we can't keep this up. We can't keep running." He continued. "The Republic is bound to find us."

"I know. But what are we supposed to do?" Khol countered, running a gloved hand through his black hair. He hated making decisions like this. His father was the leader, not him.

"We have the tactical data on the Republic. Maybe we should put it to good use." The soldier suggested.

"How? We don't have the resources to even put a dent in their lines." Khol responded. "Besides, you remember our orders: we get the day, draw the Republic's fire and get out." He recounted, remembering the last thing his father had told them. "That's what my father told us to do and I'm inclined to stick to those rules."

"We haven't been in contact with your father for hours. We don't know what's going on, if the plan's still good... anything!" A Duros interjected. "Maybe we should just turn around and do what we can with what time we have left."

"And do what? You saw the artillery the Republic was pulling out. They're digging in and we won't stand a chance against them if we go back in there." Khol retorted. "Look... until help arrives, we're on our own. So we have to fend for ourselves and keep this resistance alive. And going back into that meat grinder is not gonna help." He finally stated, laying down the law. The other fighters slowly agreed, hating to have to abandon the fight for their home but knew that they had no other choice. "We just have to face facts. Maybe the Separatists won't come for us until it's too late." Khol added, sounding doubtful. Just then, heavy blaster fire lit up their position as a pair of Republic BARC speeders arrived on the scene.

"Heads up!" A soldier shouted before he was knocked off his feet by another blast. Khol and the others scrambled for cover, a few soldiers firing off retaliatory rounds as they did. The Clones had their orders to locate and terminate this small squad of resistance fighters, already relaying their position to their commanding officers and requesting backup. The powerful laser cannons on their speeders would certainly do a number on these men, but the scout troopers were equipped with mere blaster pistols, not nearly the standard-issue blasters other Clones were outfitted with.

They would have to make due until reinforcements arrived.

From behind his cover, Khol spotted the bodies of four of his men, a Bith, a Duros and two humans, lying dead on the ground. He realized these Clones were here with one purpose: to wipe them out. He had to keep them safe and get them out of here.

"Suppressing fire!" He called out. But another blast rocked them all as a few more men were shot to pieces by the speeders. The Clones slowly maneuvered to take aim again when, suddenly, a quick barrage of blaster fire killed the Clone on the right. His body collapsed and fell from the speeder, his partner looking just in time for some more blaster fire to strike his speeder, causing an explosion that launched him off his ride and sent him tumbling across the ground. Khol and the resistance fighters shielded themselves before looking up, awed by what happened and questioning who had done it. When their gaze turned down the street, their hearts leapt in surprise.

The tails of a blue duster flapped in the gentle breeze and the towering man walked forward at a determined pace, his silver armor gleaming in the sunlight. A blaster carbine in both hands, he charged up his weapon and cycled the power as he approached the impromptu battleground. His gaze landed on the surviving resistance fighters as he planted his boot against a raised piece of debris.

" _As long as you remain loyal to the Separatists, you shall never be abandoned. For we will always defend our own!_ " The Wraith declared for them all to hear. The men slowly came out from behind their cover as Wraith turned to his comms. " _All units, to my position!_ " He radioed. Khol and his men, rifles loosely held as they beheld their legendary savior with a sense of reverent awe. Until this moment, stories were all they had of The Wraith.

Now they were getting to meet him in person.

The whoosh of jets overhead drew their attention skyward as Durge made his presence known, touching down near the wrecked speeders as he surveyed the area. Khol made a beeline for The Wraith as his men flagged down the approaching droid armies.

"It's you...!" he softly exclaimed. "You're... You're The Wraith!"

" _I am, Khol Videl._ " Wraith greeted, holstering his carbine behind him. The young man was only a few inches shorter than him, but he greatly resembled his father. " _Your father spoke very highly of you._ "

"You met my father?" Khol inquired. "Where is he?" Wraith's shoulders slumped a little as he prepared to deliver the bad news.

" _Your father has died, Khol. He was killed by a Republic rocket strike._ " He answered. The young man suddenly dropped his rifle as all color was drained from his face.

"Dead...?" Khol whispered in shock. He was too stunned to cry or react, his men quietly moving away to give him a moment.

" _He gave his life in service to his people and his planet._ " Wraith continued, speaking solemnly. " _It's up to you now to lead the resistance._ " Khol said nothing, still stunned by the news of his father's grief. But deep down he resented this new weight that had been pressed upon him. He was no leader, he always lived in the shadow of his father's ability to command and control others. Now being thrust into a position like this? He had no idea what to say or do... " _Your father had faith in you. Now the Separatists hold you in equally high regard._ " Wraith told him, trying to reassure the young man. He turned and gestured to the droids. " _Go and speak with Count Dooku, he will need your tactical data._ " He instructed. Khol nodded numbly and slowly moved to obey, picking up his fallen rifle. Wraith watched him go, feeling a great deal of pity for the boy. He could only imagine what he was going through. Losing a loved one to death was never an easy ordeal...

"Hey Wraith! This one's still kicking!" Durge suddenly called to him. Jogging over to the Gen'dai, Wraith discovered a disarmed Clone in Durge's grip, thrashing about as he tried to free himself. The commanding General looked to Wraith. "How ya wanna handle this one, kid?" He asked. Wraith took a split second to make up his mind. Having witnessed the death of a boy's father, the demise of a family unit by the Republic's hand, he felt only hatred for the Clone. And he knew just how to act upon it.

" _Grab a limb..._ " He growled. Durge immediately picked up on his plan and chuckled darkly in response, grabbing the Clone's right arm with both hands while Wraith grabbed his left. Together they pulled hard, the Clone struggling and crying out in pain as the two Separatists tugged. Suddenly, the Clone's arms came off in a messy shower of blood, the limbs now held in Durge and Wraith's hands as the Clone collapsed, screaming in bitter agony. He thrashed wildly on the ground, blood spurting from the stubs of his shoulders. Wraith tossed his arm aside. " _Now the legs._ " He instructed. Durge did as asked and they proceeded to pull and tug again, summoning their raw strength to finish drawing and quartering the Clone. After a few minutes of applied strength to the tortured trooper, their combined power ripped his body in half, severed like a wishbone. Dumping the carcass, Wraith dusted off his hands and motioned for Durge to join him back alongside Dooku. Khol had turned over his tactical data to the count and was busy informing him of their situation.

"Our understanding was that your group was attempting to exploit a weakness in the Republic's defenses." The Count inquired as the data shimmered to life.

"That's what we came to do. Then we found out that they've got more troops back here than we realized. They've managed to create a second defensive line." Khol replied. Dooku took a moment to study the data before him.

"What do you know about these defenses?" He asked.

"The one closest to their shielded position is dense and thick. There's a lot of Clones set up in a courtyard that's too much for us to get through." Khol explained, gesturing to the army closest to the Republic's mobile command center. "The closer one has less Clones defending it, but they've set up their defenses well between a set of buildings so they can snipe at us from the upper patios." He added, drawing a line across the red-marked units closer to their position.

"So it is a cross between strategically placed and heavy opposition." Dooku thoughtfully mused, stroking his beard as he weighed the options presented to them. As he did, Wraith and Durge arrived and the old man turned to him. "Wraith, what do you make of this?" He asked. The super-soldier took a moment to study the map and analyze the Republic positions.

" _These ones aren't far, but it looks like this is their only layer of external defense. It's not like the multiple lines to the north and east._ " He observed, quickly noting the thin layer of defenses. This was good for them as it meant less work and less resistance en route to the Republic's center of operations. " _If we're going to make a move, my lord, I suggest we punch through this defensive line and take the battle straight to the heart of their position._ " He said, looking up to Dooku. Ultimately, the choice was his to make, being that he was his superior.

"Hell yeah! Now that sounds like a plan!" Durge chimed in, liking Wraith's idea of pursuing battle. "All this movin' around's got me bored, I'm itchin' for some action!"

"Then it is settled. We make for this line. Khol, might I ask you and your men to lead us there?" Dooku requested. The young man nodded, taking up his blaster rifle.

"Yes sir." He replied with a quick nod.

"Grievous, expand our forces so that they cover the whole width of the street. Of the Republic tries to ambush us, I want to be able to see where they are before chaos settles in." Dooku ordered. "As for the rest of us, it's time to move!"

The Separatist army began moving at double their original pace, the resistance fighters leading them through the angular city streets, Wraith and Durge keeping pace alongside them. The condition of the city seemed to grow worse the deeper they traveled, leaving Wraith to wonder if this is where the fighting had been the fiercest. Eventually, the resistance split into two groups, dividing between both sides of the street they were one. Khol led Wraith towards a nearby building as the super-soldier told Durge to fall back and support the main line. He would go on recon duty for now. Following Khol inside the ruined building, Wraith crouched next to the resistance leader as he gestured to a shattered window. Taking a look, Wraith quickly realized they were right next to the Republic lines and he quickly took stock of their formation.

" _You weren't kidding. They're really using those rooftop patios to their advantage._ " Wraith quietly noted, his HUD scanning over ever Clone he could see.

"Whatever they can keep out of reach of us. And support those on the ground." Khol replied.

" _Right. We'll have our work cut out for us._ " Wraith agreed. He reached for his comms. " _Wraith to Count Dooku, I've got eyes on the Republic forces._ "

"What do you see soldier?"

" _The resistance data is accurate. The Clones have stationed the majority of their forces on rooftop balconies. I see rocket troopers and snipers and a lot of them. Our ground forces are gonna have a helluva time getting close._ " He reported.

"Understood. Be advised, that area is close and narrow. Our tanks will have to find another way around." Dooku replied.

" _I copy. Confirm long-range bombardment?_ "

"Negative. Not while we're so close and within firefighting distance." Dooku responded, the communication concluding.

" _Damn._ " Wraith muttered, understanding this was now a numbers game. He turned to Khol. " _Alright kid, looks like we're strongarming our way through this one._ " He announced. " _Ready to show off some Separatist manpower?_ "

"But how? There's so many of them and so few of us." Khol replied, sounding like this task was impossible. Having tried something similar earlier only to meet failure and being forced to retreat, those negative memories ate away at this confidence.

" _We'll take them together. This time, you've got me for support._ " Wraith replied, drawing his pistols. Khol supposed he was right. The legendary super-soldier would likely be able to hold off all the Clones by himself. His men would find a much better example in him. " _Besides, your people look up to you. You're their leader, their hero._ " Wraith added.

"I'm no hero. I'm nothing like you." Khol replied with a shake of his head. Wraith paused, realizing the combined aspects of today had taken a massive toll on the young man. He knew that Khol would have to view him as an equal, not someone superior. He needed this man to find the confidence to inspire his fellow Separatists. Wraith retracted his mouthguard, revealing the human mouth beneath as well as his own voice, surprising Khol.

"I'm not a hero. I'm just a solider, fighting for what I believe in." He told Khol, laying a hand on the man's shoulder. He was trying to emphasize with him. Wraith always believed himself to be a servant of the cause, but those with admittedly lesser abilities always thought him more than that. This was one such moment where he needed to be on the people's level, instead of leagues away setting a high standard. "You and I are equals. We are soldiers, we fight for what we believe in." He declared, giving Khol a reassuring squeeze. Khol slowly nodded, his confidence slowly growing. With him and Wraith working together, the Republic wouldn't stand a chance. "Now let's fight for the freedom of Celanon!" With a firm nod, Khol powered up his rifle. "Your orders, sir?" Wraith wondered with a slight grin.

"You're the tactical genius." Khol responded with a light chuckle. Wraith nodded and closed up his mouthguard, reaching for his comms again.

" _Durge, you wanna be tip of the spear? We're right behind you!_ " He radioed.

"Yer speakin' my language kid!" The Gen'Dai replied as he swooped in and started blasting the Republic lines with his belt-fed carbine repeater in one hand and a flamethrower mounted to his other forearm. The commotion outside bought Wraith and Khol time to abandon their cover and surge into the fight, weapons blazing away. The other resistance leaders followed suit, forming the first line of offense as battle droids made their way down their street from behind them. The Clone sharpshooters were quick to open fire as their ground-level brothers scrambled to counterattack. Many resistance fights were felled under the initial hail of sniper fire, rounds ricocheting off Durge and Wraith's armor.

" _Get to cover!_ " Wraith ordered the resistance fighters, diving behind a large piece of fallen permacrete. The others did so as well, the bodies of their comrades enough of a warning should they not.

"We can't survive this!" A Bith shouted.

" _Yes you will. Leave them to us!_ " Wraith replied, popping out of his cover and attacking with quick pistol rounds. He knew that Durge and him could handle such intense firepower. But the lighter armor of the resistance fighters couldn't. As he and Durge continued, Khol and his men firing periodically, Dooku, Grievous and the droid army arrived to bolster their ranks, the leading Separatist generals now on the front lines. Grievous hung back to direct the droids while Dooku's lightsaber flashed as he deflected incoming blaster bolts, standing alongside Wraith and Durge. To their right and left, droids were cut down one by one by the Clones aiding their grounded allies from above.

"These duplicates are dug in pretty damn deep!" Durge shouted, mowing down a couple of rooftop Clones with a barrage from his carbine.

"Indeed. If we continue in such a fashion, Republic reinforcements will be here sooner than we'd like." Dooku replied. As he continued, he spied a fallen tower that had collapsed into another high rise where the Clones happened to be stationed. While most of the structure had fallen away, it appeared wide enough and sturdy enough for one person to scale it. And Dooku knew just who to send on such a mission. "Wraith?" The super-soldier turned at the mention of his name. Dooku gestured to the collapsed tower. "Think you can clear them out?" Wraith clued in immediately.

" _Consider it done._ " He replied with a nod, stowing his pistols and sprinting towards the downed tower. Durge paused to watch him go.

"Somethin' tells me we're gonna wanna watch this!" He commented aloud.

"The skill Wraith possesses is unparalleled. He surpasses the standards set by most armies." Dooku quietly stated in agreement. He turned and looked up at the hulking Gen'Dai. "Yes, Durge. Watching him work is something worth taking the time to witness." Wraith fired his grapple and was hoisted up onto the tower, allowing him to run vertically along the raised edge as he scampered up to the patio where the Clone snipers had settled in. The Clones suddenly realized their advancing quarry and trained their sights on him, blaster rounds ricocheting off his armor and the surface beneath him. Leaping off the tower, Wraith drew his weapons and gunned down the line of Clone defenders, those nearest him falling first while the Clones further away ditched their rifles in favor of their short range arms. But as Wraith finished killing the Clones around him, they too were quickly gunned down as he made quick work of them with his heavy pistol rounds. The Separatists below cheered him on, eagerly watching the famed super-soldier go to work on their Clone adversaries. Khol and his men rested their advantage, their hopes fueled by Wraith's assault behind enemy lines.

For the first time in a long time, they felt like they stood a chance.

Wraith continued to kill off the Clone snipers on this building. He still had a few more to traverse and the Clones on the other high-rises realized this. Some of them switched targets, one of them grabbing a rocket launcher as they attacked Wraith while he finished off their brethren. The rocket trooper quickly trained his sights on Wraith, a red laser dot appearing on his jacket. The super-soldier quickly realized his predicament and hit the deck as the trooper fired. The rocket shot through the air and exploded right near Wraith, kicking up a massive cloud of dust as fire flashed from the ensuing explosion. The Separatists paused, watching to see what would happen. It looked like the rocket had exploded right on top of Wraith.

"Uh... Is he still alive?" Durge wondered, voicing the question on everyone's mind. Nobody moved, waiting for something... anything.

Suddenly, Wraith burst forward from the smoke at a full sprint, pistol drawn as he gunned down the rocket Clone on the opposite building as well as a few of the snipers. Charging ahead at full speed, Wraith leapt off the building and through the air, attempting to make it to the other patio on his own. At the last moment, he reached out and fired his grapple, snagging the ground and reeling him in the last few feet. His additional momentum allowed him to stretch out his leg and nail a Clone in the head with a lunge kick, effectively taking him out. Rolling across the ground and to his feet, Wraith continued his onslaught, pistol rounds methodically picking off Clones one by one as he moved on, unstoppable in every sense. The Separatists took up their cheer again, pressing their advantage and moving on the Clones as they lost their supporting fire. As they made their gains on the ground, shooting Clones in droves, Wraith had deployed his blades and continued to cut down the Clones on the rooftops, slaughtering the remaining snipers before he moved on to the third balcony, drawing his carbine and opening fire as he swung through the air on his grapple.

The battle had decidedly turned in favor of the Separatists, the defending Clones dying in droves as the invading battle droids and resistance fighters attacked them hard and relentlessly. Durge and Dooku closed the gap significantly, the Gen'Dai annihilating Clones with every weapon in his arsenal. Dooku destroyed several Clones with bursts of Force-lightning, electrocuting them as they screamed in bitter agony. Having finished with the last balcony, Wraith leapt over the edge and dug his blade into the side of the building as he descended, leaving a long gash behind as he dropped down. Landing on his feet, he drew his pistols and gunned down a few more Clones as they retreated from the advancing Separatists. He rejoined Dooku and Durge moments later, holstering his pistols.

"Nice job, kid! Gotta say, that was impressive!" Durge complimented, his rifle stowing away within his arm. "By the way, how'd ya survive that rocket?"

" _I did... and I didn't._ " Wraith replied, motioning to the seared and blackened armor on his shoulder.

"But you took it like a champ!" Durge cackled, clapping Wraith on the back and pitching him forward a little. "I love this kid, boss! Where'd ya find him?" He asked Dooku.

"In a lab, you might say." The Count answered with a slight smirk. Wraith shrugged. It technically was the truth. As they conversed Khol ran over, rifle in hand.

"We've got them on the run!" He victoriously exclaimed. The leaders turned and watched as a small party of Clones took off down the nearest street and disappeared behind a corner as the droids shot after them.

"Indeed." Dooku thoughtfully replied, developing their next plan of action in his mind. "Wraith, see to it their forces are routed and permanently disabled. With what's to come, we cannot afford to fight this war on two fronts." He ordered the super-soldier.

" _I'm on it._ " The super-soldier replied, charging off to mop up the rest of the Clones and triggering his cloaking field as he left.

"The rest of us make for the city center. It is time to put Celanon back in the hands of its people." Dooku declared. The few remaining resistance fighters cheered, ready to take the fight straight to the Republic. Dooku turned to Khol. "Take your remaining men and fall back to the refugee camp on the outskirts of the city." He commanded. Khol stood stunned for a moment. Finally, with victory so close at hand and now being able to avenge his city and attack the Republic directly, and Dooku wanted him out?

"But... sir, we can help." He protested.

"And you have. But this next phase will be intense, too intense for a few dozen resistance fighters." Dooku responded, gesturing to the few that were left of his original group. The Clones had done a real number on them. "You can help us better by ensuring our territory is not lost." He added, attempting to help the boy see the validity of his plan. After a moment of hesitation, Khol relented.

"I understand, sir." He replied with a nod.

"Your men will lead us to the Republic's position and then return. This battle will be ours to fight."

* * *

 _Elsewhere in the city..._

The small collective of a dozen Clones ran has fast as their stamina would allow as they tried to put as much distance between them and the invading Separatist forces as they could. Thier leader, a lieutenant, eventually called for a halt as they found themselves underneath a raised high rise, surrounded by pieces of rubble. They appeared to be hidden and safe for the moment.

"Did we lose 'em?" One of the troopers asked.

"I hope so." Another replied.

"Skipzone, do a thermal scan, make sure we're alone." The lieutenant ordered. The Clone technician in question nodded and withdrew a scanning device from his belt, the information relayed to devices within his helmet.

"How the hell'd they take us down like that? We were dug in harder than a krayt dragon." Another one of the troopers wondered aloud.

"It was The Wraith. That one-man monster slaughtered our support, I saw it all." Another answered him.

"That quickly?" The trooper remarked, sounding surprised. "Then... what chance do we stand alone?!"

"Calm down, trooper. The Seppies just wanted our position dismantled, they're likely not into finishing the job. They just wanted us gone." The lieutenant reassured him.

Unfortunately for him, he was about to be proven wrong. Everything these Clones were saying was being registered on Wraith's audio receptors as the cloaked super-soldier observed them from afar. He quickly took note of the lieutenant in question, sporting a decently-sized Republic insignia on the left of his chest plating. It would make for an easy target...

"Skipzone, were we followed?" The lieutenant asked his technician.

"I don't think so." The Clone replied, examining the last of the data his device was sending back. All it could register were him and his allies. "Scans report back negative. Sector is clear." Skipzone replied as he tucked the scanner away. Just as the Clones breathed a sigh of relief, the loud _CRACK_ of a slugthrower echoed around them and the Skipzone's head disintegrated in a shower of blood seconds later.

" _I'd reconsider that statement._ " Wraith growled as he deactivated his cloaker and made his presence known and advanced upon them. The Clones scrambled to do something... anything!

"Not clear! Not clear!" Another Clone cried, moments before Wraith ended him with a slug through the head.

" _Damn right._ " He growled. Drawing his second slugthrower, Wraith promptly down four more Clones with his slugs, their bodies torn open with blood sprays as the rounds blasted clean through them. One of the Clones, an assassin, quickly deployed his arm blades and charged Wraith, raking his blades across the super-soldier's armored arm and sending sparks flying. Wraith quickly sidestepped and backed away, stowing his weapons and triggering his own blades. " _Two can play that game._ " He rumbled. The two clashed, blades grinding together as the assassin boldly challenged the super-soldier.

"Run! I'll hold him!" He told his comrades. The Clones quickly made to evacuate the area, a move that did not go unnoticed by Wraith.

" _Oh no you don't!_ " He growled, stabbing the assassin clean through the torso. Turning around, he sheathed his blades and sent a series of throwing knives flying after the five remaining Clones. Two of them took knives to the back of the head and were killed instantly. The others took knives in the back, stumbling as they ran. Wraith quickly gave chase, drawing a pistol as he did. He executed one of them as the others, the lieutenant and another Clone, opened fire with their blasters. Wraith shot both blasters out of their hands before he promptly picked up the lieutenant and emptied six rounds into his gut before tossing him aside. Then he pitched him aside and shot the Clone beneath him twice in the gut, causing him even more pain.

" _Your battle is at an end._ " Wraith stated as he sheathed his pistol. " _Celanon returns to its rightful owners today._ " The Clone still had some life in him though, a sat up a little to regard the super-soldier towering over him.

"You can't kill us all... others will stop you..." He rasped in defiance.

" _And they will suffer the same fate as you._ " Wraith replied with a growl. Grabbing his head, he gave it a vicious twist and snapped his neck.

One down... one to go.

Leaving the body, Wraith stepped over to lieutenant and rolled him onto his back with his boot. The lieutenant lay gasping for air, his wounds severe. Wraith drew his pistol and got ready to end him.

" _Such flawed futility..._ " He muttered.

"What we do... we do for a reason..." The lieutenant replied.

" _A flawed reason, might I add._ " Wraith remarked, planting his boot on the lieutenants wounded gut and causing him to cringe in pain. " _Know that you died for nothing._ " Not to be deterred, the lieutenant gestured to the Republic emblem painted on his chest.

"This symbol... you may think it's nothing more than paint... but it represents something-" He started to say.

" _Yeah, a bullseye._ " Wraith promptly replied as he took aim and killed the Clone with a shot clean through the chest, a scorch mark burned dead center of the Republic insignia. Spinning his pistol around in his grip, Wraith holstered his weapon as he surveyed the dead Clones around him.

Mission accomplished.

But just as he was about to call in his success, a sudden searing flash ripped through his mind, forcing Wraith to stop everything and gather himself. It was the strangest feeling, something he had never experienced before... almost like an out-of-body experience, like he was being shown something or being taken somewhere.

" _What the hell was that...?_ " He muttered, attempting to discern what he'd just experienced. His comms suddenly crackled to life.

"Hey kid! Ya read me?" Durge called. Wraith immediately responded.

" _Loud and clear, Durge. What's the situation?_ "

"We're comin' up on the Republic's primary position... and we could use the extra firepower." The Gen'Dai general informed him.

" _Understood. Tell Dooku I've just finished mopping up those Clones and that I'm on my way._ " He reported, shutting off his comms and breaking into a run, shaking of that strange moment and mustering his senses to focus on what was to come.

The battle for Celanon was about to begin.

* * *

The resistance fighters led the Separatist army through the streets of Celanon City, making their way forward ever so cautiously, anticipating Clones of some kind to be lurking within the structurally safe high rises and ready to pounce on them with some manner of ambush. But the journey was smooth and safe, relatively boring by comparison to Wraith's assault on the small Clone detachment. All was about as peaceful as things could get in the middle of a war-torn city. That is, until they arrived at another courtyard, a large piece of square ground overshadowed by towering high-rises on all sides.

And within this courtyard lay the bulk of the Republic's defenses.

Legions upon legions of Clones stood ready to defend their territory, too many to count. The previous few engagements the Separatists had couldn't even compare to this.

This was where the real Republic army lay. And this was only part of the force, the rest of it spread out in a circle around their mobile command center.

With Dooku, Grievous and Durge in place behind a building, Khol and his team bid them farewell as they retreated back to secure the rest of their territory, the leaders ready to scout out the battlefield.

"That's a helluva lotta Clones." Durge commented, his multi-sensor optical units scanning the Clone army.

"It appears Wraith's conjecture has proven correct." Dooku stated. "The Republic is protecting itself, making it weak to our bold forward assault."

"We must attack quickly, before they send all of their forces against us!" Grievous rasped.

"In due time, General. We must wait for our super-soldier now." Dooku replied, knowing they absolutely needed Wraith in order to pull this off.

" _Then it's a good thing I'm here._ " Wraith announced, arriving beside them and crouching at the end, of their hiding place, next to Durge. " _What've we got?_ "

"An entire army that is ready for the slaughter." Dooku told him with a knowing grin.

" _Color me interested._ " Wraith remarked with a chuckle, drawing his carbine and arming it.

"You ain't afraid of all that, kid?" Durge wondered.

" _We can take them._ " Wraith replied. " _We have a renown Sith Lord and two of the galaxy's most dangerous warriors on our side._ " He added, emphasizing his great respect for his superiors. The confederacy leaders shared partially amused looks, but knew that Wraith's count was short one.

"Correction Wraith," Grevious said, his arms splitting into four as he drew his lightsabers, "we have a renown Sith Lord and _three_ of the galaxy's deadliest warriors on our side." Dooku nodded in agreement and he looked to the super-soldier as Durge engaged his carbine. Wraith shook his head in mild embarrassment, chuckling to himself.

" _I love my job!_ " He muttered under his breath.

"You are what I would deem the ideal soldier. I would gladly take command of an army just like you." Grievous continued.

" _Sorry General, but I'm limited edition._ " Wraith responded, knowing there was no other super-solider like him.

"An unfortunate reality."

"Make small-talk later, gentlemen. We have a world to liberate." Dooku interrupted, drawing his own lightsaber. "General Grievous, order our tanks to shell the Republic forces." He commanded the cyborg. Grievous did so and soon enough, the whistle of shells flying over head and the ensuing explosions kicked off the true battle for Celanon. The explosions sent Clones flying into the air as they detonated amongst the Republic army, sending Clones scrambling for cover and to take up defensive positions.

"Alright, I say we softened 'em up enough! I like to seem 'em squirm when I kill 'em!" Durge cackled with sadistic glee.

"Very well." Dooku replied and led the charge over the top.

" _Attack!_ " Wraith shouted as he joined them, carbine pressed into his shoulder as he unleashed a hail of laser fire. The Separatist forces began their push towards the Republic army as the Clones opened fire in response, red and blue blast bolts being trained back and forth with increasing frequency. Republic heavy defenses began to charge up, mounted turrets and cannons opening fire as they attempted to repel the invading battle droids. Wraith crouched behind a piece of rubble, carbine pressed into his shoulder as he trained his sights on the Clones. He had taken the lead in the fight, establishing a forward position in an effort to soften up the first line of Clones. " _As soon as one goes down, another takes their place!_ " He noted, blasting away with his carbine. It was true. There were so many Clones and the lines were so deep that they could easily hold their own unless the Separatists were able to cut deep and exploit some sort of weakness.

Maybe Wraith would have to spearhead the surge... and he hoped his armor was up to the challenge.

Leaping out over his cover, Wraith charged forward again, blitzing the Clones with rapid fire shots. The smoke and haze from repeated shell explosions were starting to cloud the area as Wraith and the Separatist leaders made a big push to try and overwhelm the Republic. Suddenly, another flash, just like before, ripped through his mind, causing him to pause and clutch his head. Shaking his head to try and clear his mind, Wraith felt like someone or something was attempting to connect with his mind.

"Come on kid!" Durge's exclamation shook him back to reality. Shrugging it off, Wraith booked it around the corner and joined the main assault, sprinting alongside his fellow Separatists. Suddenly the feeling came again, even stronger this time, and Wraith faltered in his step. Overcome by a horrific sensation, Wraith dropped his carbine and fell to the ground, feeling overwhelmed.

It was death. He knew it well, having caused it enough to know the innate sensation of what death 'felt' like.

Images flashed before his eyes, stemming seemingly from his mind, of someone dying. While at first blurry, they soon became vividly clear as the vision crystallized and Wraith watched in dismay as he witnessed a heart-wrenching sight. A single body fell to the ground, falling limp and refusing to stir. He recognized that outfit, that skin... those montrals. It was then that he came to a horrifying understanding.

Ahsoka had died.

Wraith doubled over onto his hands and knees, refusing to believe what he was seeing. It was like he was there, but the rubble-strewn ground beneath him was clearly that of Celanon. " _No... No..._ " He rasped, desperate to deny this reality. But somewhere, deep within him, he was convinced that Ahsoka was gone.

He felt like he was choking. Feverishly mashing the mouthguard release on the side of his head, Wraith gasped for air as his mouth and jaw were exposed, his hands clawing the ground as he fought to recover his senses as the vision continued to glare at him through his mind's eye. The battle around him became incoherent, turning into an indecipherable din of a variety of noises as everything save for this horrific moment was pushed from his mind. At some point, Dooku was by his side, as were Durge and a company of battle droids.

"Soldier? What's wrong?" He asked. Wraith didn't respond, too choked up to form a coherent sentence. Hot tears rolled down past the corners of his mouth as he struggled to find some level of sanity within his tormented mind.

But there was none to be found.

Somewhere, deep within him, he felt convinced of what he'd seen. No matter how hard he wanted to deny these images, he couldn't escape some deeply ingrained sense that he had seen the truth.

 _She's dead. She's dead. She's dead._ A voice deep in his soul repeated over and over again.

Wraith was on the verge of weeping, trapped between disbelief and total grief. Why now? Why, on this day of all days, was this happening to him? First the dark Ahsoka, now this? How had this happened? What had done this?

 _...Who_ had done this...?

Wraith suddenly turned cold, all emotion vanishing as that thought resonated with him. Someone had done this to her. Someone had killed her.

The lone thought was enough to spark a flurry of emotions within him. Shock, disbelief... and anger...

So. Much. Anger.

His rage swelled, exploding like an atomic bomb. His fists clenching tighter than a vise, a low growl escaped through his clenched teeth, his mind overwhelmed by sorrow and fury. It all happened so fast and so suddenly Wraith could barely comprehend what was happening. But he felt it all. He felt the sorrow, he felt the agony... and he felt the rage. The swirling, churning emotional vortex that had consumed his brain unlocked a part of him he'd never known before, like some hidden power was unleashed.

The Wraith was about to be unleashed.

The veins around his mouth became visible, glowing bright red as RGE-7 ignited with incredible ferocity. Reaching its peak in seconds, Wraith threw back his head and loosed a beastly roar as he felt a rage unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

"GrrAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

His emotional outburst unleashed a ripple through the Force in the form of a wave of intense, searing heat. Dooku stumbled backwards, feeling its intensity overwhelm him as Wraith succumbed to his rage.

"I've never felt this much anger before." Dooku breathed as Durge helped him up.

"The hell's wrong with him, sir?" The Gen'Dai wondered.

"It is rage, Durge. More than any Sith could ever muster. More, I believe, than any being has ever felt... ever." Dooku replied in a low voice. He could sense Wraith's powerful emotions through the Force... and they were unlike anything he'd ever sensed before. The RGE-7 triggered such an intense outburst of rage that it tripled Wraith's strength, fueled by the knowledge of Ahsoka's death. It shattered all previous possible outcomes and records, driving Wraith to an all new level of power as his rage reached critical mass. His blades slid over his hands as his mind was filled with a single thought: kill.

With a savage, beast-like growl, Wraith was on his feet and surging towards the Republic lines, sprinting like a man possessed. His breathing was shallow and heavy, his heart racing, pounding against the confines of his chest as he was driven to lash out at those closest to him. The Clones were firing at him, blaster rounds ricocheting off his body, striking him all over. Wraith barely felt them. He didn't care if they were shooting at them, he didn't care if they wounded him. All he felt was seething, boiling anger that demanded to be unleashed.

Lunging into the Republic frontlines with a roar, Wraith tore into the Clones as his ferocity exploded into a visceral reality. Hacking and slashing, ripping and tearing, Wraith butchered Clones left and right as he went on the warpath, his unstable emotions spilling out as he left a trail of bodies in his wake. He carved a bloody path deep into the Republic forces, cutting through Clone after Clone, pieces of white-armored limbs splattered with crimson hit the ground and flew through the air. He cut deep into their lines, tearing through the Clones without care or concern for his own safety. His actions, while questionable, allowed his allies the opportunity they needed.

"He's creating a gap in their defences..." Dooku realized. "Quickly! Follow him! Wraith is giving us our opening!" The droids gave chase in order to exploit the now-weakened Republic forces. Wraith continued his rampage, charging through the Clones like a wild beast, his blades swinging this way and that and mutilating bodies with every strike. He went berserk, driven to kill and destroy, the Clones feeling the full force of his wrath.

Little did he realize that, elsewhere in the galaxy, others were feeling it as well...

* * *

 _On Mortis..._

The ground cracked and shook, columns of fire shooting forth from the ground and reaching high into the sky. The shaking was so violent it managed to fling Obi-Wan, Anakin, the Son, the Daughter and the Father to the ground, the dagger skittering away from the Son's grip. The air around them suddenly grew hot and heavy, like they were in the midst of a raging fire.

"The Dark Side... it's so... strong...!" Obi-Wan struggled to say. There was only one explanation for this, the Light would never be able to bring about sensations like this.

"It... It feels like... an inferno...!" Anakin rasped as his senses were overwhelmed by a surging heat. Both Jedi could tell that someone was causing this.

"Such anger... Such intense... rage..." the Father muttered, feeling it too.

"How... How is this... happening?" Obi-Wan asked, crawling to his hands and knees.

"Someone is... causing this..." Anakin realized. "But... who? I thought... the Dark Side was... cold?"

"Oh my." The Son muttered, still on the ground. Being the literal embodiment of the Dark Side, he could feel and determine these sensations more than the Jedi could. "Someone cared so deeply for her, knowledge of her death has sparked great rage within them." He realized, looking at Ahsoka's pale, unmoving body. He looked up at the two Jedi. "This is a rage born of passion..."

"But who else cares so much for her?" Obi-Wan wondered, struggling to rise. A sudden thought came to Anakin.

"You don't think that-?" He started to say before, as if to answer his question, a flashing above drew their collective attention skyward.

There, illuminated in the sky, stood a pair of blazing red lights set in a cloud shaped like Wraith's helmet and appearing much like his crimson optics...

* * *

Tearing through Clone after Clone, Wraith rammed through the Republic lines like an infuriated reek on a stampede, not caring who was in his way and only caring about causing as much carnage as possible. The Clones eventually gave away, their lines broken and a bloody, innard-strewn path left behind. A Mon Calamari Jedi, wielding a green lightsaber, stood before him now, waving his blade this way and that as he warded off incoming fire. He caught sight of Wraith and the two locked gazes as the super-soldier determined his next victim. Charging ahead, breath coming in heavy, heaving snorts like an animal, Wraith managed to commando roll under a piece of debris the Jedi had picked up and thrown at him, only to spring back up and drive his blade deep into the Jedi's exposed torso. " _Die!_ " He growled, tearing his blade free and stabbing the Jedi in the back as he maneuvered around him. " _Die!_ " The Mon Cala hit the ground, coughing up blood as Wraith drove another sword through his back. The super-soldier then hoisted the impaled body over his head. " _DIE!_ " He roared, tearing the Jedi in two with his brute strength. Blood showered him as the two halves of the carcass his the ground, explosions suddenly erupting all around him as lucky tank shells from the Separatists destroyed mobile cannon embankments around him. Wraith stood tall, shoulders heaving as he watched his allies cleave the Republic army in two, sending the Clones scrambling as their defence was broken. The sudden surge of rage died down, the red glow retreating from his face as clarity returned to Wraith. He closed his mouth guard and sank to one knee, fighting off the sick feeling welling in his stomach as he returned to normal. But he could not shake what he'd seen in his mind.

Nor could he ignore the dark and horrible truth that had been revealed to him.

"Damn, kid, that was impressive!" Durge cackled, coming into his view. He was carrying his discarded carbine. "You and I oughtta do this more often, the Republic won't last a day with us on the warpath." He remarked, tossing Wraith his weapon. The soldier caught it and half-heartedly slung it over his back.

" _Agreed._ " Wraith panted, regaining his breath. Shaking his head a little as he tried to regain his composure, Wraith felt hollow inside. Like a part of him was missing. Dooku appeared next, walking right up to the super-soldier as Grievous ordered his droids to cover the area.

"What happened just now, Soldier?" He asked in questioning tone. Wraith knew he couldn't tell him the truth, deciding to fake ignorance.

" _To be honest, sir, I don't know._ " He replied. " _It was all so... sudden._ " Dooku nodded thoughtfully, folding his arms behind his back.

"I am aware of the enhancements Doctor Scipio has infused you with. Perhaps it would be wise to speak with him about this." He recommended. Wraith nodded in agreement.

" _And I will. Once this is over._ " He answered, standing up. Dooku then turned to Durge.

"We have broken through this line, but the battle is not yet over. We must now destroy their command center." He stated.

"Behind that shield, right?"

"Indeed. The Republic have positioned themselves quite well." Dooku continued, drawing a holoprojector and switching on a holographic render of the Republic command retrieved by the resistance. "They are surrounded by multiple high-rises, defended by multiple barricades and a deflector shield generator." He explained, the holomap highlighting the various structures surrounding the mobile command center.

" _Vaguely reminds me of General Loathsome's assault on Christophsis._ " Wraith mused as he crossed his arms.

"With such a defensive measure, our tanks cannot successfully shell their position and any droids we send through it will likely be cut down before they can deal any real damage." Dooku added.

"Guess our only option is to shut it down." Durge stated, hefting his carbine over his shoulder.

"Fortunately, the actual generator is several streets over, a good distance away from the command center." Dooku continued, putting the device away.

" _Then the obvious solution would be to draw their attention away from the generator while a sabotage party takes care it._ " Wraith determined. Dooku nodded in approval.

"Good to see your brain is still with us, Soldier." He commented. "We will send a detachment of droids to go and deal with the generator while the rest of us attack them directly. We can only hope that they'll have it down before the rest of the Republic army arrives to drive us off." Wraith dwelt on Dooku's plan for a moment before realizing that it was not efficient enough for what they were trying to do. With the Republic alerted and their defence broken, Wraith deemed the next response to be like that of a wounded animal: to protect itself at all costs. They would need speed, more hit-and-run than sabotage. There was only one logical path to follow, regardless of how the rest of them felt about it.

" _No._ " He said, contradicting Dooku. The Count turned to him with a raised eyebrow, curious as to what he had in mind. " _Send me. You'll need all the droids you can get to keep them occupied. I'll get the job done._ " He told him, revealing his own plan.

"Are you sure you're up to the task?" Dooku questioned, his faith in Wraith's stability less than optimal after his recent random outburst. Wraith stepped closer to him.

" _If not my words, then let my actions prove myself capable._ " He quietly responded. Dooku paused and considered this option. While he was wary of Wraith's apparent 'malfunction' he was also aware that there was no one better to hand this task to. He knew Wraith could be trusted, regardless of his physical condition.

Besides, time was not on their side. It might be against his better judgement, but it was the correct path.

"Very well. Go." He finally answered. Wraith nodded, turned and started running, having memorized the location of the generator. "The rest of us will go the opposite way and draw the Republic's attention." Dooku stated aloud, Durge making to follow him as the droid army went on the move once more.

Tromping over the Clone position, the Separatists advanced deep into the Republic's territory, Grievous and his advanced droids slaying a few of the scattered Clones fleeing the scene of their defeat. They moved quickly at double their pace, following the retreating Clone troopers back to the core of their territory. Their tanks flanked them from behind, ensuring that their approach went undisturbed by any follow-up assaults. The metal army marched down the rubble-strewn streets in row formation, a mighty and imposing force that trod onwards under the many high rises of Celanon city.

And then, rounding a bend, they found it. A wall of impenetrable blue energy, protecting a battalion of Clone troopers.

The white clad Clones opened fire the instant the battle droids came into their field of blue, destroying an entire line of them with a hail of laser fire. Dooku and Grievous immediate took up a defence, lightsabers drawn and spinning as they deflected blaster bolts right and left, Durge laying down cover fire as he took to the air, only to have his rounds harmlessly deflected off the shield.

"Aw, come on!" He grumbled.

"Quickly! Get to cover!" Dooku ordered, sidestepping over the low-overhang of a nearby building. Grievous did the same on the opposite side of the street, Durge touching down and moving to Dooku's side.

"All droids, continue the assault! Get behind the shield!" Grievous ordered. He knew it was a suicide mission, but they needed to keep the Republic's attention on them. Besides, droid were replaceable, hardly worthy of any sentimental value. The battle droids continued their relentless assault, drawing closer but still being felled in droves.

"Boss, there any gettin' past this thing?" Durge wondered, reloading his carbine.

"No Durge. And the longer we wait, the closer Republic reinforcements draw." Dooku gravely replied, knowing that if they kept this up, Celanon would not be won back this day. "Our hope lies with Wraith now."

* * *

Sprinting headlong down another street, Wraith was moving nearly his top speed as he invested all of his energy into this mission. He vaulted over pieces of rubble and slid under others, a man truly on a mission. The Separatists were counting on him now and he had no intention of disappointing them. A furious passion to win the day had flooded his veins, he felt driven to achieve victory. If he could not even save...

No. He dared not go there.

The buildings around him past by, blurring together. The blue wall of the energy shield came into view, reaching high into the sky, almost as tall as the buildings around it. Drawing a blaster pistol, Wraith charged into the protected zone, anticipating a fight. Mere minutes after he entered, he gunned down a trio of unsuspecting Clones, the first of many around the generator. He charged onwards, hellbent on destroying the generator, gunning down more Clones as he rushed ahead, moving and shooting simultaneously as his urban combat training kicked in hard. He needed to hit-and-run this objective, there was no time to waste. As he rounded a bend in the street, he found his objective within a plaza; a large conical piece of technology mounted atop a pile of rubble and shooting a blue beam into the sky... and guarded by nearly a dozen Clones. Wraith powered up his personal shield and drew his second pistol as they charged towards them, his charging form quickly spotted by the defending Clones. One of them cried out in warning and opened fire, the others quickly followed suit, some kneeling and some standing as they unleashed a barrage of blaster fire upon him. But the rounds were quickly absorbed by Wraith's shield and he continued unhindered, blasting away at the Clones. The fell, one by one, none of them standing a chance against his superior aim, their bodies pitched away by plasma-infused blaster rounds. He rushed right up to their numbers, stowing his pistols and triggering his blades as he hacked the remaining Clones to pieces, their blood splattering across the grey pieces of building littering the ground. As the last one hit the ground, a large, bloody wound torn in his armor, Wraith set to work on the machine. His blades disappearing with a metallic ring, the super-soldier quickly analyzed the solid design of the generator through his optics. Unlike most generators, there was no typical external access system from which one could shut it down. Usually there was some kind of keypad or lever in place to allow for shutdown and startup sequences. But in this instance, the entire generator was covered in pieces of thick metal plating, all of it interlocking without a single panel in sight.

" _Blasterproof casing... they anticipated sabotage._ " He mused, kneeling next to the generator and spying a tiny access port designed for datapads and select holoprojectors. " _Doesn't mean I can't hack it though._ " He continued, withdrawing a few access cables from his gauntlet and plugging them in. He quickly began cycling through the controls of his gauntlets, engaging the shutdown sequence. It was complicated and methodical, obviously designed to keep any average technician from accessing it. The Republic wanted their defences to last as long as possible.

But did they have The Wraith in mind when they designed it?

The super-soldier's fingers flew across the holographic controls, swiping and pressing as he unlocked the generators system options and began to remove the programs that were blocking his way. To himself, Wraith found it quite remarkable that he was able to focus despite the trauma he'd just endured.

Then again, maybe he needed to get buried in his work... if only to force the memories from his mind.

As he continued to work, his comms crackled to life.

"Wraith, we have arrived at the edge of the Republic base. We need that shield down." Dooku informed him.

" _I'm working on it now._ " He quickly reported, finalizing the shutdown sequence. With the last of the Republic failsafes out of the way, the generator was his to access. " _Alright... I'll have the shield down-AARRGH!_ " He started to say when a sudden explosive shot knocked him off his knees and sent him tumbling across the ground. His armor glowed as the remnants of the artillery round sizzled and smoked where it had struck him, a blackened wound torn deep into his side. Wraith growled and groaned as he fought to recalibrate, his gauntlet's systems torn away from the generator during the blast. He wasn't quite sure what state it would be in, but he needed to assess things quickly. Looking up, Wraith saw to his dismay a group of Clone troopers advancing on the generator, led by three blaze troopers.

And one of them was pointing a smoking cannon at him, looking like it had been ripped off an AT-TE and fitted in the place of his flamethrower.

" _No..._ " he growled, rolling onto his back, " _not one of them._ "

"Get that shield secure, we've got this." He told his brothers. A technician Clone quickly went to work on the generator as the blaze troopers surrounded Wraith, the lead one aiming his weapon right at Wraith's head. "Had a feelin' you were gonna be here. That's why they called us to make sure this shield stays up." The Clone remarked. The super-soldier didn't dare move, quickly working to come up with a plan. With three blaze troopers surrounding him, there would be no easy way out of this. "You eyein' my piece, Bucket-head?" The blaze trooper wondered in a cocky tone, ready to show off his piece of equipment. "It's a special shell cannon, designed to take out the likes of you." He explained, a dull blue glow charging up way at the end of the barrel. "You're not gettin' Celanon today, or any day for that matter!"

"Wraith? Wraith, come in." Dooku's voice resounded through his audio receptors. "We need that shield down now!"

" _What makes you so certain?_ " Wraith replied.

"You're surrounded, with no chance of gettin' up. I'd say that means we win." The blaze trooper replied. Wraith managed a chuckle in response.

" _You really are as dumb as you look._ " He growled. Suddenly rolling to the side, Wraith drew his slug pistols and shot the knees out of the blaze troopers behind him before leaping to his feet and ducking just in time as the barrel of the other trooper's cannon missed his head by inches. He lept forward and somersaulted over the blaze trooper, shooting him in the back and igniting his jet pack, creating a rather spectacular flash of flame as the round penetrated the fuel cell. Landing on his feet, Wraith shrugged off the pain in his side and gunned down the technician near the shield generator, his head exploding in a shower of blood. Charging back up the pile of rubble, Wraith shot each and every Clone in sight, the ones further away being his primary targets. A nearby trooper rushed him with the butt of his rifle, but Wraith turned and blocked his incoming blow with one arm before emptying two slugs into his torso, leaving a bloody mess behind. " _Shield coming down now, sir!_ " Wraith stated through his comms as he sheathed his pistols and got to work on the generator again.

* * *

On the far side of the Republic position, the droid husks were starting to pile up as the Clones continued to mow them down. They hadn't yet penetrated the forcefield, leaving the higher-ups to simply stand by and wait for Wraith to announce his completion. But some of them were growing worried.

"Boss, when we get through that shield... we gonna have enough droids to finish the job?" Durge wondered.

"I have thought about that and I believe I have a swift and terrible end for them in mind." Dooku replied. He then contacted the cyborg General. "Grievous, contact the Invisible Hand and have a squadron of bombers make for our position." He ordered.

"Now?"

"Yes, now. Wraith will have that shield down in time." Dooku answered, his faith in the super-soldier small but present.

"But what if he doesn't?" Durge asked, pressing for an answer to the alternate outcome.

"He will." Dooku solemnly declared.

* * *

Wraith fiddled with the controls for the generator, attempting to swiftly undo the work of the Clone technician, when loud footsteps to his left signalled trouble. The three blaze troopers had gotten to their feet and were charging him again, one of them looking blackened and significantly worse for wear.

But his cannon was still intact.

Wraith quickly turned, drew his slugthrower and fired two rounds that killed the lagging troopers with quick headshots. But the other trooper managed to bash him into the generator was his broad forearm, forcing him to drop his weapon. Another heavy punch staggered Wraith before the trooper quite literally threw him off the generator, before taking aim and firing a quick shot with his cannon that collided with Wraith and sent him flying, smoke and bits of armor trailing behind him. Wraith came to a sudden halt as his body slammed into a nearby pile of debris and he roared in pain as three pieces of metal rebar speared clean through his body, two through his left thigh and another through his side, somehow bypassing his jacket. Wraith struggled to recover, gripping the metal pieces as his blood flowed from the fresh wounds. The injured blaze trooper advanced upon him, cannon raised and ready to deliver another shot.

"I've got you now, you kriffing slagger..." he growled. Wraith tried to move but found himself stuck, pain surging through his body every time he tried to lift himself off the debris.

Perhaps this was it. Perhaps this was how he met his end.

The Clone's arm cannon charged up bright blue, ready to deliver the final blow. Wraith wondered for a fleeting moment if these feelings were similar to what Ahsoka felt, right before her oppressor-

"Wraith! If you can hear me, we have bombers en route! If you cannot shut down the shield, this will be the end of Celanon!" Dooku exclaimed over his comms.

No. No... today was not the day. _Nor would any other day!_

The sudden thought sent a burst of mixed adrenaline and rage surging through Wraith's veins, dulling his pain receptors and giving him the strength to push off with a roar, the bloody rebar leaving his body. Racing forward, the super-soldier grabbed the Clone's arm by the hand and promptly tore his hand in two, the blade trooper screaming in agony as Wraith ditched the fleshy pieces, triggered his blade and promptly sliced his cannon to pieces before cleaving his helmeted head in two. The trooper fell dead as Wraith dropped to one knee, the adrenaline rush dying down as pain surged through his wounded limb. Wraith fought for clarity, a turbulent swell of emotions overcoming him as he tried to escape the images he'd conjured. He needed to get up, to get going. But how? He felt weak, he felt incapable. If he couldn't even save her how could he save anyone else.

But somewhere, deep within him, he found the strength to do what he'd been made to do: overcome.

He would win this day. And he would win every day.

For her.

With a shout, Wraith forced himself to a standing position, putting pressure on his leg. As blood streamed down and the pain registered, Wraith pushed past it all as he limped back over to the generator, clutching his wounded side. He slowly climbed up the pile of rubble one more time, dragging his leg over the uneven surfaces. As he approached the generator, he realized his run-in with the blaze trooper had dented the armor plating around it, giving him access to the machine's very innards.

He had a chance now.

Hobbling over and grabbing hold of the plating, Wraith began to tear it open with whatever strength he could muster. The very components of the machine were revealed to him as the plating was removed, giving Wraith an idea.

* * *

The roar of the incoming Hyena Bombers was loud enough to be heard over the din of battle. Dooku turned to see the group streaking in low and fast down the street, heading for the still-protected Republic position.

"Any time now, kid!" Durge shouted into his comms.

* * *

Wraith quickly fixed five of his explosive disks to the shield generator, setting them on their shortest timer and their highest explosive setting. He took a step back as they began to count down.

" _Time to light things up..._ " He rumbled, turning and hobbling away as quickly as he could. Seconds later, the disks detonated and the machine was lit up in a cloud of pure fire, the immense explosion pitching Wraith into the air as the shockwave sent him flying. He crashed into the ground and sprawled out, feeling utterly spent. But looking up, he saw the beam vanish and the shield begin it dissipate, holes growing larger all over the surface of the energy.

Dooku, Durge and Grievous looked on as the forcefield shut down, disrupted by the sudden lack of origin as the generator was destroyed. The Hyena Bombers swooped in moments later, dropping a deadly payload on the exposed Republic forces. A colossal explosion rocked their lines, pitching Clones and debris everywhere as the mobile command center was obliterated.

"Hoo-rah!" Durge shouted victoriously. "You did it kid! The Republic is history!"

"Job well done, soldier." Dooku remarked, a slight grin on his face.

Wraith heard it all through his comms and was satisfied knowing he'd helped win the day. He certainly bore the scars of battle; his armor was dented and scratched, chipped and scorched. And yet in spite of his wounds, he was victorious. Never wavering, never faltering.

'Give up' was not in his vocabulary.

But right now, he just wanted to lie there for a while.

"Yahoo..." he muttered.

* * *

 _Later that day, aboard the Dominance..._

Scipio took his time as he scanned over a bandaged Wraith with his medical sensors, ensuring every puncture and every burn was on its way to nonexistence.

"I'll admit, the close-quarters cannonfire was unexpected. Remind me to revamp the molecular structure of your armor next time." The Pau'an mused.

"You can do that?" Wraith wondered, sounding distant.

"If I bond raw phrik with other metals to create a superior alloy, it should withstand an explosion that close just fine." The doctor replied, making some notes on a datapad. "But apart from that anecdote, you appear to be just fine..."

"Good." Wraith rumbled as he sat up.

"Physically speaking." Scipio continued. "How are you mentally? That was quite the uphill endurance run." Wraith said nothing for a moment, rolling his shoulders as he tried to both act and sound normal. He hadn't made mention of his sudden and uncontrolled outburst, nor did he want to.

"Just fine." Wraith replied. "Never better."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, Doc. Really." Wraith assured him. Scipio shrugged.

"If you insist. But if I find out otherwise..." He added.

"You won't." The super-soldier rumbled, making to leave the lab. "I just need some sleep is all."

"Ah, the best medication." Scipio agreed. With him satisfied, Wraith returned to his own personal quarters and sealed the door behind him, heaving a deep sigh as he did.

He felt so cold... and alone.

Walking over to his bed, Wraith picked up the case of Corellian Brandy one of the gracious Celanonians had given him after the battle and pulled one free. He popped the top and took a long swig, the burning in his throat reminding him he was alive.

Even though he wished this was all a bad dream he could wake up from.

Breathing deeply, Wraith tried to clear his mind with another swig from the bottle... but all he could think about was the death of Ahsoka. The image had been seared into his mind, a permenant horror to haunt the rest of his days. Leaning against the nearest wall, Wraith slowly sank to a seated position, despair and despondency sinking in faster than he'd like. He took another swig, hoping to burn the moment from his memory. He knew his metabolism was revved up to the point where he couldn't get drunk, but maybe the taste and scent of the brandy might be enough. In a last ditch effort, he tried in vain to pluck up his hopes and believe he had seen nothing. But somehow he knew in his heart of hearts that Ahsoka was gone.

She had died... and he had been powerless to do anything about it.

As far as he was concerned, The Wraith had failed his greatest mission.


	74. Wraith's Log: Entry 11

Wraith's Log: Entry 11

 _..._

" _Where do I even start...?"_

 _..._

" _Celanon was... a victory. For the greater good, I suppose. But... at the same time, I fear it will be an experience that will haunt me forever."_

 _..._

" _I feel the immense urge to get my feelings out there, if only to try and... vent the tumultuous emotions that threaten to tear my mind apart. I-I don't know what else to think or do. Did I really see that?"_

 _..._

" _And what even was that? How... H-How did I see it? I don't understand, I-I have so many questions... and no one I can ask."_

 _..._

 _*sigh*_

 _..._

 _*glug glug glug*_

" _And yet I cannot shake this feeling... this deep, innate feeling that what I've seen is real. And to that end I... I-I..."_

 _..._

" _What more can I do? What more can I say? I've lost her."_

 _..._

" _What I would give to be able to see her one last time. To hold her, to... t-t-to comfort her. To tell her how much I truly and honestly... lo... l-l-lov..."_

 _..._

 _*sigh*_

 _..._

 _*sniff*_

" _She's dead. She's gone... and I could do nothing. All I have is this blasted drink and..."_

 _..._

 _..._

 _*smash* "DAMMIT ALL!"_

 _..._

 _..._

" _I... I don't..."_

 _..._

 _..._

 _*SOB*_

 _..._

End of Log


	75. Welcome to the Party

**Author's Note: 300 favourites/followers apiece?! Y'all really are the best! So to celebrate, here's another chapter! It's short but, let's face it, that last one was a monster.**

* * *

-Chapter 43: Welcome to the Party-

Location: The Dominance

"The company you keep says more than words ever will."

Celanon had been retaken. The Separatists had won a great battle and the people who allied with them rejoiced, believing that the cause they'd signed up for was truly with them and willing to go the lengths to protect and fight for them.

But The Wraith was depressed.

Ever since that fateful vision, the super-soldier had never been the same. He'd done his best to push on, to try and bury himself in his job of death and destruction, but he still could not escape the agony of that moment. He tried to convince himself otherwise, but there was no denying the innate sense of truth he felt. He finally tried to forget about the whole affair, but there was no escaping the images that had been seared into his mind.

He told no one about his sorrow for fear of whatever investigation or inquisition his superiors might launch against him. He kept his thoughts to himself, doing his best to act normal in spite of his grief. But this was beginning to grow taxing. He had no time to himself in order to properly process his feelings, nor was there an able ear for him to lean on and vent to.

He felt cold... and alone.

At the moment he was off on assignment, waging war against the Republic as he was designed to do. He kept his feelings to himself, attempting to vent upon hapless Clones and any other unfortunate soul who dared cross him. But elsewhere, aboard the Dominance, Doctor Pomel Scipio sat by himself, scrolling through datapads as he continued to recover. He was certainly on the mend, improving each day, but was not quite fully healed. He therefore took things easy, only exerting himself when Wraith required more immediate attention.

But in the midst of his silent reading, a call came in that would signal the beginning of a change.

The nearby holotable chirped, indicating an incoming call. Scipio set down his reading and stood, shuffling over to the device to answer the call. A holographic render of Count Dooku sprung to life moments later.

"Doctor. How fare you?" He asked in greeting.

"Slow, my lord. But I'm getting better every day." The Pau'an courteously replied.

"And your creation?"

"Just fine, sir. After minor adjustments, he's performing at peak capacity once more." Scipio reported. "He is off on assignment right now, as per your directive." Dooku nodded in acknowledgment, pleased that Wraith's minor 'glitch' on Celanon had been apparently solved.

"That is good to hear. However, my call today does not concern him but, rather, someone else. In preparation for the future, I have scheduled a new Fleet Admiral to take up residence aboard the Dominance. I've called to inform you that they will be arriving very soon." He revealed. This was brand new information to Scipio, who took the revelation in stride.

"Then we shall await them with eager anticipation." He responded. "Erm... Might I inquire whom this admiral is?" He wondered.

"Someone well-suited for the task at hand. As for who exactly, I have forwarded you a personnel file that will give you the full details. I must go now, but please ensure Wraith is also informed of this." Dooku replied, indicating this was to be brief and not drawn out.

"It will be my topmost priority, my lord." Scipio answered with a bow. The communication coming to an end, Scipio immediately began to sort through the incoming files received by the holotable until he found the exact personnel report and pulled it up. Taking a seat, Scipio leaned back and started reading. "Let's see here... Fleet Admiral Sereva..."

* * *

 _Later that day..._

Scipio stood tall with his hands folded in front of him, waiting patiently in one of the many hangars of the Dominance. Prior to his arrival down here, Wraith had reported in with success in his mission to aid advancing Separatist forces and was now returning to his base of operations.

But he would not be the only individual arriving.

With Dooku's transmission correlating with the suggested day of arrival, Scipio was also anticipating the arrival of the new fleet admiral. He knew who it was and what they had been doing during the Clone Wars, but had yet to see them or meet them in person. As he stood there, he was accompanied by a technician droid sporting blue markings.

"Uh, are you sure that the admiral is coming today?" It wondered out loud.

"But of course! Count Dooku said so himself." Scipio replied, fully believing in the Count's words.

"But... what if they don't show up?" The droid asked.

"Then at least I'll be here to welcome Wraith back from his mission." Scipio responded, knowing he at least had a second reason to be standing here.

"I don't know... shouldn't you call them and make sure they're coming?"

"Now why would I do that?"

"What if they were delayed?"

"Then I will find out eventually... now no more silly questions, you bucket of bolts!" Scipio finally silenced him. As he did, a Sheathipede-class shuttle, done up in Separatist markings, began approaching the hangar's entrance. "There, you see? What did I tell you?" Scipio remarked, pointing to the ship.

"Alright, alright. I'll go wave it in." The droid relented, sauntering off to help the shuttle land. Satisfied, Scipio straightened up with a little grinned and watched as the shuttle made a one-hundred and eighty degree turn, it's landing legs spreading and deploying as the ship touched down on the metal floor. Scipio took a few slow steps forward as the exit door slid open and the boarding ramp slid out, reaching down to the ground. The Pau'an waited and, shortly, a figure descended down the boarding ramp and out stepped a Twi'lek woman moments later, looking smartly dressed in a dark blue naval officer's uniform. But this was no ordinary Twi'lek, the red pigmentation of her skin denoting her a member of the somewhat rare Lethan Twi'leks. A true distinction if ever Scipio had seen one.

The Twi'lek's bright green eyes remained fixed ahead, a cool, all-business, professional look in her gaze as she surveyed the ship's hangar with quick, momentary glances. She was about the same height as Scipio and the shape of her body was virtually identical to other female Twi'leks; curvy and shapely, perfect and beautiful in ever sense of the word.

But this Twi'lek was elegant in another way. Her full-body uniform gave her a rather regal quality, a distinct and unique appearance by comparison to the rather revealing outfits other women of her species often wore. Twi'lek women were known the galaxy over for their natural beauty and their physical attributes males of every species found appealing. But this Lethan Twi'lek seemed the exact opposite, preferring to make a statement with who she was over how she looked.

And Doctor Scipio knew exactly who she was.

The Twi'lek came over to him, walking at a determined, military pace and Scipio gave a quick nod of acknowledgement.

"You must be Fleet Admiral Sereva Shak." He began. The Twi'lek nodded.

"I am. And you must be the other 'organic' Count Dooku told me about." She replied, not knowing his name. Scipio gave another nod.

"One of two, ma'am. I am the caretaker, equipper and chief medical specialist for Project Sunstorm. Or, as most know him, The Wraith. My name is Doctor Pomel Scipio." He responded.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Doctor." Sereva cordially greeted.

"Likewise. I understand you willing be setting up shop here on the Dominance."

"Yes. That is the plan."

"If I may, have you much experience in mass ship command?" Scipio inquired, wishing to know more about their esteemed guest.

"Enough to warrant me this position." Sereva replied with a vaguely sarcastic tone. "I graduated the Separatist Naval Academy, commanded several frigates and even a few small battlegroups." She explained. "But this is my first time commanding such impressive ships like this Subjugator. I have spent most of my time on destroyers and cruisers. My most recent engagement was the battle of Sullust, where I was in command of a Munificent-class ship."

"Ah yes, I heard about that one. I personally would've loved to have seen the Resolute go up in flames as it did." Scipio commented. While the Separatists had lost Asajj Ventress, the destruction of Anakin Skywalker's cruiser helped ease the pain of loss.

"It was a victory for us all in that sense." Sereva agreed before moving on. "I understand there is to be one more, shall we say 'passenger' aboard this ship?" She asked in a buisness-tone.

"Indeed. Which brings me to the reason for my being here. You see, he recently radioed me and informed me he was on his way back, hence my presence awaiting his return." Scipio informed her, explaining the other reason for his presence. As he did, the hum of engines from an arriving craft signalled the arrival of another individual. "Speaking of which... right on schedule." He mused, turning to face the arriving Aka'jor shuttle. The twin wings of the shuttle rotated up as the craft touched down and the engines powered down, the landing ramp extending out and allowing Wraith to disembark a few moments later. Both Sereva and Scipio could see that the tails of his jacket were covered in mud and his boots, up to the knees, were caked with dried mud as well. Brown splatters dotted his jacket, mixing with the dark red blood also adorning his armor.

" _Next time, I'm taking a speeder to that mudball. I hate slogging around in the dirt like that._ " He remarked aloud as he approached the two of them.

"Well that answers one of my questions." Scipio mused, about to ask how things had gone. He gestured to the Twi'lek next. "Wraith, this is-"

" _Admiral Shak._ " Wraith observed in greeting. Scipio was taken aback but it was Sereva who spoke next.

"You know me, soldier?" She wondered.

" _I've read your file. The tactics you employed during the battles of Excarga and Thustra were quite impressive._ " Wraith replied, folding his arms behind him. Scipio arched his brow.

"You've been doing some research without me, my boy?" He asked.

"Excarga was my first engagement and a fairly famous battle." Sereva clarified. "Back then I was a mere junior officer serving aboard a frigate. The bridge was destroyed during the fight and I was the sole commanding officer to survive. I took control and kept the ship in the fight for as long as I could." She told him.

" _Thustra was when you started to flex your stuff._ " Wraith added. Sereva mulled that statement over, having never been referred to with such terms.

"If you wish to put it that way. Thustra was my first opportunity to command a ship. We were losing pretty bad, but after we started to outsmart the Republic the battle turned in our favor." She replied.

" _We gave the Sephi what they wanted and the Republic a black eye in the process._ " Wraith said, crossing his arms. The Twi'lek cocked her head.

"Were you involved at all, soldier?" She asked.

" _Only in the aftermath. I helped secure Sephi territory and eliminate Republic holdouts._ " The super-soldier explained.

"So, Admiral, what exactly brings you here to the Dominance?" Scipio inquired, Dooku having neglected to give him any specific details, only telling him who and when she was coming.

"Count Dooku has picked me to oversee these Subjugator warships and the fleet they comprise. Says they're going to be part of a major engagement and he wants me in charge of the naval component." Sereva replied, straightening up and looking as professional as she possibly could. But as she did, her green eyes started roaming up and down Wraith's body, analyzing his tall, broad and intimidating appearance. She, like many, had heard about the famed super-soldier and his exploits, but only now was getting to meet him in person.

She could see the stories about him were true. And she was starting to wonder what else about him was true. Sereva got the feeling the two of them would be spending a lot of time together... not like that was a bad thing. A legendary assault trooper and an experienced fleet admiral working side by side would make for quite the combination.

It was something she was privately, looking, forward to.

"The Dominance has been selected to be the flagship of this new fleet, hence the reason for my coming here. My understanding is that this ship also serves as your base of operations." She said, addressing Wraith.

"Indeed. Count Dooku has had an entire floor sectioned off and dedicated to I and The Wraith." Scipio responded, quite proud of the fact.

"Well, just so we're clear, this is still a Separatist naval vessel."

" _And I am a valuable member of the Separatist military. Together, we both serve the CIS._ " Wraith interjected. " _You needn't worry about a thing, Admiral. I'm sure we'll get along just fine._ " He reassured her. Sereva nodded. Such open intentions were good to hear, but only time would tell as they adjusted to working alongside one another. " _If you'll pardon me, I must wind down after that taxing engagement._ " Wraith stated, excusing himself. Without another word, he turned to go, walking through the hangar as Scipio and the Admiral watched him go, the metallic clanking of his metal boots on the floor echoing loudly.

"I must say, his first impressions are best made with his figure." Sereva commented.

"Wraith has always been a 'to the point' person. For the first few months or so of his work he never said a word." Scipio agreed. "His presence has been refined to a point where his very arrival speaks volumes. I've witnessed the toughest of men begin to tremble just becuase they've laid eyes on him."

"I've heard the stories..."

"Rest assured, my dear Admiral, they are all true." Scipio told her. "But between you and me, he has seemed just a tiny bit off ever since he returned from Celanon." He added in a low voice. Sereva turned to him with a rather surprised look in her eyes.

"Celanon? From my understanding that was quite the fight." Scipio nodded.

"So it was. Wraith returned bearing several scars from that day." He said, having no idea his creation was also bearing several mental and emotional ones as well. "I suppose he'll get over it. He'll have to, really. The fires of war continue to burn and we need him to keep pouring on fuel. That is his job after all."

"A man purely bred for war." Sereva quietly mused, dwelling on the very concept of The Wraith. "Almost like a Clone."

"But he's so much more than a Clone, for he can do something Clones cannot," Scipio remarked, turning to her with a smile, "win."

* * *

 _Elsewhere..._

Within the dimly lit office of the Supreme Chancellor, illuminated only by the setting sun, Chancellor Palpatine sat in meeting with another individual, flanked by Chairman Mas Amedda. A rough-looking human, with brawny shoulders, dark skin, thick muttonchops on his cheeks and scars all over his exposed arms and upper chest. He wore a leather vest, one sporting a few metal insignias, symbolic trophies from his past. He sat relaxed, legs crossed, arms splayed out across the back of the chair and the glowing end of a cigarette in his mouth, acting like he cared little for the fact he was in the presence of the Supreme Chancellor.

"We've come to the conclusion that the Clone Army is best-suited for conventional enemies. And our current problem is one that is most... unconventional to say the least." Palpatine was saying.

"So that's why ya called me." The human replied in a thick accent, taking his cigarette between two fingers.

"Your organization has a history of getting the job done." The Chancellor continued, indicating his knowledge of who this man was and who he worked for.

"For the right price." The man interjected.

"Of course." Palaptine added.

"True enough though. My men an' I can make any army look like a bunch of stick-throwin' natives." The human continued, examining his dwindling cigarette as he stated this fact.

"I must warn you again, this is a most unconventional foe you will be up against." Palpatine cautioned him.

"Which is why ya sprung for an unconventional outfit like mine." The human mused with a grin, leaning forward to reveal his rugged and weathered features, including the massive scar that cut across his forehead, through his right eye and down his cheek. "Any mate in white armor knows better than ta tangle with tha likes of us." He scoffed, a deep, throaty chuckling following his words. "Ya want the job done? Well," he jabbed his thumb in his direction, "ya've come to the right people. But I'm warning ya, we don't come cheap." He added. Palaptine nodded in understanding, agreeing to his terms. The human leaned back, cigarette returning to his mouth. "So... o's the target?" He wondered. Palpatine slid a datapad across his desk and over to him, which the man promptly leaned forward and retrieved. Flipping it over and getting a good look at the being in question, the man arched an eyebrow and looked back to Palpatine. "Like I said; we delivah. But this one's gonna cost ya extra." He added, tossing the datapad back onto Palpatine's desk, revealing the image of The Wraith.

"It's good to know that you have such confidence in your people." The Chancellor commented.

"My people are the best at what they do... and what they do most others can't stomach." The human replied. He then asked, "Do we have a deal?" After a moment of consideration, Palpatine resumed his stoic posture and slowly nodded.

"Very well. Name your price." He responded. The man gave a broad, toothy grin and removed his cigarette once more.

"Double my usual rate. Half up front." He answered. "I'm gonna need some specialists for this one." He explained, knowing what was to come. "Some of my men are gonna need to be coerced into this one. But some, well... they'd do it for free."

"Consider it done." Palpatine agreed. "Your payment shall be received upon confirmation of completion."

"Can I get that in writing?" The human wondered. Palpatine slid another datapad over to him, this one a signed and sealed deal of agreement, confirmation of payment included. Satisfied, the human stood and took a long drag from his cigarette. "Pleasah doing business with ya Chancellor." He stated as he took his leave, turning on heel and leaving Palpatine's office. As he did, Amedda leaned over to Palpatine.

"Chancellor... are you sure this is a wise move?" He inquired.

"The Wraith is proving to be a very difficult end that needs to be dealt with." Palaptine responded.

"Do you really think that _they_ can handle him?"

"No. But if they do, it will give the Clones the victory they need to get back on their feet." He bluntly stated. "If they do not, then they will simply buy us time to make it look like the Republic is winning the war again." He added, then looked up at his aid. "Trust me, Chairman Amedda. This is for the good of the... Republic."

* * *

 _Back on the Dominance..._

Alone in his quarters, Wraith sat on his bed devoid of his jacket, boots, guns and armor, wearing a simple shirt and pants... as well as his helmet. His headgear sometimes fit so well and so comfortable that he forgot to take it off. He did spend a lot of time in it, so much so he often thought of it as his true face.

It was what everyone equated him with.

As he sat there, alone and attempting to purge any negative thoughts from his mind, Voice began speaking

 _So... this new admiral..._ He began.

"What of her?" Wraith curtly replied, used to the sudden appearances this voice made but still despising it altogether.

 _I don't know. She seems... interesting._ Voice continued.

"Just what are you insinuating, Voice? That I should so swiftly find a... a replacement?!" Wraith suddenly snapped.

 _No! No, I just... want to try and figure her out._ Voice quickly explained.

"Hmph."

 _Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything. I miss her too. She was... nice._ Voice apologized.

"Do not speak of her in the past tense." Wraith rumbled, closing his eyes as his thoughts turned dark.

 _Why?_ Wraith said nothing. _You're hurting, aren't you? That's why you don't say her name anymore, isn't it?_ Voice inquired, probing for an answer.

"Yes." Wraith quietly replied. "I'd rather deem all of this a nightmare, and that I just haven't seen her in a while."

 _Sure... but what if it's all true? What if Ahsoka is gone?_

"Do. Not. Speak her name in that context." Wraith growled. Standing up and giving his head a shake, Wraith walked over to his desk and picked up another full bottle of Corellian Brandy. Popping the top he took a long swig, the liquor burning down his throat. It was a good kind of burn. The kind of burn that reminded him he was alive.

 _You... You wouldn't happen to be obsessed over her... would you?_ Voice wondered.

"You mistake my desire for obsession." Wraith said, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "I... like her." He admitted.

 _Why do I get the feeling that's not the word you wanted to use...?_ Voice mused. _I know it's not the word I would use._ Wraith grunted in response and sat back down on his bed. The conversation seemed to end and he was back to sitting alone, brandy in hand, trying to remove the overwhelming sorrow from his head. He took another long swig from the bottle before setting it down on a nearby nightstand, sighing as he did. He rubbed his jaw, mulling over the constant thoughts that he wished not to dwell on, but they gave him no choice as they persisted.

What was he to do now? He felt like so much of his existence was defined by his desire for her. But what would he do now, now that she was gone? He didn't know. He didn't want to know. He'd heard stories about people who moved on, who told others to move on. But he didn't want to move on.

It was then that a strange sensation overtook his mind and Wraith suddenly felt as though he were not alone, like another presence had suddenly joined him. His sixth sense suddenly kicked in, one honed to perfection over countless hours of infiltration training, telling him that another physical body was near his immediate location.

He looked up... and there she was.

Plain as day, looking healthy, _normal_ and alive, she sat by herself on a bed that was no doubt her own. It was like a portal opened up that crossed the distance between space and time in order to bring her to him. Wraith stared in shock, his mouth open as he blinked multiple times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Giving his head a shake, finally confirming he was not hallucinating or dreaming, Wraith slowly got to his feet, keeping his gaze fixed on the sight before him. He didn't know what to say or what to do, so he went with the first instinctive thought that came to his mind.

"Ahsoka?" He wondered aloud.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Stay tuned for more! What's next you ask? Here's a hint: Season 3, Episodes 18-20...**


	76. Locked Down

**Author's Note: Who's all finished his semester? This guy! Who's getting more chapters on a regualr basis? You guys! Getting back into canon territory now, been a while since I've done this and I've forgotten how much fun it is to insert a character into an episode. Hope y'all enjoy!**

* * *

-Chapter 44: Locked Down-

Location: The Citadel, Lola Sayu

"The scale tips in favor of those whose actions have cost the most."

Wraith couldn't believe it.

There she was, alive and well, sitting by herself in a room that had to be within the Jedi Temple. He couldn't explain what he was seeing, but he did know that the sight filled him with great elation. He took a few steps closer to the strange and mesmerizing sight.

"What the hell...?" He whispered. He was almost beside her now. "Ahsoka?" He asked her name, louder this time. The Togruta girl suddenly looked up at the mention of her name and started when she saw the Separatist super-soldier towering over her.

He hadn't been there a minute ago.

"GYAAHH!" She screamed, leaping away. Lightsaber flying into her hand, her green blade ignited. "Wraith, what're you...!" She asked, making to slash at him. Wraith instinctively raised his gauntlet to block the incoming strike, but as soon as it looked like her blade made contact with him, she vanished.

On Ahsoka's end, she finished her swing only to realize that she had struck nothing and that Wraith was nowhere to be seen. "Doing... here...?" She trailed off, completely and utterly confused. Giving her head a shake she looked around her room, performing a quick three-sixty only to find herself completely alone and totally confused. She deactivated her lightsaber, left dazed and shocked by what had just transpired.

Wraith looked up from his block to see only the durasteel wall of his room, the vision of Ahsoka having vanished entirely. He straightened up, looking around for some sign of her. But she was gone and he was alone once more.

"Just like the last time..." he whispered, recalling his conversation with the dark and corrupted Ahsoka and how it had ended so abruptly when she tried attacking him. Frustration suddenly overtook him, his fist clenching as he struggled to make sense of this. "What the hell is going on?!" He growled, punching the wall out of frustration and leaving a sizeable dent in the shape of his fist behind. "None of this makes any sense!"

 _You're telling me! What the blue heck was that?_ Voice wondered.

"I do not know." Wraith breathed, gathering his thoughts and trying to logically deduce what was happening to him. "But... she recognized me. This was no mere mirage like her death was. She was tangible, she was... right there." He hoarsely stated, still trying to comprehend all of this. A sudden thought struck him. "You know what that means?"

 _You mean apart from the fact that you're not crazy because I saw this too?_ Voice quipped. Wraith ignored his remark.

"She's alive." He stated, more confident than ever in his words.

* * *

 _Later, on Coruscant, in the Republic Army Hospital..._

"So there was... no way you could reattach the other one?" Captain Rex inquired of a nearby medical droid as he flexed the servos of his new mechanical hand.

"I'm sorry Captain. But severed nerve endings are impossible to salvage." The droid replied. "The science simply does not exist for us to successfully re-integrate such sensitive components such as nerves, hence the reason prosthetics are the general norm."

"Sorry Rex." Anakin apologized. The Knight was standing nearby, ready to help Rex up and about as his Captain recovered from the serious beating he'd suffered by Wraith's hand. Rex was well on his way to making a full recover, minus his torn-off arm, of course.

"It's alright General. You've got nothing to apologize for." The Clone replied, sitting up and flexing his new prosthetic. It had been outfitted with specially-designed panels to replicate the appearance of his arm under the sleeve, making him look whole instead of one normal and one spindly metal arm. "As a matter of fact... I think I owe you one. You saved my life." Rex added. "I know there's somebody else to blame for this." He said in a low voice that took an audible edge.

"All I did was cauterize the wound to keep you from bleeding out." Anakin replied. "Besides, anything for my best man." The Jedi added, setting a hand on the Clone's shoulder.

"Thank you, sir." Rex responded with a salute from his seated position. Anakin grinned.

"Gonna need you for an upcoming job. Think you're up for it?" He asked.

"I've been cooped up here for too long, sir. Count me in." Rex eagerly replied. Anakin patted him on the shoulder.

"Suit up and make your way to the comms room. We have to have this meeting now before you're cleared to leave." He instructed before making his way out. As he did, he passed Ahsoka on her way to also see Rex. "Hey Snips." He greeted.

"Master." Ahsoka replied, stepping past him. Entering the room, the Clone Captain, clad in white medical garb, saluted his Commander as he climbed off the bed.

"Commander." He stated.

"At ease, Captain. How's the arm?" Ahsoka asked.

"Not the same. But it'll have to do." The Clone replied, rolling his new mechanical shoulder. As he started to gather his things, Rex gave Ahsoka a sideways glance. "Still think he can be saved, Commander?" He wondered, rather cynically. Ahsoka was momentarily taken aback before she realized he was referring to Wraith.

"I believe there's good in everybody Rex. Sometimes it just needs to be brought to the surface." She confidently replied. Ahsoka had always been something of an optimist, even when others couldn't see it. Rex gave a simple grunt as he disregarded her higher ways, feeling too obsessed with owing Wraith some due payback. "Just like there's a little bit of bitterness in everybody." She quietly added as an aside.

"I wouldn't be so bitter if I still had my arm. My _real_ arm." Rex remarked. "All I know is, the next time I see that monster, I won't hesitate to light him up."

"Says you and everyone else." Ahsoka sighed with a roll of her eyes.

* * *

 _Back onboard the Dominance..._

Wraith was summoned once again to the briefing room aboard the Dominance where a holographic display of Count Dooku awaited him alongside Scipio.

"We have need of your skills once more Wraith," Dooku announced upon his arrival, "we need you to visit the Citadel prison on Lola Sayu." The Sith explained. "We recently captured Jedi General Even Piell and his navigational crew. They have information on the Nexus Route that we could use. And you know how such high-end officers are-"

" _Stubborn and refusing to talk._ " The super-soldier stated, crossing his arms. " _Until I enter the room._ " He darkly added.

"A fact, we hope, will come in handy. We need you to help Warden Sobeck interrogate them. Get the Nexus Route coordinates from them." Dooku commanded. "You shall leave for the Citadel as soon as possible."

" _Understood, my lord._ " Wraith replied with a bow as the transmission came to an end. " _Doc, what do we know about the Citadel?_ " The Pau'an stepped over to the holotable and triggered a map of said prison.

"It's an old Jedi prison built on a hunk of space rock known as Lola Sayu." He reported.

" _I take it Lola Sayu isn't exactly something to write home about._ " Wraith mused.

"You presume correctly. It's a barren place full of lava falls and lakes." Scipio replied, gesturing to a particular pool of molten rock that surrounded the prison. "But the prison is something else entirely. It was built by Jedi to house supposed 'rogues' before we took it over early on in the war." He added, explaining its history to Wraith.

" _Any previous prisoners still on board?_ " The super-soldier wondered.

"Apparently we had some of them moved off-world when the place was redesigned for our purposes. The majority of inhabitants you'll find there now are prisoners that we've taken throughout the war."

" _Piell and his crew chief among them._ " Wraith concluded. " _I'll get ready and head over momentarily._ " He determined, moving to return to his quarters in order to prep for an interrogation mission.

"No need to hurry, my boy. I'm quite confident in the fact that Piell won't be going anywhere any time soon." Scipio reassured him.

Back in his quarters, Wraith strapped his gauntlets on tight as he ensured his load-out was updated for this mission. While he anticipated something straightforward for an interrogation assignment, there was always the other possibilities his advanced mind grappled with.

And it were these possibilities that he was preparing for.

Ensuring his belt was fully loaded with a few new gadgets Scipio had designed, Wraith tightened the straps and loaded his pistols, ensuring each blaster had a fresh energy cell and each slugthrower had a full clip. As he tucked them into their holsters, Wraith suddenly felt like he was no longer alone. The same sixth sense was running hot once more and Wraith turned to see Ahsoka again, standing in her room this time. And just like the last time, it was like a portal had opened that allowed Wraith and her to become connected across space and time. Although he knew he had a job to get to, Wraith was willing to pause and get some answers.

Besides, it was like Scipio had said; Even Piell wasn't going anywhere.

" _Before you do anything,_ " he quickly said, grabbing her attention, " _swinging your lightsaber at me isn't going to work._ " Ahsoka whirled about to face him, just as surprised as last time, but took his advice and did not immediately attack him.

"W-W-What's going on?" She asked with a stammer, obviously startled.

"I'd like to ask you the same question." Wraith remarked, his mouthguard opening up and sliding away. "But... I can feel your presence." He whispered, awed by the strange situation. To Ahsoka, his voice had an echo to it, as if he were in a cavern and not right there in front of her. He stepped a little closer. "You're... You're here. But I know you're not here." He muttered, trying to wrap his head around this odd occurrence he''d never experienced before. "How are you doing this?"

"I'm... I'm actually not." Ahsoka told him. "I was just sitting alone in my quarters when this... link opened up. Both this time and the last time." She explained. Both of them were surprised by the suddenness of this moment. First Wraith was alone in his quarters and then Ahsoka was suddenly sitting right there in front of him, on her own bed in the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka herself was left wondering why she was seeing Wraith in his quarters all of a sudden, and in such vivid clarity. The super-soldier couldn't make heads or tails of it.

Wasn't this kind of bizarreness only supposed to happen with Force-sensitive people?

"I-I think this is a vision. I can see you and hear you, but I know I'm not there." Ahsoka tried to explain.

"Sounds more like you've connected with me... somehow." Wraith replied, mulling over their situation. Deciding to forgo understanding this event and simply roll with it, Wraith moved on as he looked Ahsoka over. "You're... You're well." He commented, knowing the last time he'd seen her she looked anything but normal. "You look so much better." Ahsoka looked at him confused.

"I... I do?"

"Yes." Wraith could sense the uncertainty in her voice and knew something was off. "Don't you remember?" He pried.

"R-Remember what?" Ahsoka asked, still confused.

"You spoke to me." Wraith answered, recalling the last connection they shared... even though he didn't want to. "It was... like a vision. It was just like this." Ahsoka continued to stare at Wraith, befuddled by his words. Wraith took note and realized Ahsoka had no memory of the event.

Maybe that wasn't her after all.

"You have no idea, do you?" He asked Ahsoka shook her head. Thinking quickly in order to try and prove himself, Wraith quickly developed an idea. Reaching into his jacket he withdrew a holoprojector before heading over to his nearby desk and retrieving a small chip. "My optics were recording the encounter. Here." He explained as he plugged in the chip and powered on the device, adjusting it so Ahsoka could see. The Togruta Padawan watched as an image of her Son-corrupted self appeared and continued to watch with a mixture of surprise and shock as the conversation between them unfolded.

She had no memory of that interaction, leading her to believe that some darkness from deep within her subconscious had been brought to the surface after the Son had taken her over.

Ahsoka listened to the atrocious things she had said, a light blush from raw embarrassment creeping over her face as she watched herself tease Wraith with provocative actions. She bore a horrified look as the recording came to an end, mortified by her actions.

"I... I-I did all that? I said those things?" Wraith nodded.

"You did. Everything from call me a monster to trying to give me a striptease."

"I-I'm sorry." She apologized with a slight stammer, still totally embarrassed. Wraith shrugged.

"I'm used to the whole 'monster' part," he replied, "but if you wanted to try teasing me again, I wouldn't say no." He remarked with a smirk. Ahsoka frowned and opened her mouth to say something when Wraith stopped her with a quick, "I'm kidding." Ahsoka relaxed.

"Oh." She muttered, brushing her forehead with her fingertips. After her slight fluster, things got awkwardly quiet between them until Wraith started speaking again.

"Can I be honest with you?" He suddenly asked. Ahsoka nodded. "The whole time that was going on... I was scared." He admitted in a quiet voice. Ahsoka was taken aback by his sudden boldness and her expression showed it.

"You?" She wondered incredulously. "Of what?"

"Of what had happened to you." He responded. "I didn't know what to think. I knew that was you... but, at the same time... it wasn't. I knew you don't act like that." The super-soldier explained. "That's how I knew something was wrong."

"A lot of crazy things happened to us." Ahsoka agreed.

"Us?" Wraith wondered.

"I wasn't the only one affected." Ahsoka started to explain. "Obi-Wan was there too, but Anakin went really dark on us-"

"To hell with him. Are you okay?" Wraith interrupted, his focus solely on Ahsoka. Who the hell cared about Anakin anyway? The Togruta stopped and pondered his question for a moment. Then, she answered.

"What would you do if I wasn't?" She asked, suddenly exhibiting very mature perceptiveness. Her answer slightly surprising Wraith, the man was forced to pause as her words sank in.

"I would hunt down the one responsible... and make him wish he had never been born." He finally responded.

"Wraith..."

"Ahsoka, please," the super-soldier interjected, "you have no idea what that did to me. My mind has been a... a dark place for a long time." He confessed, suddenly growing very personal with her. "Just being able to see you whole and normal... it's a relief." He whispered. Ahsoka was a little startled by his sudden openness. The super-soldier she had known prior to all this was generally closed off when it came to his feelings. But not now...

For the first time, maybe in forever, Wraith was willing to wear his heart on his sleeve.

"I can only imagine... seeing me like that. Anakin said something similar to you..." She informed him, trying to calm any disturbed feelings he still might have. "I know about an ability other Masters practice called Projection. They use the Force to create an image of themselves elsewhere as a means of interacting with somebody distant." She told him.

"So you could've projected yourself and never remembered it..." Wraith realized, connecting the dots. Ahsoka shrugged.

"Maybe." She said, still trying to figure this out herself. "But then, what's this right now? I'm not cussing it." She wondered. Wraith sighed, his shoulders visibly heaving.

"I don't know." He honestly answered. Wraith said nothing more, his gaze distant. Ahsoka could tell there was something on his mind... something he was hesitant to say.

"Wraith? Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm just happy to see you alive." He replied, his gaze meeting hers again. "I..." he started to say before trailing off, forcing himself to regain his composure, "I watched you die." He finally said. Ahsoka gave a quiet gasp as she heard this. She vaguely remembered that moment. It was like a bad dream she eventually woke up from. But for Wraith to watch it... "It wasn't like this, like I could reach out and touch you. It was like... a bunch of scenes flashing through my mind." He explained. "But I knew it was real. It felt so real." He recalled the scene with vivid clarity, even though he didn't want to. It had tormented him for so long, he practically knew it by heart. "Did you actually die?" He wondered.

"That's what my master says."

"I guess you wouldn't remember dying... not in that state at least." Wraith surmised. After a moment, he looked up at Ahsoka's thoughtful expression. "Are you okay?" He repeated his earlier question.

"I will be. It was all just really... weird." Ahsoka softly replied. "But Anakin hasn't let me go on any 'dangerous' missions since then. I think he's still reeling from it all." She added.

"He's worried about you." Wraith determined, nodding a little as he quickly put two and two together.

"He's getting ready to go on another one... but he refuses to take me with him."

"What's the assignment?" Wraith wondered. Ahsoka smirked and chuckled.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She cheekily replied with a smile. Wraith smirked too. Of course she wouldn't tell him.

"I do not care for what Skywalker says." He continued. "Therefore, I encourage you to choose what you think is best. Follow your heart on this one." Ahsoka smiled, reflecting on his words. While Anakin was being picky about which mission she could go on, Wraith was encouraging her sense of personal freedom.

How thoughtful...

"You don't think this one's too dangerous for me?" She wondered, still smiling. Wraith leaned back and smiled himself.

"I know that you can handle anything." He replied. Ahsoka softly chuckled, accepting the compliment... her cheeks turning a darker shade of orange once more.

"There's something I still don't understand..." She continued. Wraith cocked his head, curious and wondering if he could help. "What she was telling you... the Jedi have never told me anything about how you feel about me." She revealed. "I mean... I-I've kinda gathered you have a crush on me... or something like that. But what she said..." Then she looked him dead in his optics, her crystal blue gaze holding his steady crimson stare. "Wraith? Do... Do you... love me?" She hesitantly wondered. Wraith was startled by her question, caught off-guard with no idea how to respond.

Sure he liked her. But this whole experience... it had exposed the depths of his feelings for her and he knew them well enough. But how would she respond?

He didn't know. He didn't know what to say or think. He himself hadn't had time to process this either. The voice in his head might say otherwise, but Wraith wasn't about to commit to any one word just yet. At least not until he had sorted this out for himself. The past few days had been rocky, enough to bring his feelings to the surface... but now that she was back...

He just wasn't ready to profess it to her.

"Ahsoka... I..." He started to say, trailing off as if he were trying to find the right words. He quickly developed a way out of this and feigned receiving an incoming communication, reaching for the side of his helmet as if to accept the call. After a moment of forced silence, he stood. "I have to go." He quietly told her. "I'm not sure if or when we'll pick this up again... this... connection is new to me." He muttered as he made his way out, leaving Ahsoka alone with her question hanging in the air.

But to her, his hesitation to respond was an answer all by itself.

* * *

 _Later..._

Lola Sayu wasn't much to look at.

The planet was mostly barren and sulfurous, half of it missing after some cataclysm in the planet's past had done away with the land of the lower hemisphere. It's sulfuric core glowed bright yellow, offsetting the dull purple of the rest of the world's crust. As much as the lava flows and fiery pools of molten rock were colourful, they were the only attractive part of this whole place. The rest was just boring, uninviting spacerock.

But Wraith wasn't here for scenery. He had a job to do.

His shuttle touched down in the middle of the prison's yard where the Phindian warden Osi Sobeck was waiting with a pair of commando droids and his tactical droid K2-B4. Wraith emerged from his ship and stepped over to the Phindian, who was technically a few inches taller than him, but you couldn't tell from the way he was hunched over almost all the time. He sized up the warden with pre-memorized information in mind. Wraith knew Sobeck to be something of a sadist who enjoyed torturing others, as well a tiny bit insane. But despite these flaws, Sobeck had proven himself to be both cunning and calculating, leaving Wraith to wonder how his time with this warden would be spent.

"Ah... welcome, soldier." Osi greeted.

" _Warden Sobeck,_ " Wraith greeted with a half-bow, " _I understand you require some assistance._ "

"Count Dooku believes I require some assistance." The Phindian corrected with a slight hint of anger in his voice, "But I welcome the opportunity to work with such a... bloodthirsty individual like yourself." He stated, gesturing for Wraith to follow him. The two walked side by side as they ventured into the prison, the droids following right behind them.

" _And as much as I'd like to kill someone, I understand we're attempting to extract some coordinates from these Republic scum. So I'll settle for hurting them for now._ " Wraith replied.

"I trust you'll be able to put your skills to good use extracting the Nexus Route coordinates?"

" _Count Dooku has informed me how valuable they are. I'll get them._ " Wraith assured him. " _Instilling fear happens to be my specialty... and a favourite pastime._ "

"Good. Good!" Sobeck readily agreed, smiling at his words. "I have my top interrogation droid working on Piell. I need you to work on his captain, a man by the name of Tarkin. It's possible he might also know the coordinates as well." Wraith knew the name from Republic crew manifests, but had never seen the man in person.

" _I understand you captured the bridge crew as well._ " He added, quickly performing a mental review of what he would need to successfully complete this interrogation.

"We did. Why do you ask?"

" _Depending on the kind of man Tarkin is, I might be able to use his crew against him._ " Wraith responded, the gears turning as one of the oldest interrogation tactics came to fruition. " _If he cares for them, they'll be perfect for leverage._ " Sobeck chuckled darkly.

"And if not?" He wondered. Wraith paused, as if mulling over what he would do next.

" _How do you dispose of corpses around here?_ " He wondered, earning yet another chuckle from the depraved Phindian.

Wraith was ushered into Citadel Command; a large room dedicated to overseeing every aspect of the prison, with multiple AV feeds put on display through a single network, allowing Warden Sobeck to see and hear everything as it happened. The super-soldier paused to take in the technology before him as Sobeck continued over to one of the monitors.

"I have Piell and his men under constant surveillance." Sobeck stated, gesturing to a particular screen that display Piell being tortured by a commando droid wielding an electrostaff while an EV-series interrogator droid looked on. "I wish to savour every second of their pain-filled existence."

" _As the desire to withstand gives way to thoughts of death's release..._ " Wraith mused, striding over to one of the consoles. " _To watch the will to live leave their eyes... I know the look well._ " As he trailed off, he withdrew the computation equipment from within his gauntlet and plugged himself into the console, immediately beginning to scroll through the Citadel's network.

"What are you doing?" Sobeck inquired.

" _I need access to the Citadel's network so I can use the AV systems myself._ " Wraith replied as he continued to splice through the servers and upload the feeds to his HUD.

"And why is that?" Sobeck questioned.

" _You never know when stuff like this might come in handy._ " Wraith cryptically stated, not looking up from his work. In truth, he wanted to have a Plan B on file in case he needed to oversee the entire complex at some time. With such a high-value prisoner like Even Piell, one never knew what the Republic might try in order to see him rescued. As he continued to survey the data, a history of the Citadel's prisoners was also uploaded to his systems but was quickly filed away by Wraith onto one of several datachips stored in his gauntlets. He would add them to the database back on the Dominance as it was of little importance to him right now.

Once a remote connection had been established and a secondary feed uploaded to his optical HUD, Wraith unplugged and got ready for his true mission. " _Where is Tarkin being held?_ "

"Adjacent to Even Piell, along with the rest of his bridge crew." Sobeck told him, highlighting the cell on a nearby holomap. "Feel free to do as you please. I'll be watching." He added with a sadistic grin.

" _With pleasure._ " Wraith rumbled.

Venturing into the maze of corridors that made up the Citadel, Wraith walked in silence with only the sound of his heavy boots echoing in the hall. He moved at a determined pace, mentally psyching himself up in order to appear as intimidating as possible when he arrived at the cell.

Intimidating hapless, worthless Clones on the battlefield was one thing. Intimidating prisoners with sensitive information was another.

The cell arrived all too soon and Wraith rolled his shoulders as he made ready to enter, slipping a piece of tech into his left hand. Hopefully his reputation alone would be enough to force the information out of Tarkin. But in the face of certain doom, natural resiliency could toughen up to a point where not even he could break these men.

Regardless, he had a job to do and he was going to do it.

Entering the cell, Wraith stomped down into the cell as the Republic officers looked up first in surprise and then in fear. The two commando droids on either side of the cell's access stairs turned to face Wraith but said nothing. Quickly scanning the room, the super-soldier laid eyes on an older officer sitting off to one side, with silver streaks in his hair that he recognized from report portfolios. " _Tarkin!_ " He growled, stomping over to the senior officer and hoisting him up off the ground. With his hand around the man's throat, Wraith shoved him up against the wall. " _The Nexus Route coordinates... I want them! NOW!_ " He thundered, taking the direct approach.

"General Piell never gave me the coordinates!" Tarkin retorted. "I've already told you this-"

" _You lie!_ " Wraith growled, shaking the captain. He pulled him in close, his left hand grasping Tarkin's belt tightly. " _Listen to me and listen well you old fool, unless you give me what I want your crew is gonna start dying!_ " He rumbled, releasing him and unceremoniously dumping Tarkin on the ground.

"I see the Separatists called in some additional help apart from the local Warden." Tarkin noted with a cough as he gathered his senses. "But it is all in vain. General Piell will never give up the coordinates and you are interrogating the wrong man." He stated.

" _We'll see about that._ " Wraith growled as he walked away from him, surveying the seated bridge crew. Turning around near the last man, Wraith's gaze settled on Tarkin again. He determined that the Captain would not easily break with physical persuasion, so perhaps it was time for him to employ other measures. " _Do you take me for a man who makes empty threats? Oh I do not make mere threats, Captain... I make promises._ " With that, he suddenly drew his knife and stabbed into the nearest officer's leg, the man crying out in pain as he did. His knife sank deep into the officer's thigh, blood seeping through the pants of his uniform as the blade tore deep. Wraith ripped his weapon free with a trail of blood in its wake, the officer clasping his bleeding wake while the others watched, struck dumb with terror.

"Stop!" Tarkin demanded, rising to his feet. "I swear to you... I give you my word as an officer of the Republic, I do not know the Nexus Route coordinates and neither do my crew!"

" _The word of a Republic officer means nothing to me._ " Wraith rumbled as he sheathed his knife and stalked back over to Tarkin, towering over the Republican. " _We will find those coordinates soon enough. If not from you then from Piell. He_ _will break, given time._ "

"Jedi never break." Tarkin stated defiantly, although to Wraith there didn't seem to be much stock in his words.

" _Then he will die._ " The super-soldier growled. " _As will you and the rest of your crew if you don't give me what I want._ " Grabbing Tarkin's lapel, he pulled him in close. " _I will give you some time to consider my offer. But mark my words, Tarkin, choose poorly and their blood will be on your hands._ " The super-soldier growled, gesturing to the frightened bridge crew. With that he released the Captian with a shove and turned and left the cell, informing the commando droids to keep a careful watch. Exiting the cell, the door sealing behind him, Wraith reflected on what he had learned. Tarkin was indeed stubborn, but his threat and presence might've been enough to unnerve him a little. He could keep this up for as long as pleased, though, and he would fulfill his threat to Tarkin. But he would honour his word and give the Captain a moment to consider his offer. If not, that cell would soon be filled with dead bodies.

A task he was looking forward to... should push come to shove.

Returning to the command deck, Wraith walked over to the seated warden and gave his report.

" _Tarkin's a stubborn piece of Sithspit, I'll give him that._ " He announced upon arrival. " _I'll try again in a little while._ "

"He says nothing?" Sobeck wondered in his gravelly voice.

" _Not yet. I gave him an ultimatum: the coordinates or the life of his crew._ " Wraith responded, crossing his arms as he stood next to the Phindian. " _We'll see what he does._ "

"Yes... a choice between life and death. Good... very good. Making him suffer mentally..." Sobeck mused, starting to talk to himself. Wraith ignored his bout of insanity and turned to focus on the monitors, scanning over the prison's surveillance systems. There were other systems around the command deck as well, ones designed to deal with exterior issues stemming from the orbital blockade. These were managed by K2-B4, Sobeck's personal tactical droid. Leaving Sobeck's side, Wraith watched as the droid filed a report about an incoming vessel, dated today. A Sheathipede-class Type B shuttle was entering Lola Sayu's orbit, already cleared by the blockade above. Wraith recognized the design, an elongated version of the craft typically used by elite Separatist officials. Admiral Sereva had arrived on one when she came to the Dominance.

" _What's this?_ " He asked aloud.

"Shuttle Eight One Five Seven Two. Frozen rations." K2 reported in a monotone voice.

"We must feed the prisoners somehow... even if we don't want to." Sobeck added, trailing off. Wraith rolled his eyes as Sobeck started talking to himself again.

Then, for some reason, Wraith felt a strange sensation build within him. It was a sense of uneasiness he got every time he looked at the incoming craft. Closing his eyes, Wraith made to steady himself... but instead felt something even stranger.

His sixth sense, the ability to sense a person within his immediate vicinity but outside his vision, suddenly kicked in to the highest degree with the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He could feel the presence of three individuals, but where they were he didn't know.

Opening his eyes, the super-soldier gave his head a brief wag as he realized the only people here were right in front of him, shaking off the sensation yet unable to deny how real it felt. Deciding he needed a moment to clear his head, Wraith left the command deck and breathed deeply, calming his mind.

But there was something unshakable about what he'd sensed.

" _I've got a funny feeling about that transport..._ " He mumbled under his breath. He started walking, trying to regain his tactical mindset. He roamed the upper halls of the Citadel for several minutes before it became a fruitless endeavour, the incessant thoughts hounding him every second. Fed up with such bothersome notions, Wraith decided to do something about this. While he didn't know if he could trust such senses, his gut told him to check and make certain everything was as it should be. And he knew to trust his instincts.

Accessing the prison's surveillance network, he started cycling through the various listening devices set up throughout the Citadel until he started picking up some chatter coming from the lower levels of the prison's perimeter.

This wasn't within the building... this was coming from outside of it.

"I must have carbon-sickness, because I can swear that's Ahsoka." A voice was saying. Wraith recognized the man immediately.

" _Kenobi..._ " He growled.

"Your eyes are fine. It's Ahsoka's hearing that needs help." Another voice stated. Wraith had heard it enough times to know exactly who that was: Anakin Skywalker.

"I received orders to join the team. I thought you knew." Wraith smirked as he recognized the third voice. His dear Ahsoka was now planetside... perhaps today would be a good day after all.

"Orders? From who?" Anakin wondered.

"I discussed it with Master Plo." Ahsoka told him.

"He didn't tell me." Anakin replied, sounding a little perturbed.

"You were already in carbonite." Wraith continued to listen, realizing Ahsoka technically wasn't supposed to be here by the sounds of things, and also detected the voices of Clones. Who, he couldn't tell, they all sounded like the same damn person. From listening, he could guess there were maybe six, seven... maybe eight? Who knew? A small squad for certain... enough to comprise a rescue party. With the data confirmed, Wraith shut down his feed and turned on heel. " _We've got a problem..._ " He muttered, heading back to the command deck. Upon arrival, he marched inside and strode over to Sobeck. " _The Republic's here._ " He stated. The Phindian warden whirled about in surprise.

"What?!" He exclaimed.

" _Those 'frozen rations' aboard that incoming shuttle turned out to be blocks of carbonite with Jedi frozen inside._ " He explained, deducing the plan from what Kenobi had said about 'carbon-sickness'.

"What an insidious maneuver." Sobeck muttered, then gasped, "They have come for their brother!" He realized.

" _Can't think of anyone else they'd want free._ " The super-soldier replied. " _Skywalker's leading the rescue,_ " Wraith grumbled as he crossed his arms and continued, " _I couldn't imagine anyone bolder, or dumber, to lead a suicide mission like this. But he's got Kenobi with him, along with some significant Clone backup._ "

"Quickly! We must secure the cellblocks, the Jedi must not be freed!" Sobeck declared, scrambling to get the prison's defences online. But as he did, he saw that Wraith hadn't move, remaining stationary. "Are you just gonna stand there?" The warden demanded.

" _You want me to attack them and waste my element of surprise? Nah. I have a different plan in mind._ " Wraith replied. He had been busy thinking while Sobeck was panicking and he believed he had a solution to this problem. " _Wait until they make their presence known then do what you would to secure the prison; lock it down, roll out reinforcements, whatever. Make them think they're up against you and you alone._ " He explained. " _Let them see, feel, even taste hope... and then I'll tear it away from them._ " He added with a growl, clenching a fist. Sobeck smiled at his words, the plan making perfect sense now.

"The death of hope... The most delicious kind of suffering." The warden muttered with a grin.

* * *

Sobeck and Wraith waited for the Republic to slip up or appear within the prison's visual sensors. Wraith had adjusted his optical HUD to display the feed coming from Piell and Tarkin's cells, wanting to make sure the Republic didn't pull a fast one.

They waited with baited breath, anticipating something... anything.

Time ticked by as the two Separatist commanders remained tense and still, ready to react the moment something happened.

And then... several security monitors began to flash red, a steady beeping following. One of the security droids quickly analyzed the incoming data.

"Sir, a mine in sector nineteen was just detonated." The droid reported. Sobeck took that as his cue to begin his part of Wraith's plan.

"Activate all security protocols! Lock everything down!" He commanded. "Where are my special units?" He demanded of K2.

"They are here, sir." The droid replied. Triggering a door release, a squad of commando droids entered the command deck, causing Wraith to grin under his mask.

" _Now these I like..._ " He surmised. He'd worked with commando droids before and knew them to be tough, agile and deadly fighters. Perfect for dealing with Jedi.

The commando droids were ordered to the corridors where the Republic forces had been detected: the halls nearest Piell's cell. Sobeck was more than ready to unleash a few of the pre-installed traps in the Citadels' hallways, but knew his legions stood a better chance by comparison to the traps alone. Wraith stood by his side and watched through the monitors as Sobeck unleashed his forces against the invading Republic, spying Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and a crew of Clones attempting to destroy their surveillance monitors but also having to deal with the wall-mounted defense turrets. The turrets were disposed of rather quickly by the Jedi and Sobeck chose now to unleash the first of the Citadel's built-in traps: an electrical grid. The wall of arcing lightning bolts surged down the hallway, the Republic narrowly avoiding the trap save for one unfortunate Clone who suffered a quick death by electrocution. The Clones then disappeared from sight and Wraith quickly tapped into his own feeds. He watched as the Republic invaded Even Piell's cell and liberated their fellow Jedi. " _They got Piell. My guess is they're going after the bridge crew next._ " He reported.

"They won't get very far!" Sobeck growled with determination. "They may have entered the Citadel... but they won't be leaving it any time soon!" The Warden declared.

" _That's not all. I listened to what they had to say, turns out Piell and Tarkin memorized half of the coordinates apiece. Our suspicions about them were right after all._ " Wraith revealed.

"Then that makes stopping this rescue even more important." The Phindian replied. Triggering a switch on his panel, Sobeck leaned back and clasped his hands together, chuckling darkly as his gaze returned to the monitors. Together, he and Wraith watched as the Republic snuck out of Piell's cell and carefully crept through the halls towards where Tarkin and the other officers were being held.

That's when the commando droids struck.

Exercising their surprising agility by somersaulting down the hall, the group surrounded the Republic as the approached from either end of the hall.

" _This oughtta be good._ " Wraith mused as he crossed his arms. The battle began as the droids advanced, opening fire while simultaneously somersaulting around the narrow corridor, avoiding and generally confusing the aim of the Clones. The rushed in, drawing in close like Wraith would and assaulting the Clones with their steel fists.

Oh how Wraith wished to be a part of that fight, but he knew he needed to hang back until the time was right.

One of the droids suddenly tackled Ahsoka, pinning her to the ground while the chaos of combat raged around them. Wraith started, ready to move at a moment's notice to rush down and defend her, but soon found his thoughts preemptive as Ahsoka promptly cut the head off the droid as the Republic started to successfully push back. Wraith watched her climb to her feet and breathed a quiet sigh of relief. _Get a hold of yourself, soldier._ He commanded internally. _She's tough, she can handle a pesky droid._ Wraith blamed his experiences on Celanon for his emotional upheaval, but soon pushed the thoughts aside as he returned to the task at hand. The Republic were up and moving, and Sobeck was looking none too pleased by the failure of his commando droids. But he did not lash out anger and, instead, calmly pressed a button on his console. The result was a shrill noise that echoed through the hallway, forcing the Republic to stop and cover their ears. " _Ultrasonic generators. Not bad._ " Wraith commented.

"That's not the only surprise I have in store for them..." Sobeck replied and, within moments, a powerful magnet had ripped the Republic's weapons from their hands and forced them to the ceiling, both blasters and lightsabers. The magnet was so powerful, in fact, that Anakin was pulled off the ground and dragged to the ceiling by his mechanical arm, as was Rex by his replacement limb.

" _What a pair of fools._ " Wraith chuckled. The metal of his armor and his weaponry had been purposefully demagnetized in order to prevent situations like this one. Together they hung suspended from the ceiling and, with a sinister grin, Sobeck triggered another switch that resulted in a powerful electrical shock that ripped through Anakin and Rex, electrocuting them harshly. Sobeck started cackling with sadistic glee as the two were electrocuted, Wraith joining him as Rex and Anakin fell limp.

"You fools! I hope you enjoy your reunion with your fellow Jedi, because you're going to be my guests for a very long time!" The Warden exclaimed through a broadcasting system, his voice echoing in the hall as more commando droids surrounded the Republic party. Just then, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Piell collectively used the Force to try and throw the droids back, only to watched them recoil as their feet remained rooted to the ground.

" _Magnetic foot-plates. Not a bad idea._ " Wraith commented as he watched the Jedi struggle to overcome the droids with harder Force-pushes. The Clones decided to take the fight to the droids and attacked them with their own punches, the droids fighting back with equal force despite the Jedi trying to keep them at bay. But as they did, Anakin had found his second wind and made to reach for his lightsaber, a move that did not go unnoticed by Sobeck.

"Oh no you don't!" He exclaimed, jamming his console and triggering another electric shock. Anakin recoiled in agony, but somehow found the strength to push past the pain and grab his lightsaber, igniting it and cutting clean through the magnetic generators and shutting down the trap. He and Rex dropped like rocks, landing unceremoniously on the ground as their freed weapons clattered down around them, leaving Sobeck to growl in frustration.

" _He's persistent, I'll give him that much._ " Wraith rumbled, equally disappointed. The Republic quickly made short work of the commando droids and pulled themselves back together, ready to move on. As they did, Rex took aim with one of his DC-17's and blasted the surveillance camera, cutting off Sobeck and Wraith. Sobeck pounded his console with an angry grunt and made to leave.

"Wraith! Come with me! We must secure the officers' cell at all costs!" He commanded. Wraith followed him without a word... but did power up his cloaking device.

Joined by some of Sobeck's security droids, the Warden and Wraith journeyed towards Tarkin's cell, the super-soldier adjusting his feed just in time to see the Republic leaving the cell with the bridge crew and splitting into two groups.

" _Sobeck, we've got a problem. The Republic has the bridge crew and they're splitting up. Kenobi and Piell are heading one way while Skywalker's taking Tarkin and the others in the opposite direction._ " He informed him. Sobeck stopped with a growl as he realized they were too late.

"I guess tapping my network did have some benefits." He said to himself before fully regarding the super-soldier. "Where are they going?"

" _I can't tell. Better have your legions lock down the corridors... they could be trying to reach the upper levels._ " Wraith theorized. Knowing the Citadel a bit better than him, Sobeck quickly drew a conclusion.

"They're trying to steal a transport." He surmised. Wraith mulled over his idea and nodded.

" _A very distinct probability._ " He replied, but Sobeck was already giving orders to his droids.

"Seal the landing platform and send all battalions to their positions! Bring them back... alive!" He commanded. As he did, Wraith realized a major flaw in his desire to keep his presence a secret and quickly tapped a switch on his gauntlet, remotely triggering his shuttle's cloaking system so that it would be hidden from Republic view.

" _Warden,_ " Wraith stated, drawing his attention, " _I suggest you seal off every possible route to the landing platform. We can't afford to have them get anywhere close to freedom._ " The Phindian nodded.

"A wise suggestion, soldier." He concurred. Just then, both of them were rocked by a violent explosion from somewhere within the prison. Wraith quickly pinged his scanners but found nothing within their immediate vicinity.

" _Are they trying to blow their way out?_ " He wondered aloud. " _Helluva bold move. They could easily be caught in the explosion with the size of these corridors._ "

"No... I will not let them escape!" Sobeck exclaimed, suddenly worried that the Republic might take drastic measures. "Quickly! Back to the command deck!" He cried, taking off down the hall with Wraith hot on his heels.

* * *

The two commanders quickly began running scans of the prison, Sobeck nearly in a full-on panic as he hurriedly instructed his droids to start sweeping the area, unleashing probe droids to hunt down the wayward Republic party. Wraith started sweeping his own surveillance network as he searched for some sign of Skywalker or Kenobi's party. If they left no evidence behind, there was always the chance that they would slip up and make their presence known once more.

But could they afford to count on that possibility?

As they went about their work, K2 appeared from within a communications room and approached Sobeck.

"Count Dooku insists that you speak with him, Commander." K2 informed the warden. Sobeck looked up from his work and made to follow the droid, as did Wraith.

" _He likely wants a progress report._ " Wraith surmised.

"Well... let's not keep him waiting then." Sobeck mused.

"He's already waiting, sir." K2 replied, opening the door to reveal a holographic render of Count Dooku standing with his back to them. Surprised by Dooku's sudden presence, Sobeck cautiously entered the room, more bent over than usual. Wraith followed him, far-less worried than Sobeck seemed to be.

"Count Dooku, my lord... how unexpected." The Phindian greeted reverently. But Dooku saw through his emotional facade.

"You may cease the propriety, Commander Sobeck. I understand there is a problem with the Jedi prisoner?" He questioned, getting straight to the point.

"An incursion team attempted a rescue. But the situation is taken care of." Sobeck firmly assured him. Dooku's gaze left the warden and landed on Wraith.

"Is this true, soldier?" He inquired.

" _A team led by Skywalker and Kenobi has infiltrated the prison, my lord. But they will not get far. We have almost finished tracking them down._ " The super-soldier replied. Dooku nodded in understanding.

"Warden, are you in possession of the information the prisoner is carrying?" He asked, his questions now back on Sobeck.

"Not... yet. We will soon have it." Sobeck slowly answered.

"You are aware that this information will tip the scale of the war to the side that controls it? Perhaps this is a matter that requires my presence..." Dooku suggested.

"No, my lord." Sobeck hurried responded. Dooku could sense the fear in his voice and turned around, his back to them once more.

"Find them, Commander. Get the information... and kill whoever you must to acquire it." He added in a dark tone before the communication ended. With a growl, Sobeck turned and grabbed K2 shoving the droid against the wall.

"Don't ever surprise me with a transmission from Count Dooku..." he growled, "I need time to prepare!"

"Yes Commander." K2 meekly replied. Wraith put his hand on the Phindian's shoulder.

" _We will find them, Warden. Might I suggest we focus our energies on that task?_ " He said. Osi regraded him over his shoulder as he dropped K2 from his grip.

"Agreed." He growled.

They went about their work once more, Wraith studying the channels provided by the concealed listening devices spread out across the prison's perimeter while Sobeck continued his interior sweep of the Citadel's corridors and access shafts. Back behind his command console, the Phindian watched and waited as his surveillance systems were gradually restored, restoring his view of the Citadel's interior.

Time passed as the two set about searching for their lost quarry. Things seemed bleak and Wraith was about ready to forgo his plan to remain hidden and straight up hunt down this rescue party himself. But it was then that Sobeck received an incoming call from K2 as a projection of the tactical droid appeared on his console.

"We have captured the shuttle that infiltrated our defenses." The droid declared. Sobeck grinned.

"Good. Guard the shuttle and we'll lure the Jedi into a trap." He replied, a plan forming in his mind.

" _Sounds like progress._ " Wraith observed as he walked over to the warden.

"It's a start." Sobeck agreed. "Have you anything?" He inquired.

" _Not yet, but I do have a backup in mind._ " The super-soldier responded. " _Should the rescue party lose their means of escape, it will require an entire fleet to bypass our planetary blockade in order to come and pick them up. If we force their hand in this manner, we'll buy ourselves some time to hunt them down._ "

"Indeed. And we'll start by locating them with this trap I'll set." Sobeck replied, affirming the notion. "Continue to sweep your systems, I'll let you know when we're ready to begin." Wraith nodded and returned to his work, using his gauntlet tools to plug into the surveillance console and begin his work. His computation systems could perform additional sensor sweeps that were not available in the base server, including electromagnetic energy and thermal energy sweeps, by connecting with his optical HUD. Wraith performed one more sweep of the actual building before he started a broad scan of the prison's grounds. As he did, a ripple of energy spikes quickly caught his attention, coming from the tunnels near the prison's base. The electrical radiation was similar to what droids put out, but the thermal readings seemed more like an explosion to him. He quickly cross referenced the location with a map of the prison and pinpointed a spot near the prison's external pipeline.

" _Warden, I'm detecting some strange readings from the lower tunnels. I think one of our scouting parties may have found the Republic._ " He reported.

"That's not the only thing we've found!" The Phindian remarked in a particularly pleased tone. Wraith looked up to see one of the surveillance cams focused directly on Obi-Wan, Piell and their men as they stood outside the prison on a landing platform. Running his fingers along his console, Sobeck tapped into Obi-Wan's wrist comms just as the Jedi was attempting to call his partner.

"Anakin?" He wondered.

"I must commend you on your escape tactics. But in the end it was easy to predict your every move." The Warden gloated. Pressing a key on his console, defence turrets came online and took aim at the Republic party, joined moments later by a crab droid and a squad of droidekas and commando droids. Sobeck started to gleefully chuckle at the successful capture of the party as Wraith made to join him, observing the troubled look coming over Obi-Wan and Piell.

" _Nice work. Now, to get those coordinates._ " The super-soldier rumbled, pleased by the positive outcome.

* * *

Kenobi, Piell, their Clones and the bridge crew were escorted to the command deck, relieved of their weapons. K2 and Sobeck stood waiting for them while Wraith was cloaked and sitting off to the side as to remain undetected by the Jedi's senses. They were filed in and lined up, Sobeck waiting with his back to them and a triumphant look on his face.

"Welcome back." He greeted them, making to walk over as he did.

"I must say, you're not at all what I pictured." Obi-Wan commented.

"What were you expecting? The Wraith?" Sobeck wondered. The cloaked Wraith stifled a chuckle at the irony of the remark. If only Obi-Wan knew...

"Such a soft voice..." Obi-Wan continued, clearly mocking the warden now. Sobeck merely growled in response.

"I want your half of the information. Give it to me now... or I'll start executing your men!" He demanded of Piell stalking back and forth as he examined the line of prisoners.

"This is war, Sobeck." Piell replied. "We're all prepared to die to protect intel." Sobeck chuckled darkly as he took a blaster off one of his droids.

"Really?" He wondered, pointing the weapon at one of the Clones and shooting him dead seconds later. Kenobi grimaced as one of his men slumped over on the floor, Piell maintaining his steely and unflinching gaze even as Sobeck trained his weapon on another Clone.

"Sir, we have confirmed the location of the other group." K2 suddenly reported, interrupting him. "Our droids are closing in on them." Sobeck tossed the blaster back to his droid and made his way to the terminal.

"Your Jedi resolve only delays the inevitable." He muttered. "Take 'em to interrogation, torture them... slowly." He ordered his droids with a sadistic look in his eyes. The Republic were led out and, as soon as they were all gone, Wraith decloaked.

" _Guess my findings were right on after all._ " He mused.

"Indeed they were, soldier. Now to wrap up this diversion and capture the other Jedi." Sobeck stated. "My battalions will take up position around the shuttle on the upper levels. We'll strike the Republic when they least expect it!"

" _A classic maneuver, one I doubt they'll anticipate._ " Wraith agreed, crossing his arms. " _They'll be desperate to leave and likely miss the warning signs._ " Their attention returned to Sobeck's vast surveillance feeds as they shifted to the external feed. They watched as Ahsoka, Anakin and the other Republic affiliates emerged from the fuel pipe and took off running as battle droids and crab droids attacked them. " _Looks like the detachment near the pipeline has found them._ " Wraith commented, making a mental note of the location in case they needed to give chase. But as the battle continued to unfold, the Republic seemingly on the ropes, a sudden explosion ripped through the pipe and incinerated the droid forces in a fiery plume. " _That's not good._ " Wraith sighed, realizing the Republic had evaded capture once more. Sobeck growled in frustration and left his seat.

"Droid! Pull up a holomap!" He commanded K2. The tactical droid obeyed and soon the Citadel and its perimeter were revealed to both he and Wraith. The two commanders studied the layout intensely, attempting to get into the minds of the Republic and out-think them. It was a task Wraith delved into on a regular basis.

And yet it seemed they had covered all the angles already. Did the Republic have another ploy in mind...?

"Based on their recent position, we believe they are using this cave system." K2 reported, having compiled the recent sightings together a run a tactical analysis.

" _Now that we know where they are and what passages they're using, we can track them more effectively._ " Wraith noted, attempting positivity. As he spoke, a security droid approached Sobeck with a datapad in hand.

"Uh, sir, the prisoners did not make it to the interrogation level." He reported. Sobeck's expression suddenly turned to that of being livid, his anger barely kept in check. Wraith's hearing perked up at the sound, but he assessed the information much more calmly.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" Sobeck growled threatening, getting in the droid's space as it shied away from him. Wraith said nothing, continuing to ponder this change. How else could the Republic escape an armed guard... unless...

They had help...

"We think they might've-" The droid timidly started to say.

"Sir, Count Dooku commands you to contact him immediately." K2 interrupted, likely sparing the poor droid's existence. Sobeck looked none too pleased, not willing to face Count Dooku again without a report of success. But as his gaze returned to the holomap and he started tracking the pipeline and the tunnels where the Republic had been seen, he started to put the pieces together and Wraith did too both of them coming to similar realizations.

" _You thinking what I'm thinking?_ " Wraith asked the warden as Sobeck returned to his seat.

"Inform Count Dooku that I am unreachable." He ordered K2. "Send all units to the airfield and have them focus on the pipeline access!" He then commanded his security droids. "It's their only possible way of escape." He muttered to himself.

" _This is their Plan B. They had planned to rendezvous elsewhere until we waylaid Kenobi and Piell. That's why they've been using the tunnels and the pipeline._ " Wraith revealed, the Republic's plan now plain as day. " _This has Skywalker written all over it. Only he would be willing to pull such a move._ " He surmised.

"We've interrupted their plans more than once. They are getting desperate." Sobeck realized with a chuckle. It was then that Wraith decided to act on his hunch about Kenobi and Piell's getaway.

" _K2, contact the security droids guarding the shuttle. Tell them the Republic is using reprogrammed droids as a cover._ " He stated. K2 moved to obey, putting out the call moments later.

"The prisoners are escaping with reprogrammed battle droids. Let no one on board that shuttle."

" _Do we have access to the landing pad surveillance?_ " Wraith asked Sobeck. Said footage was immediately drawn up, revealing a full-on firefight immediately underway. The defense turrets were already attacking the fleeing Republic affiliates as battle droids and crab droids poured into the area. " _Good thing I parked in the exterior yard._ " Wraith mused. They continued to watch the battle unfold, Wraith growing tense with each passing second. He knew he needed to be down there, he could keep the Republic from escaping.

But deep down, he wasn't convince this was over just yet.

Anakin and Ahsoka's team rejoined Obi-Wan's, forcing all of the Republic forces into a single area. It was perfect... too perfect. As the fighting continued, Sobeck suddenly spoke up.

"Soldier, I need you to do something for me." Wraith turned to him.

" _And that would be?_ "

"Get down there and keep tabs on the Republic. Should they somehow survive this, track them from the shadows and keep me informed of their movements." The Warden explained. Wraith nodded and made to leave.

" _Consider it done._ " He replied. But before he left the command deck, he looked back over his shoulder. " _And if they do try to escape?_ " He asked.

"You have my express permission to kill them all." Sobeck responded with a dark grin. Wraith nodded, cracked his neck and headed out.

* * *

As Wraith made his way down to the landing pad, he could hear the muffled sound of a large explosion from outside.

"Soldier! We've destroyed their shuttle! Get out there and follow the Republic!" Sobeck's voice ordered through his comms.

" _On my way!_ " Wraith replied as the lift carrying him came to a halt and its doors slid open. Breaking into a sprint, Wraith switched on his cloaking device as he ran past the droid legions and followed after the fleeing Republic party. His enhanced body and training allowed him to catch up to the fleeing Republic no problem and his now-invisible form stayed close behind them, completely undetected. He quickly pinged his sensors and triggered his audio receptors to allow him the ability to hear the Republic as they spoke. As he did, a communication between Jedi which he quickly honed in on.

"Master Kenobi. What is it?" Plo Koon answered.

"I'm afraid we've had a situation with the shuttle." Obi-Wan replied, tip-toeing around the obvious.

"By 'situation' he means big explosion." Anakin interjected. "We're gonna need a rescue."

"It will be done." Koon stated in response. "I'm sending our cruisers now." The communication came to an end and the Republic kept running. Wraith realized they were on the clock now, the order had been given and now there was only a short amount of time left for him and Sobeck to gather the Nexus Route coordinates.

" _It has begun..._ " He muttered, continuing to trail his fleeing foes.

He followed the Republic unseen as they came to a halt within the deeper caves of Lola Sayu, pausing for breath as the Clones used a nearby gap in the rock to keep tabs on the droid forces, who were absolutely buzzing about as they searched for the missing rescue party. Wraith kept his distance, but made sure to adjust his audio receptors so that he could hear their every word. He was at a crucial moment now. Not a single word could be missed!

"We'll need to hold out until the Council sends a ship." Kenobi was saying.

"Not a problem. We've beat them once, we'll beat them again." Piell replied, keeping his hopes up.

"This landscape is almost impossible to cross. How are we going to get to the rendezvous point?" A Clone wondered.

"That is the trap of the Citadel. It's designed so that it'd be almost impossible for fugitives to get off the surface. Even if they escape the tower." Obi-Wan thoughtfully replied, now fully understanding the reason why this place had been constructed on Lola Sayu.

"Luckily we're not just any fugitives." Anakin remarked with a grin.

"I hope you're right." Piell mused. The Republic made to leave the caves, now convinced they were safe and away from the Separatists prying gaze.

They couldn't be further from the truth.

From his distant, cloaked position, Wraith had heard everything and quickly pieced together the information. With a report ready, he reached for his comms. It was time to put in a call to the Warden.

" _Sobeck, do you read?_ " He called in a low voice to avoid being heard.

"Loud and clear. Report, soldier." Sobeck commanded.

" _I've got good news and bad news._ " Wraith began. " _The bad news is the Republic rescue party has called for aid and they're making for a rendezvous point. The good news is I know exactly where they are and when to intercept them._ " He explained.

"Perfect... Perfect!" Wraith could practically hear his smile over the comms.

" _I recommend you inform the orbital fleet of the Republic's impending arrival. We just need enough time to retrieve the coordinates from them._ " Wraith suggested, knowing there was limited opportunity for them to work and that they needed all the breathing room they could afford.

"Yes... it shall be done! I am dispatching our forces now and am sending a pack of Anoobas ahead. They will be perfect for locating the Republic, no one can hide from them!" Sobeck added. "I will join this battle myself to ensure that we succeed. Continue to tail them, soldier!" Wraith agreed... but had one final idea in mind.

" _Warden, permission for a detachment of battle droids to accompany me. I might need to ambush the Republic at some point._ " He requested.

"Permission granted. I'll throw in some commando droids too." Sobeck replied through the comms.

" _Even better. Make sure they're all equipped with shackles for when we inevitably capture the Republic._ " Wraith added before terminating the call. Now that Sobeck had a lock on him and the Republic's location, all he had to do was wait until the droids were ready to attack.

This would be the beginning of the end of their little 'rescue mission'.

The Republic continued to move deeper into the cave system, yellow rivers of lava lighting their way as they carefully stepped between paths of rock. The heat was bearable, surprisingly so considering all the lava about. All the while Wraith tailed them, stalking them from the shadows like an invisible predator. His jacket and helmet were designed to keep his body at acceptable temperatures that were contrary to his environment. He felt none of the heat the Republic felt and was able to move much more efficiently because of it. Up ahead, Rex and a 501st Clone scanned the path ahead, finding it empty and devoid of droids.

"We're clear!" Rex declared, stowing his pistols. Relieved to be in the clear, the Jedi met to discuss their new plan of action.

"What's our next move?" Ahsoka wondered.

"We're gonna have to fight our way off this rock." Anakin replied.

"Contact the Council, see when they plan to rescue us." Obi-Wan suggested. They needed to establish some key details first before they could go on the move again.

"I'll handle it." Piell volunteered. He walked over to R2-D2, who was a new addition since Wraith's arrival on the scene, and activated a holoprojection of Mace Windu.

"Master Piell. It's good to see you alive, my friend." The Jedi Master greeted.

"Likewise, Master Windu." Piell responded. "Our escape route has been compromised and there are several squads of droids closing in on us." He informed him.

"When can we expect your arrival?" Anakin inquired.

"Master Plo is already en route." Mace told him.

"Gunships will arrive to evacuate you and your men. But do not delay. Only a small window of opportunity, shall we have." Master Yoda chimed in. The projection changed to a holomap of Lola Sayu's volcanic landscape, a series of arrows pointing to an island in the midst of a lava lake. "Your rendezvous point will be this island." Yoda told them. Piell nodded.

"Understood."

"May the Force be with you." Mace signed off as the communication came to an end. The Jedi made to discuss their next move some more, while Wraith was stifling a pleased chuckle.

He now knew exactly where the Republic was headed.

" _Sobeck, rendezvous point confirmed._ " He whispered into his radio. " _The Republic are holed up deep in the cave system. Feel free to unleash your droids._ " He stated. Within moments, as if to answer him, a small squad of commando droids entered the caves and started firing on the Republic. " _Talk about timing._ " Wraith mused. The Clones immediately counterattacked, using the pillars of rock around the cave as cover. One droid was shot down and fell into a river of lava, melting on contact. The others were promptly blown up by a thermal detonator thrown by an ARC trooper, causing a minor cave-in in the process. All in all, the droids were dealt with fairly quickly, but had caused enough of a presence to keep the Republic busy with no time to rest for long.

"No doubt there's more on the way." Obi-Wan gravely surmised as the Republic made to leave. Wraith made to follow them but was slowed when he recieved an incoming communication. Opening the feed, he expected it to be the Warden.

Instead, it was Count Dooku.

"Soldier, Commander Sobeck tells me that the prisoners have not yet been captured." The Sith bluntly stated. "Don't tell me you mean to fail me as well..."

" _Hardly, my lord. I'm tailing the Republic party as we speak. It's all part of an elaborate plan to force them into our hands. Rest assured, the Nexus Route will be ours._ " Wraith replied, attempting to restore Dooku's hope in this endeavour.

"I trust your word soldier, moreso than Sobeck's. Right now, his honesty is the only thing keeping him alive." Dooku said, revealing just how disappointed he was. "If not him, then I expect you to deliver."

" _I always have... and I always will._ " Wraith replied as he signed off. The heat was on now. Rolling his shoulders, the super-soldier got back to work... and started to develop a Plan B of his own.

"Soldier!" Sobeck's commanding voice crackled in his comms. Before he could say anything more, Wraith spoke up.

" _The Republic's extraction point is an island in the midst of a lava lake._ " He revealed. Sobeck fell quiet, thoughtfully digesting the available information.

"Yes... I know the one." He mused.

" _I suggest you split our forces and trap the Republic in a pincer move. Cut off their access to the island and then strike them from behind._ " Wraith added, his mind already in a state of tactical overdrive.

"Agreed. I am on my way as we speak... and the Anoobas are on the prowl." Sobeck replied.

" _Good. Send more droid squads to pursue them. We'll keep hounding them, wear them down. And then, when the time is right, we'll strike and take 'em down for good._ " Wraith responded.

* * *

The super-soldier continued to tail the Republic, witnessing them fend off another droid assault, but also lose a Clone and a bridge officer in the process. They were following the shore of the lake now and Wraith kept his distance while using his advanced receptors to pick up every word they said.

Which, at the moment, was mostly comprised of Tarkin complaining and going on about how this plan had the high potential to fail.

" _Blah blah blah... Force what I wouldn't give to shut that kriffer up permanently._ " Wraith grumbled as he listened to Tarkin drone on. Finally, the conversation shifted.

"Why did Master Piell have to share half the intel with _that_ guy? It's like he's not even grateful we rescued him." Ahsoka asked her master.

"Captain Tarkin feels the Jedi should be... relieved from the burden of leading the war effort." Anakin replied.

"That's ridiculous." Wraith chuckled at her response.

" _Easy for you to say, my dear. No more Jedi would make half my troubles go away._ " Wraith whispered.

"Maybe. But we aren't soldiers, we're peacekeepers. The Jedi Code often prevents us from going far enough to achieve victory." Anakin replied.

"A rather simple point of view." Obi-Wan chided him with a questioning look.

"Either way, he is a good captain." Anakin relented. The party continued on as Wraith quickly digested what Anakin had to say.

" _I believe I've found a psychological exploit..._ " He mused. A sudden howling stirred him from his thoughts as he realized the Anoobas had arrived. He decided to give Sobeck a status update and reached for his comms. " _Warden, your pets have arrived._ " He informed him.

"Good. I have news for you as well, soldier," Sobeck replied, "additional reinforcements have arrived to bolster our orbital fleet. K-Two-B-Four has gone to participate in leading the defense."

" _A step in the right direction._ " Wraith said. " _Now to tighten the noose..._ " His focus returned to the Republic as they split up and entered a cave system, the Anoobas hot on their tail and a small squad of STAP speeders zipping by overhead. Wraith quickly found himself a better vantage point, choosing to tail Ahsoka and Piell's group instead of Obi-Wan and Anakin. Crab droids suddenly crawled up from beneath them, cutting down a member of Piell's bridge crew before the Lannik Jedi Master destroyed it.

"Keep going! Ahsoka and I will deal with the droids." Piell commanded the others. The Clones and officers took off as Ahsoka drew her own lightsabers and stood with Piell. The two of them were kept busy by encircling droids as the STAP's strafed Obi-Wan and Anakin.

Now this was a firefight.

The Clones quickly rejoined Anakin and Obi-Wan and made quick work of the STAP's while Ahsoka and Piell held their own and dismantled the crab droids one by one.

" _Dammit..._ " Wraith sighed. " _I mean, I love her for being this skilled... but can't we pin them down just once? Force, I hate being ringside and not actively participating._ " He muttered.

But then, things took a turn.

A stray Anooba managed to get the jump on Even, mauling him with his claws and teeth.

"Master Piell!" Ahsoka fearfully cried as the Anooba whipped the Lannik Jedi around in its jaws.

" _Uh oh..._ " The super-soldier quietly said. Wraith realized that if they lost Piell, then there went half of the Nexus Route. Ahsoka promptly jumped to aid him and threw the Anooba off a clif with a strong Force push.

But her efforts seemed to be too late.

She knelt by Piell and realized he was in a very bad way.

"I have to get help!" She determined, rising to leave.

"No... Don't leave." Piell rasped from the ground. "Listen to me carefully, child. The information... I need you to deliver it, but only to the Council." He instructed her. Wraith's hearing pricked up at the words and began to move closer as Ahsoka felt otherwise about Piell's words.

"I should find Anakin or Obi-Wan. They need to hear this." She replied, believing them to be better qualified.

"No. You must listen..." Piell repeated.

"But I wasn't assigned to the team. I lied just so I could be a part of the mission." Ahsoka protested, revealing her true reason for being here. Wraith carefully drew closer, still unseen and hanging on to every word.

"Whether you were meant to be on this mission or not... you are now the most important part of it." Piell told her. "Remember this... and see to it that the information I'm about to give you is revealed... to no one... but the Jedi Council." He rasped, struggling to breathe. He beckoned her closer and Ahsoka listened carefully as Piell whispered the coordinates to her...

And, by extension, The Wraith.

His audio receptors picked up everything and saved it to the recording features built into his helmet. Wraith grinned broadly beneath his helmet.

He now had Piell's portion of the Nexus Route coordinates.

" _Thank you, my dear._ " He whispered. If it hadn't been for Ahsoka being the only one here, he doubted he would've ever managed to get the info out of Piell.

Stepping back into the shadows, Wraith watched as Ahsoka carried Piell's body over to the others, taking a second to replace the power cell in his cloaking device. Once renewed, he crept back over to the Republic party and bore witness as they consigned Piell's body to the lava, watching it burn in typical Jedi fashion before going over the nearby falls.

Fortunately, his information was now in good hands.

Choosing not to inform Sobeck about this development, Wraith reached for his comms.

" _Sobeck, The Republic are on the move again. Any time now._ "

"I'm on my way!" The Warden replied. "Your requested squad should be arriving soon." He added.

" _Have them approach from the west. They cannot be allowed to reveal themselves just yet._ " Wraith stated. " _I suspect that the Republic will be approaching via a narrow shore line that leads to that lake. Pin them down there._ "

"On it!" With the plan in place, Wraith continued to tail the Republic from a distance, the party now in a significantly more somber mood after the death of Piell. Sure enough, they followed the route Wraith had anticipated they would take, following the shoreline as it dropped until they were a mere few miles from their extraction point.

And they were walking right into their trap.

From his vantage point, Wraith watched the Republic draw closer and hesitantly wondered if he should intervene. But before they could round a bend, a line of battle droids and crab droids came marching around the path, opening fire as they appeared.

"Great! The Separatists were waiting for us!" Anakin exclaimed, igniting his lightsaber and swiftly deflecting the incoming shots.

"How did they get so far ahead of us?" Obi-Wan wondered, his blue blade humming as he deflected incoming fire right and left.

"We are on something of a one-way street!" Anakin replied, a deflected bolt taking down one of the crab droids.

"Better yet, how did they know we were coming this way?" Ahsoka asked as her twin blades carved clean through a pair of battle droids. The Clones behind them opened fire as their Generals provided a defensive break. Then, from overhead, Sobeck and a series of STAP's swooped down from above, their weapons blazing as they entered a strafing run.

"Look what I've found!" Sobeck cackled as they divebombed the Republic party. Red blaster bolts struck the ground around the Republic party as they scrambled to dispatch the foes attacking them on both fronts. Wraith looked on with eager anticipation, biding his time and waiting to see if he would be needed. "Soldier! Your troops await you on the ridge behind the Republic." Sobeck informed him over his comms.

" _Perfect._ " Wraith rose and sprinted across the rocky terrain until he found a small company of mixed commando droids and battle droids. Powering down his cloaking field for a moment, he commanded their attention. " _Sneak up on the Republic forces from behind and, whatever you do, do not reveal yourselves until I tell you._ "

"Roger roger." The lead battle droid replied. With a nod, Wraith was back in stealth mode and creeping up on the Republic forces, watching the battle unfold. The Jedi and Clones had successfully managed to hold off the initial droid force with relative ease, the Jedi making short work of even the STAPs. As Sobeck came around for another pass, Rex managed to fire off a few lucky shots that ripped through the Phindian's STAP, smoke and flame belching from the damage before the speeder crashed, sending Sobeck tumbling. With the Jedi otherwise occupied, Tarkin approached the downed warden with a raised blaster and took a single shot that glanced off Sobeck's shoulder. With a growl, the Phindian pounced on Tarkin, grappling with the Captain until his blaster was knocked aside and Tarkin was trapped in Sobeck's grip.

"If I can't have the information then it will die with you!" He shouted, hoisting Tarkin over his head and ready to throw him into the lava. Wraith saw his move and started to panic.

" _Sobeck! No! You idiot!_ " He shouted, fearful that the warden would cost them victory.

If Tarkin died, this mission was over!

Suddenly, Ahsoka rushed Sobeck from behind and stabbed her yellow shoto clean through his back, killing him instantly. His body fell back and hit the ground, Tarkin also falling from his grip. Wraith breathed a sigh of relief. " _You have no idea how much I appreciate you, my dear._ " He whispered under his breath. He wasn't the only one thankful though as Tarkin gave a nod of understanding in her direction.

"My thanks, Padawan Tano." He said, albeit a little begrudgingly. With Sobeck dead, the Republic mopped up the remaining droid forces until not a single one was left. R2 beeped in relief as the Jedi got ready to cross over to the island. From Wraith's perspective, there would not be another force coming to aid him.

" _Of course a prison wouldn't have enough forces to route them._ " He surmised, looking at all the husks of offlined droids. " _Guess that's why they called me._ " He rumbled, rolling his shoulders and starting to advance.

It was time for him to act.

Dusting themselves off, the Republic were more than ready to leave this Force-forsaken place.

"Come on, let's get to that island. The rescue ship should be here-" Obi-Wan was saying when Anakin stopped him.

"Hold on..." He quietly said, focusing on the Force. His senses had picked up something in their immediate area. It felt like a pair of eyes were boring into them, a steady gaze that was intense and hot...

Hot... like a raging fire.

"You feel that?" He asked, looking around.

"Like we're being watched?" Obi-Wan replied, now sensing it too. Anakin turned around to face the seemingly empty land before them... but his enhances senses told him otherwise.

"We're not alone." He quietly said, reaching for his lightsaber. All of a sudden, Wraith's cloaker deactivated as he lunged Anakin with a roar, taking him by surprise. Tackling the Jedi, Wraith rolled him across the ground before rising and throwing him into Obi-Wan. The super-soldier struck with lightning speed, charging Tarkin and forcing him into his grip before anyone else could act. He put the Captain in a chokehold and drew his slugthrower, pressing its cold barrel up against Tarkin's temple.

" _Nobody move!_ " He shouted. Nobody did. The Clones froze in place, their blasters trained on him. But none of them dared open fire. " _Sobeck's right. If we can't have the Nexus Route coordinates, then nobody can!_ " Wraith growled. " _My suggestion is, if you still want your precious coordinates so badly, you'll throw down your arms and surrender._ " He told them. " _If you wish to persist, go ahead. I dare you. But if you do, the Nexus Route is gonna get spilled all over the ground when I put a slug through Tarkin's head._ " He added in a threatening tone. From the ground, Anakin looked up in shock.

"You wouldn't!" Anakin exclaimed, knowing how valuable the Nexus Route coordinates were. Wraith shifted towards him and, in response, calmly pulled back the hammer of his pistol.

" _Try me._ " He growled. Anakin gave Wraith the hardest death-stare he could muster, but he also know it was not wise to try and cross Wraith. The man always lived up to his threats, no matter how heinous the could be. They couldn't afford to lose Tarkin, not now.

Wraith was right. They needed that intel badly.

Anakin and Obi-Wan signalled their men and the Clones begrudgingly lowered their weapons. " _That's better._ " Wraith rumbled, pleased he had achieved the upper hand. " _Droids! Cuff 'em all!_ " He ordered. His hidden squad of battle droids and commando droids suddenly appeared on the ridge, the commandos leaping down with their blasters pointed at the Republic. Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka and Rex shared looks of defeat as they slowly raised their hands.

* * *

The Republic affiliates soon had their weapons removed, hands cuffed behind their heads, lined up against the nearby ridge wall and forced to their knees. The droids surrounded them, blasters armed and ready. R2 was under considerable watch in the form of two commando droids, Wraith knowing the little astromech could tend to be trouble if not handled carefully. Most people underestimated R2, which often led to him being the reason for their downfall.

Wraith would not make the same mistake.

The super-soldier paced back and forth in front of the Republic, attempting to discern how best to deal with them. He decided to keep his knowledge of Even Piell's half a secret. If they knew, their resolve might harden and he might never get the codes in time.

" _The lot of you have gone to considerable lengths to get out of here. Quite frankly, I'm not sure if I should be impressed or tired of your determination._ " Wraith stated.

"We'll take that as a compliment." Anakin sardonically remarked.

" _Do so, Skywalker. I never give them out to the likes of you._ " Wraith growled. " _You all know what I want: the Nexus Route coordinates. So, who's going to break first?_ " He asked them. No one made to reply. " _Better yet, who am I going to have to break first?_ "

"Start with your own neck, Bucket-head!" One of the ARC troopers remarked. While his comrade snickered, Wraith didn't find the retort humorous at all and stalked over to him. Reaching down, he grabbed the Clone by the collar of his armor and promptly pitched him towards the lake of lava. Tumbling across the ground, the Clone managed to stop himself just in the nick of time, his head hanging over the edge of the bank as he bent backwards to avoid the searing heat. His brothers breathed a sigh of relief, believing Wraith had missed.

But that was his plan all along.

Stalking up behind the Clone, Wraith planted his boot on the back of the Clone's head and began to force it down into the lava. The Clone struggled to keep his head from becoming submerged in the molten rock, but determined as he was, it was all in vain. "No! NO!" He cried before Wraith shoved his face down into the lake, his body writhing and convulsing as his face was burned away under the molten substance. All the while Wraith kept his boot where it was, holding the trooper under as the horrified Republic watched helplessly. When the Clone's body finally fell still, Wraith released his foot, knowing the Clone had suffered an agonizing death being slowly burned alive.

How satisfying.

Turning back to the captured Republic, Wraith savored their looks of mortification. "' _Nuff said, I take it?_ " He wondered. " _Let that be a lesson to anyone wishing to mouth off again..._ " He warned them, stomping back over to the captured group. " _Now... the coordinates._ " He growled, crossing his arms.

"Even if we wanted to give them to you, we couldn't. Master Piell is dead." Anakin retorted.

" _I am aware of that, Skywalker. I've been tailing you this entire time, waiting for the right moment to appear._ " Wraith replied, surprising them. The Republic shared startled looks at the revelation. " _Oh yes, I've seen everything. I've been watching and learning as you've all gone on. Understanding how you operate and who is reliable... and who isn't._ " Wraith continued. His gaze suddenly snapped to one end of the line. " _Like you, Tarkin. From what I've been hearing you're nothing but an ungrateful little Huttspawn._ " Wraith growled as he approached the captain. " _You should be thankful the Jedi even bothered to save your worthless self._ "

"Perhaps I would be a little more thankful if the Jedi were competent in their ways and did not place a mere child in a position of leadership." Tarkin bit back in response, maintaining his air of a haughty, privileged Republic officer. Ahsoka turned to glare at him, while Wraith knew exactly who he was talking about... and it caused his anger to burn hot.

" _Or is it that the 'child' is better suited for this... and that chafes you._ " The super-soldier continued.

"Hardly. I am more perturbed by the fact they would prefer to trust in a petulant brat than in classical military structure." Tarkin replied in a calm, defiant voice. By now, Ahsoka was done with being picked on like this.

"Hey!" She snapped, but Wraith had already grabbed Tarkin's neck in a vise grip and hoisted him off the ground, his feet dangling as he was trapped in Wraith's iron grip.

" _I would pick your next words very carefully._ " He growled in a low, threatening tone. " _The Padawan who saved your life is far more qualified than you could ever hope to be, you wretched old fool._ "

"What does a monster like yourself care for how I view a Jedi child?" Tarkin rasped, struggling to breathe. Wraith paused for a moment, letting the Captain dangle in his grip a moment longer.

" _My actions may be monsterous, but under all of this,_ " Wraith rumbled as he reached to the side of his helmet and pressed his mouthguard release, the twin panels over his mouth folding away to reveal his human jaw and lips, "I'm still a man." With that, he dropped Tarkin to the ground, the older man coughing as the droids trained their blasters on him to ensure he didn't try anything. "A man with thoughts and feelings... not that any of you care." Wraith continued, letting his true voice continue. "But I'm not here to let you psychoanalyze me. I want the Nexus Route. And I'm going to get it... one way or another." As he finished, he knelt before Ahsoka, tha Padawan gazing at his crimson optics as he arrived on her level. Wraith took in the sight of his crush with a measure of relief and satisfaction. It felt good to see her alive in person and his heart stirred at the notion that he could be close to her again. "So... what's say we torture your master for a little bit?" He wondered. Ahsoka frowned.

"You know I'd prefer it if you didn't." She replied. While she was trying to redeem Wraith and Anakin's own efforts often got in the way, she did not like to see her master be beaten so brutally as Wraith was known to do. But there was obviously something afoot when Wraith chuckled, the corners of his mouth turned upwards in a smile.

"I wasn't referring to _physical_ torture." He replied, voice low. "No, no... I was referring to something more... _psychological_." He clarified, his fingers gently caressing Ahsoka's chin as he looked her in the eyes. Ahsoka raised a brow-marking, wondering what kind of maniacal machinations he had in mind. His current tone sounded... playful. Too playful for any kind of serious brutality...

And then, Wraith kissed her.

All sorts of eyes widened at the act, Ahsoka's mostly but Anakin, Obi-Wan, the Clones and the other Republic affiliates couldn't help but stare agape at the bold move.

Never had Wraith been known to pull a stunt like this before.

His touch was not exploratory, but it was strong, enough to make Ahsoka whimper a little. She could feel her mind reeling and spinning as he released her, a hot blush of mixed surprise and embarrassment appearing on her cheeks and darkening her montrals. Wraith knew he was pushing his luck, but the few seconds of lip contact felt utterly heavenly. He pulled back with the same playful grin on his face. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to do that." He whispered, voice soft. Ahsoka said nothing, her senses momentarily overwhelmed. Her mouth hung slightly open and she was breathing heavily, but not quite gasping for air. Wraith took note of her flustered state and cocked his head, smirking a little. "Was I your first kiss?" He softly wondered. "I get the feeling I was." Ahsoka still said nothing, Wraith's fingers gently sliding up along the length of her cheek, his touch soft and... rather soothing.

If it weren't for embarrassment, she might've been able to enjoy it a little more. "Would you like me to do it again?" Wraith asked her. But before either of them could say anything further-

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Anakin shouted, struggling fiercely against his bonds as if he wanted to tear Wraith apart. The super-soldier sighed and rolled his eyes, standing up in order to deal with this meddlesome menace.

"Skywalker, Skywalker, Skywalker..." he chided with a shake of his head, "always ready to ruin someone's fun!" He growled, decking Anakin's jaw with such tremendous force it was a wonder it didn't break. The Jedi's head snapped to the side, the fight temporarily taken out of him as Wraith dusted off his knuckles. "Force, that felt good." He muttered. He suddenly reefed Anakin's head up by his hair. "I heard the Citadel was designed to hold wayward Jedi. You know, you fit that description perfectly... 'Chosen One'." He sneered, practically throwing Anakin down. Wraith continued on as the Jedi recovered. "I overheard your surprise when Ahsoka appeared out of that Carbonite block. I take it you're not supposed to be here, my dear?" He wondered, casting Ahsoka a glance. But the Padawan dared not look up, her skin dark from blush. Wraith's gaze returned to Skywalker as the Jedi looked up at him with contempt. "Something in your eyes... Something happened. You're scared, aren't you?" Wraith wondered as he took a turn kneeling next to Skywalker. "You have every reason to be afraid. You're right to keep her out of missions like this, away from all the fighting. She's just not strong enough. Not with _your_ training, anyway." His words were like a venom to Anakin, one he refused to accept and continued to glare at Wraith. "This war's only gonna ramp up... best you play things safe and keep her locked up in that Temple of yours." The super-soldier finished before he stood again. "Now... where was I?" He mused, triggering his mouthplates again as he walked over to Tarkin. " _Ah yes... the coordinates, Tarkin! NOW!_ " He shouted, suddenly growing quite frightening again.

"I am sworn to tell this information only to people of supreme Republic authority. And no one else." Tarkin replied, maintaining his calm. Wraith's shoulders heaved, he was growing fed up with Tarkin's arrogant resistance. He wanted nothing more than to drown this Sithspawn in the lava himself. But he couldn't. Not until he got the intel out of him.

" _Fine. Be that way._ " He growled. Drawing his slugthrower, Wraith took aim at one of the surviving bridge crew and promptly pulled the trigger, blowing out the officer's head and splattering the back wall with blood and brain matter.

"You monster!" Tarkin spat in a low voice.

" _This is what you chose, Tarkin, when you defied me. All of this is your doing!_ " Wraith thundered, promptly executing the other officer with a _CRACK_ from his slugthrower.

"Wraith! Stop!" Obi-Wan cried, trying to prevent a massacre from occurring.

" _I'll stop when either when all of you are dead or when Tarkin gives me the coordinates!_ " He retorted, promptly killing the other ARC trooper and emptying one more round from his pistol. " _It's his call. But I wouldn't be too worried. Your troops are a dime a dozen. Easily replaceable._ " Wraith added.

"What they are is good, living, breathing men!" Cody retorted. "Good souls whom you slaughter without hesitation."

" _Because to me, you're nothing more than a waste of flesh._ " Wraith growled. " _You're not men. You're no better than droids. Easily replaceable. Easily forgettable._ " Cody glared at him, neither of the two flinching or willing to back down. Without even looking away, Wraith raised his pistol and fired a shot clean through the head of the 212th Clone beside Cody, his dead body falling over. " _What was his name?_ " Wraith asked in a rather smug tone.

Cody's only reply was to spit in his face.

Wraith recoiled slightly as a wad of spittle dripped down the front of his helm, the ultimate act of disrespect. " _Filthy wretched Clone!_ " He growled, the last word sounding particularly vile to him. Slugging Cody across the face, he then pistol-whipped the trooper to the ground, opening a nasty gash across Cody's forehead. With the Clone down, Wraith planted his heavy boot directly on top of Cody's throat. " _Treat me like that again... and I will crush your neck._ " He threatened, stepping back long enough to deliver a swift kick to Cody's side, the steel toe of his boot crushing several of the Clone's ribs. Cody growled in pain as Wraith moved on, stowing his weapon. " _I'm getting tired of waiting, Tarkin. Give me the codes, now!_ " Wraith demanded. Tarkin said nothing, keeping his mouth shut. " _You really do enjoy seeing others suffer for your own stupid mistakes, don't you?_ " The super-soldier remarked as he stopped in front of Rex. The Clone looked up at him, causing Wraith to chuckle briefly. " _This is the perfect posture for you._ "

"I bet you tell that to all the guys." Rex spat back. His patience already on a razor-thin line, Wraith snapped and planted his boot right in Rex's face, knocking him down as blood flew from his nose. Anakin instantly started moving to aid his captain, but was halted as Wraith delivered another hard kick to Rex's head, blood spurting from his mouth. Planting his boot on the Clone's forehead, Wraith turned to Anakin with a withering gaze.

" _Has the Republic still not taught these animals to respect their superiors?_ " He wondered with a growl.

"He's not an animal!" Anakin shouted back in retort.

" _No. You're right. He's less than an animal... he's sub-human!_ " Drawing one of his knives, Wraith dropped down and promptly buried it in Rex's mechanical arm, tearing it away with a crackle of electricity and sending bits of metal flying. Rex cried out in pain as the synthetic nerves flared up in full force. " _Now... is someone going to tell me what I want to know or am I going to have to keep killing people?_ " Wraith wondered as he stalked down the line, sheathing his blade. Before anyone else could say a word, a low droning could be heard in the skies overhead. Everyone looked up to see what is, Wraith having a sneaking suspicion that he knew. That's when a beam of green energy ploughed into the ground beside Wraith, annihilating two droids and throwing the super-soldier aside. The droids quickly turned their blasters upwards as a gunship made to land.

The Republic fleet had broken through.

The Clones inside opened fire, aided by the beam cannons mounted on the gunship's exterior. Commander Wolffe and his Wolf Pack went to work destroying the droids guarding the pinned Jedi. They ripped apart the droids as the Republic affiliates on the ground quickly freed themselves and collected their weapons, R2 zapping the two droids guarding him as he made his own break for freedom. Rex and Cody were helped on board, as was Tarkin, the bodies of the dead left behind.

"This is not the location we agreed to meet at." Plo Koon remarked with a bit of dry wit.

"What can we say? We stopped to take in the scenery." Obi-Wan remarked in reply. Down on the ground, Wraith picked himself up in time to see the gunship getting ready to take off.

" _No... No!_ " He shouted, jumping to his feet and chasing the gunship with pistols raised, firing at the Clones on the inside. But as he did, Ahsoka quickly used the Force to lift a nearby boulder and used it to trip Wraith up, knowing him over and buying the ship enough time to take off and leave Lola Sayu behind.

"Nice move, Snips." Anakin complimented her.

"Are you glad Master Plo sent me, Master?" Ahsoka replied with a smirk.

"You know what? I think I am." Anakin responded with a grin of his own. "You know something else?

"What's that, Master?"

"Wraith's wrong. You are strong enough. I'm the one that's been worried about you. But today you proved that you can handle dangerous missions like this one... even if you weren't supposed to be here." He said. Ahsoka brightened.

Looks like she was going to be back in the action full-time.

"Thanks Master." She said with a smile.

* * *

 _Later that day, back aboard the Dominance..._

Having returned from Lola Sayu, Wraith stood before a holographic render of Count Dooku, Doctor Scipio and Admiral Sereva standing alongside him.

"I understand Master Piell was killed during the escape attempt." The Count said.

" _Yes. But as he was dying, he passed on the information to Ahsoka Tano... and I was close enough to record everything._ " Wraith replied, tapping the side of his helmet. Dooku nodded, pleased by this.

"So we have the first half of the coordinates. What of the half that was with Tarkin?" He inquired. That required a different explanation.

"Tarkin refused to give up the information even when I interrogated him a second time." Wraith explained, disappointed he couldn't have worked the intel out of Tarkin while he had the chance. Dooku frowned, suddenly taking on a rim expression.

"So you failed us after all." He darkly stated.

" _Sir, I-_ "

"Without the Nexus Route coordinates, we will be unable to strike a crucial blow against the Republic. I hope you understand what you're failure has cost us, soldier." Dooku stated, chiding him. Wraith decided it was pointless to try talking and, instead, decided to show what else he had in store. Walking up to the holotable, Wraith inserted a chip from his gauntlet and tapped a few keys, bringing up a sound wavelength moments later. Everyone eyed the projection curiously.

"What is-?" Scipio wondered.

" _While I was interrogating Tarkin the first time, I slipped one of your new micro-listening devices onto the inside of his belt, Doc. So far it's gone unnoticed, meaning we should be able to hear his portion of the Nexus Route when he reveals it to the Chancellor._ " Wraith stated, gesturing to the incoming audio feed. They listened for a moment, revealing Tarkin making minor small talk with some officers as he recounted his recovery from Lola Sayu and his intention to visit Palpatine shortly. Wraith looked back to his audience, knowing this wasn't quite what he wanted to show off. " _Look, I know what that sounds like, but trust me, this'll work out for us._ " He quickly stated, covering himself.

"How very interesting. Doctor, see to it this data is transferred directly to me." Dooku commanded. Scipio obeyed and went to the holotable controls as Dooku continued. "A job well done after all, soldier. I apologize for doubting you." He added.

" _Everynow and then you have to trust someone even when it looks like they don't know what they're doing. I've served under enough commanders to know this feeling well enough._ " Wraith replied. "I accept your apology, sir." Dooku nodded in understanding.

"Very good then. Take some time to recuperate, soldier. I'm sure we'll have need of you again." He said before signing off.

"Now that's using tech smartly!" Scipio commented from the holotable. "I must admit, that was a very slick and clever move, my boy!" He applauded. Sereva agreed and approached him.

"Nice work Wraith. I can see why high command likes you so much." She commented.

" _We all have a part to play, Admiral._ " Wraith calmly replied. " _Which reminds me: what exactly do we have in store for this Nexus Route?_ "

"I think I can fill you in on that." Sereva replied. "The Nexus Route coordinates have the potential to change the outcome of the Clone Wars as they provide a direct link between Separatist homeworlds and the Republic's Core Worlds." She explained. This Wraith knew. "We need the Nexus Route in order to access the Core Worlds. Coruscant, specifically." She added. Wraith quickly put two and two together.

" _You mean... we're planning an invasion?_ " He realized. Sereva nodded.

"It is the purpose for which these Subjugator warships, including the Dominance, were built for and why I'm here now." The Twi'lek told him. "But it's still in the planning phase, so don't tell anyone else." She cautioned him. Wraith nodded and reveled in the fact that they would soon be taking the fight straight to Coruscant... an easy deathblow if ever he saw one coming.

" _No wonder we need six._ " He mused. Scipio chuckled lightly.

"My boy, you have only been informed about the _first_ six." He stated.

* * *

Wraith sat alone in his quarters, devoid of all his armor except for his helmet. He was resting on his bed, taking some time to wind down after the long day he'd had on Lola Sayu.

But things wouldn't stay quiet for long.

Just as he was feeling relaxed, he felt the familiar sensation of another presence here in his quarters. Turning around, Wraith saw Ahsoka again, alone in her quarters.

"I had a feeling we'd meet again like this." He announced. Ahsoka looked up in surprise, before releasing a breath as she realized it was just Wraith.

"I really wish I'd have some warning before this started up." She said.

"Ditto." Wraith agreed. "So... Lola Sayu... quite the experience, wasn't it?"

"I guess it was. Had me wondering a few times if we were gonna make it out." She replied. "Oh, hey, Anakin's decided to quit picking my missions for me and is letting me go with him again." She announced, quite happy by that fact. Wraith smirked.

"Then it appears my reverse psychology worked." He stated. Ahsoka looked at him questioningly before her eyes widened and she realized the meaning behind his words.

"You purposefully told him those things so he'd want to prove you wrong!" She exclaimed. Wraith chuckled in response.

"Excellent deduction, my dear." He congratulated her. "It appears that was the only success I managed to have." He added.

"Aw, don't feel too bad Wraith. You did something for me at least." She encouraged him, genuinely grateful for his intervention.

"I know. I couldn't bear to fight this war without seeing you all the time." He replied, smiling softly. "You make my days a little brighter." He whispered, looking at her. Ahsoka blushed at his compliment.

Force, she'd been doing that a lot lately!

"Still... it's a good thing we kept you from stealing those coordinates." She added.

"But what I _did_ manage to steal was just as worthwhile." He replied with a knowing smirk. Ahsoka maintained her composure, but couldn't help turning a shade darker as she recalled the kiss he'd stolen.

It did feel kinda nice...

"Why do you hide behind your helmet?" She suddenly asked him.

"I don't 'hide' behind it. It protects my face and creates an identity for people to recognize." He answered.

"But... it's not the real you. I really like getting to talk to you, even if it is random and strange like this." Ahsoka implored. "But I'd really prefer it if there was a real, organic face for me to talk to." Wraith felt touched by her words, but also pained by them. His true face was a secret, not even fellow Separatist commanders knew what he looked like beneath the mask.

That... and there were some aspects of his appearance he was convinced she'd be repulsed by.

"There are some... alterations that were made to me that I'm... not ready to show you." He explained in a soft tone.

"Like what?" She asked. It was then she remembered the confrontation on Aphran Four and how his optic had been shattered. When his eye opened, there was an amber and unnatural hue that stared out. "Are... Are those your eyes? I mean, they're not, right? You're human, humans don't have eyes like that, so surely it was because of that second wind you got... right?" She wondered. Wraith realized Ahsoka was on to the truth, but still held reservations about opening up like this to her. After everything they'd been through, after everything he'd seen and experience, he was worried about how the two of them would end up. Wraith wanted to be with her... but wasn't sure if destiny would be so kind.

Still, he couldn't make up her mind for her. Maybe it was time she knew the truth about his appearance.

Rising from his seat he walked over to a nearby lightswitch and triggered it, his room turning completely dark save for a minor glow coming from a nearby viewport. His crimson optics glowed brightly in the dark and Ahsoka watched as he appeared to sit down before the topics powered off. The viewport glow offered her a tiny amount of illumination, enough for her to make out the outline of his body. He seemed to have taken his helmet off as she could see the faint outline of hair where the normal rounded shape of his helmet should've been.

"Can you see my face?" He asked. "Can you see any of my face at all?" Ahsoka squinted, trying hard to see his appearance in the dark, but could see nothing further than his outline.

"No." She honestly replied. He was completely cloaked in shadow.

"Good." He whispered. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and Ahsoka jumped in fright, gasping in shock.

His eyes were like a lizard's; amber in color with a distinct vertical pupil. They glowed in the dark, eerily set against the shadowy outline of his head. They were not what she was expecting at all.

"Wha... What..." She stammered, not sure what to say. Wraith closed his eyes and sighed.

"Now you see why I wear this." He murmured, moving to stand. "You think I'm hideous." He donned his helmet again as Ahsoka found her tongue.

"I... No, Wraith. I-I never said that." She replied.

" _Your reaction told all._ " He responded, his mouthguard now closed.

"Wraith, please, just... just let me-"

" _I'm sorry. But I have to go._ " Wraith muttered and quickly left his quarters, the door sealing behind him. Walking the halls of the Dominance, Wraith breathed deeply and sighed. He never should've done that. Now she no doubt hated him, feared him.

He was afraid that would be her reaction.

But Ahsoka was experiencing the opposite reaction.

She realized that Wraith had been experimented on so badly that it had changed even his appearance, so much so that he'd reached a point where he was afraid of what she thought of him.

And that made her break for him.

It was just another sign of the hurting man underneath. The man who needed a friend more than he needed another enemy or a domineering superior.

"What have they done to you?" She softly wondered aloud, her voice pained by the reality she'd just witnessed.


	77. Wraith's Log: Entry 14

Wraith's Log - Entry 14

" _Let it be known that I have no qualms with a female superior officer. I'm a firm believer in equality, especially in military and naval roles. I believe women deserve to be treated with the given respect they are due, those who have worked hard even more so, for they have put in much time and effort towards becoming something great._

" _There are some men, men of the Republic might I add, that have such a callous view of women... I swear by the Force, it's a wonder how the Republic continues to function with despots like them in places of power..._

" _As I was saying, there are some men out there who see women as nothing more than objects. They are fools. Women can be just as potent and as prominent as men can be. Those who view them as objects deserve only to meet my blades and be felled by them."_

 _..._

" _Having said all that, I will say that our new female fleet admiral, a Lethan Twi'lek no less, is a very welcome addition to the Dominance. She certainly seems to have made a name for herself and possesses a very impressive set of skills when it comes to strategy and tactics. I very much look forward to seeing her in action. Still, I'm not sure what to make of the way she kept looking at me... I suppose it's nothing, but... I don't know."_

 _..._

 _..._

" _She's alive. I've seen her. There's a wierd connection between us that allows us to communicate without the use of technology of any kind. Ahsoka suggests it has something to do with the Force bridging our mutual connection by manipulating space to allow for real-time conversations. Wierd, I know. But not unwelcome. Especially after Celanon."_

 _..._

" _Still... I'm left wondering; with all the insanity and bizarre circumstances going on around the two of us... I'm stuck asking myself what the hell the galaxy plans to send our way next. Regardless of what form it takes, you can be damn well sure that I will do whatever I must to ensure Ahsoka's safety. I will not fail her again."_

End of Log


	78. Nightmare Fuel

-Chapter 45: Nightmare Fuel-

Location: The Dominance/The Jedi Temple

"The greatest battleground is the mind."

 _Wraith awoke to the feeling of soft, warm flesh pressed against him. He was underneath a smaller body, one laying atop him. Surprised by the sensation and unable to recall the events of the night before, Wraith quickly gathered his senses and looked down... instantly recognizing the blue and white striped montrals resting on his chest._

" _Ahsoka?" He softly wondered in surprise. The young Togruta stirred, slowly waking up. She looked up at him and smiled, her crystal blue eyes shining as she reached up to give him a soft kiss._

" _Hey Wraith." She whispered, still smiling. Ahsoka then sat up, the covers sliding off to reveal her bare body._

" _Well now..." Wraith mused as a grin quickly grew across his face, "I could get used to waking up to this." Ahsoka giggled at his comment._

" _Yeah?"_

" _Yeah..." He whispered, hands sliding up her legs until they settled on her hips. "You sleep well?" He asked._

" _Yeah..." She replied, bending over until they were nose to nose. "Best I've ever had." She whispered in a low voice, tapping his chest in time with her words. Wraith lightly chuckled, looking his love up and down._

 _And then he blinked... and the beautiful Togruta suddenly transformed into her dark and twisted self with pale skin and amber eyes. Wraith shook his head in shock, fear immediately coursing through his veins._

" _Ahsoka?!" He gasped, voice ripe with fear. The darkened Ahsoka cackled and sat up._

" _You're such a monster! It will never work out between us!" She growled with a wicked smile on her face. Suddenly, her lightsaber appeared in her hand and she ignited it, turning the green blade to thrust it through his chest._

" _AHSOKA!" Wraith screamed, raising his hands in defence..._

Wraith awoke with loud gasp, sweat clinging to his brow. His shoulders heaved as he panted for breath, the nightmare fading away now that he was wide awake. He quickly realized he was still in his room, in his bed and that Ahsoka was nowhere to be found.

And she likely wasn't her dark and twisted self.

"Sithspit..." He rumbled, running a hand through his hair as he tried to calm down. He performed a few breathing exercises to help regulate himself... but knew he needed to push those images out of his mind first.

Why did his subconscious have to be like this?

 _What is it? Another nightmare?_ Voice asked.

"Yes. This one a little more... suggestive in nature." Wraith answered. In the dark of his room, it was wierd to engage in a such a casual conversation with a voice only he could hear.

 _Oh? How was that a nightmare?_

"It ended like the others." He answered. This wasn't the first time he'd had a nightmare after Celanon and it especially wasn't the first time he'd had a nightmare that involved the corrupted Ahsoka.

 _Oh._ Voice plainly replied. Wraith sighed.

"Ever since Celanon... that corrupted version of her has tormented my subconscious." He muttered. "But... she's alive now..." He couldn't figure out why he as still afraid of this when he now knew Ahsoka to be healthy and alive.

 _Maybe you're afraid that might be lurking beneath the surface._ Voice suggested. _You're afraid that might be her dark side... just like you're afraid yours will consume the both of you._

"Not sure if I should accept your philosophical point or deny it altogether." Wraith remarked, rubbing his temples. "No matter how hard I try, I can't forget the corrupted her. Her words drove me to... well, you know..." Voice knew well, having stepped in to stop Wraith the one time his thoughts turned far too dark for either of them.

 _Good thing that connection opened up when it did. Stopped you from making an irreversible choice._ Voice added.

"Those were dark days." Wraith agreed. Deciding he needed sleep more than he needed to psychoanalyze this situation, he laid back down and got comfortable, prepared to try and get some shuteye in.

 _Hey... you notice anything different?_ Voice wondered, changing the subject.

"You mean other than the fact some kind of connection has opened up between Ahsoka and I? No." Wraith responded.

 _I mean, have you felt anything different?_ Voice continued.

"No. Why?"

 _Well... ever since Celanon... I'm in your head, right? Or, well, my head-_

"Get to the point Voice." Wraith growled.

 _I keep feeling something different. There's something... new in here._ Voice said. Wraith raised an eyebrow as he pondered that notion.

"In my head?" He repeated. He didn't feel any different.

 _Yeah. I mean... Don't you feel it?_ Voice asked.

"Voice, it's been a wierd few days ever since Celanon. There's strange things going on that I can't fully comprehend, this connection to Ahsoka being the perfect example. All I feel right now is tired. And a little disturbed by that nightmare." Wraith stated. "Now be silent... I need some sleep." He rumbled as he rolled over.

 _Okay, fine._ Voice relented. _Sweet dreams super-soldier._

"Shut up." Wraith rumbled as he closed his eyes. Although he was growing to tolerate this voice, it did tend to overstay it's welcome sometimes. But right now he didn't care about anything apart from going back to a nightmare-free sleep. Sometimes he felt like the only person in the entire galaxy who had these kinds of problems.

Little did he realize that someone else was also enduring a nightmare tonight...

* * *

 _Bound and gagged, Ahsoka could see nothing around her. The darkened room in which she awoke was pitch black, save for the single light that illuminated her. Her hands were cuffed together, raised over her head by chains attached to the roof of this place. A kind of cloth keep a gag in place, keeping her from speaking but exposing her lips. She gave a few muffled noise of protest as she strained against her bonds, only to realize that they had also cut off her connection to the Force._

 _She was helpless._

" _Comfortable, my dear?" Recognizing that voice, Ahsoka looked out into the gloom and saw Wraith's glowing optics approaching her. He drew close, very close, revealing that his mouthguard was retracted. "Glad to see you're awake. This would've been harder to do if you were still out cold." He commented. Ahsoka struggled against her bonds, trying to get him to help her out of this._

" _Mm! Mmm mm?" She tried to say, the gag limiting her speech. But it appeared that Wraith had a vastly different idea in mind. His gloved hand reached out and he started to gently caress her cheek, eyeing her with an almost predatory gaze. "Mmm?"_

" _Bound and helpless... I wouldn't have you any other way." He mused in a low voice. Suddenly taking hold of her head, Wraith passionately kissed her. Ahsoka was instantly frozen to the spot, taken aback as she felt overwhelmed by the unexpected move. When he retreated, leaving her panting for air, Wraith removed her gag. "Try to relax, my dear... you might just enjoy this." He whispered._

" _Wr-Wraith?" She wondered with a stammer._

" _I've waited too long for this to be stopped now..." He growled in a low voice, parting his duster as he did. "And now that I have you here, like this... nothing's gonna stop me."_

Ahsoka awoke with a start, breathing heavily and covered in a light sheen of sweat. The dream had been so vivid, _too_ vivid for her liking. As she calmed down and realized she was still in her bed and, most importantly, not bound, she breathed a sigh of relief as she held her head in her hands.

"What the kriff was that?!" She wondered aloud, very concerned by what she had seen.

Wraith... ready to force himself upon her...

"Why would I even dream about that? This better not be some kind of Force vision!" If this was the future... Force, she didn't even want to think about that possibility. "But... why? Just... Just because he k-kissed me?" She inquired, pondering if this was connected to the incident on Lola Sayu where Wraith had stolen a kiss. "I mean... it did f-feel good." She added in a quiet voice. Having never been kissed before, Wraith was right, he was her first kiss. And to actually feel one... it kind of blew her mind.

But would a kiss truly lead to this? Why would she dream of this to begin with...?

Unless she was afraid that Wraith might try to go even further with her, now emboldened by what she had allowed him.

"No... No, this... th-this can't be right." She determined, more than a little shaken by the nightmare. That was out of character for Wraith.

He wouldn't do that to her... would he?"

"Get over it, Ahsoka. It's nothing. Just a bad dream..." She convinced herself. Laying back down and turning over, Ahsoka desperately tried to go back to sleep... but her constant worry about the desires of her subconscious made that just about impossible.

* * *

Neither Wraith nor Ahsoka realized that they were both experiencing nightmares featuring each other, both of them rather... suggestive in nature. While neither of them could tell if this was an act of the Force or not, they both knew that there was something amiss within these dreams. And yet the similarity of them seemed to hint at something about their future.

They had yet to experience it, but their destinies were interwoven, their lives eventually heading towards the same path. And they had no idea how unfolding events would bring them closer together...

* * *

 **Author's Note: Just a quick little something to fill the gap. I have to work pretty steadily for the next little while, so I might not have a whole lot of time to write. But when I get a chance, you know there will be more coming down the pipeline for you all!**

 **What's on the horizon you ask? Season 3, Episodes 21 and 22...**


	79. Hunting the Hunters

**Author's Note: Dedicating this chapter to Peter Mayhew, since it's the first time I'm introducing Chewbacca. Rest In Peace you absolute legend, may the Force be with you.**

* * *

-Chapter 46: Hunting The Hunters-

Location: Wasskah

"Pain reminds us we're alive, even when we'd rather not be."

" _Well that was a bust._ " Wraith grumbled. The super-soldier was currently piloting his Aka'jor-type shuttle and streaking through hyperspace. Prior to this he had been sent to help turn around a losing battle on the world of Gan Moradir, the Republic having made significant gains, enough to threaten the Separatist's hold on the planet. But Wraith had arrived too late to turn the tide and Separatist forces had no choice but to retreat, leaving Gan Moradir in Republic hands.

It seemed to him like this had been a waste of a trip... but he had no idea that destiny had a reason for him to be out here...

After leaving a battle, Wraith always performed numerous hyperspace jumps in order to throw off any scanners or trackers so the Republic could not find the Dominance and the fleet amassing around it. He was just about to complete his first jump, one of three if his calculations were correct. Since setting up shop in the Dominance, Wraith wished he could simply call the ship to a nearby system and only need one jump in order to return. But, given the need to keep the ship's location a secret, he had no choice but to throw the Republic off his trail before he went home.

As the tunnel of light went on and on, Wraith suddenly received an alarm on his console in the form of a blinking red light. Quickly diagnosing the problem, Wraith gave a rumble of concern as a series of irregular numbers flashed across his terminal, retrieved directly from his shuttle's hyperdrive system. The super-soldier quickly put in a call to his home base.

" _Doc, you read?_ "

"Loud and clear, my boy." Scipio responded.

" _I'm getting some weird, fluctuating readings from the hyperdrive._ " Wraith explained, eyeing the strange numbers with a wary gaze.

"Well it has been in use a lot, it might be an age factor." Scipio theorized, understanding that this was likely a mechanical problem. One that, if left unchecked, could prove dangerous. "I suggest you land and give it a once over, just to be safe." He recommended.

" _Understood._ " Wraith agreed. Ending the comm, the super-soldier quickly keyed in the coordinates for an early drop out of hyperspace. He would use the nearest system for these repairs. " _I'm not even out of the Mid-Rim yet..._ " He grumbled. Wraith hated it when things weren't going on his way, especially in the militaristic department. Time was a commodity he couldn't afford to waste, and stupid things like a malfunctioning hyperdrive did not contribute to a productive war effort.

Starlight slowed down around him as the shuttle dropped out of hyperspace, revealing a dark green world suspended in the midst of a black curtain of stars. Double-checking his coordinates, Wraith pinpointed his location. " _Trandosha..._ " He realized. Trandosha was home to the vicious lizard-like Trandoshan species. Best known for being bounty hunters or powerful mercenaries, 'Trandos' were not to be messed with when one was under-prepared. While Wraith could easily handle a group of Trandoshans, he simply wasn't in the mood to right now. All he wanted was to give his hyperdrive a once over, fix whatever might be wrong and then get back to the Dominance. Pinging his scanners, Wraith veered his ship to starboard. " _I'll use that moon. I don't care much for dealing with lizards right now._ " He mused, plotting a course for the nearby celestial body... whose name he would remember for a long time afterwards...

Wasskah.

Breaking through the moon's atmosphere, the first thing Wraith noticed was the series of islands that comprised the moon's geography. Isolated and unconnected, it appeared this place was uninhabited.

Good news for him.

Picking the nearest island, Wraith set down on the shore before disembarking to investigate his hyperdrive problem. " _Hopefully it just needs a cooldown..._ " He mused as he circled around to the side and lifted the side panel before sliding the cowling aside. At first glance his engine appeared to be fine, but Wraith knew better than to trust initial appearances as looks could be deceiving. Plugging his gauntlet's computation equipment into a nearby socket and ran a quick diagnostic scan of the machine. Seconds later, he discovered that several vital parts were overheating from, as Scipio had theorized, extended use.

There was nothing he could do.

Wraith growled in frustration as he yanked his equipment free. " _Stupid thing..._ " He growled, slamming the panels shut. " _Of all the times for a breakdown... right when I want to be home._ " He grumbled. Leaning against the side of his ship, Wraith realized he'd have to wait it out and momentarily wondered if he should contact Scipio. Suddenly, his proximity sensors alerted him to the presence of four individuals. Approaching from in front of him, Wraith doubted they could see him but was not in the mood for an ambush. Triggering his cloaker, Wraith disappeared into thin air with a shimmer. Straightening up, the super-soldier moved to the side of his ship and waited for these individuals to make themselves known.

Who showed up surprised him greatly.

The first two to poke their head out of the foliage was a blue male Twi'lek and a female human with straight black hair. After immediately recognizing them to not be Trandoshans and very young, Wraith couldn't help but lose his heightened sense of ready anticipation and exchange it for confusion.

"What's this doing out here?" The Twi'lek wondered as he stepped out to approach the shuttle.

"Careful Jinx. It could be a trap." The human cautioned him.

"I'm pretty sure that isn't a Trando ship, Kalifa." The Twi'lek, Jinx apparently, replied. The girl, called 'Kalifa' it seemed, emerged next. Wraith suddenly realized that they were both wearing Jedi robes as well as telltale braids.

 _What's going on here?_ He silently asked himself. It was moments like these where Voice might pipe up and say something, but after his most recent reconditioning session, that wasn't going to happen for a good while... or, at least, until he hit his head really hard. As he was thinking, a Cerean poked his head up from behind the plants.

"Is... Is it abandoned?" He wondered. "Can we fly it out of here?"

"I do not know yet?" Jinx replied, examining the craft.

"O-Mer, watch our backs." Kalifa told him. Wraith's gaze returned to the Cerean for a moment before someone else stepped out of the jungle, whose presence made Wraith's eyes widen.

Ahsoka was here too.

 _What the hell...?_ Wraith silently wondered, shocked by her presence. He took note of the lack of lightsabers clipped to her belt and the lack of any Clones or Skywalker around, all of which led him to conclude that none of this was normal.

Something seemed off about this whole situation.

After only a few seconds of carefully examining the shuttle, Ahsoka was hit with a spark of realization.

"I... I think I know who this ship belongs to." She quietly revealed, recognizing the make and model from one of Master Plo's reports.

"Who do you know that flies one of these?" The Cerean, known as O-Mer apparently, wondered. Ahsoka didn't quite respond just yet, hesitant to explain.

"Wait a minute..." the human girl, Kalifa, interrupted, walking around the nose of the ship. "it's got Separatist markings!" She exclaimed, surprising the others. She turned to them with a hardened look in her eyes. "You wanna bet the Seppies have something to do with these lizards hunting us?" She asked. Having overheard her statement, Wraith decided he needed answers more than he needed to maintain his cover.

" _That is hardly the case._ " He stated, stepping out from behind his shuttle and deactivating his cloaking device. The younglings started when a man, bigger than any Trandoshan, suddenly appeared before them, clad in heavy armor and wearing a helmet whose illuminated optics looked like the stuff of nightmares. Ahsoka was hardly disturbed by the revelation and actually breathed a sigh of quietly relief as Wraith made his presence known. The younglings quickly grouped together by Ahsoka, Wraith ignoring them as his gaze settled on his Togruta crush. " _Ahsoka... what're you doing here?_ " He asked in a curious voice.

"The short version is, we've been kidnapped by a group of Trandoshan hunters-" She started to say.

"Who are hunting us for sport." The Cerean finished. "Not like you'd care." He added with a hint of bitterness.

" _I take it word of the war has reached even here?_ " Wraith surmised.

"We were kidnapped just before it started. Ahsoka has filled us in on what has happened... others have mentioned you before." The Twi'lek said warily looking the super/soldier up and down. "You must be The Wraith."

" _I am._ " He replied with a nod. Ahsoka stepped closer to him while the younglings kept their distance, more familiar with him out of all of them.

"Wraith... can you help us?" She pleaded with him. Pausing to assess their situation, Wraith did not respond immediately. He knew he would be expected back at the Dominance and who knows how long this would take.

But... Ahsoka was here... and in trouble...

" _I am familiar with these hunting parties. Sometimes it's a clan affair, other times it's a matter of tribal pride and family honor._ " He replied, mulling over thier predicament. " _Either way, the 'prey' are not meant to survive._ " Wraith looked over the younglings. They seemed so young... if a Trando wanted a Jedi on their wall, why not someone more famous and renown? " _Why would they capture the likes of you? None of you are full-fledged Jedi. Not yet, anyways._ " He asked.

"Because Jedi Knights are too powerful for them." Jinx told him. Hearing that, Wraith balled his hand into a fist, his attitude changing in an instant. Normally the only Jedi he'd ever stop to help would be Ahsoka. But these mere... _kids_... at the mercy of these kriffing Trandos... These damn lizards would act so cowardly? They would stoop so low in order to try and put Ahsoka's head on a wall?!

They were more deserving of death than any Clone was!

" _You're going to survive._ " Wraith told them, the youngling's faces suddenly lighting up with his words. " _Because these cowardly, yellow-scaled lizards now have some real competition: me._ " He stated with a growl.

"Why would you help us? From what we've heard, you like to kill Jedi." Kalifa asked with a frown and a questioning look. Evidently Wraith's renown had made it all the way out here, carried on the words of those who survived long enough to meet these younglings.

His reputation preceded him.

" _When I join the battlefield, my opponents have every opportunity to be at their best and make things even. These Trandos purposefully put you at odds so they have the advantage. For that reason alone, I despise them._ " He stated, turning to Ahsoka. " _That, and they want to put your head on a wall._ " He added. Ahsoka took the subtle hint and bashfully looked down.

"Meaning?" Kalifa implored, ignoring the somewhat obvious and strange connection between Wraith and Ahsoka.

" _Meaning there's gonna be a galaxy full of corpses before that day comes._ " Wraith growled, attention returning to the youngling. " _I will cloak my ship and then join you._ "

"Why can't we just leave on your ship?" O-Mer asked him.

" _Like a Separatist super-soldier is going to return you to the Jedi. That's not my MO._ " Wraith responded. " _I'll help you see this battle to the end, but getting out of here is your problem, not mine._ " He continued, turning around and entering his ship to trigger its stealth mode.

"Great... so we're still stranded." Kalifa grumbled.

"Don't look a gift Bantha in the mouth." Ahsoka reminded her, knowing that Wraith's aid was a very useful, specifically their teamup on the Bravado coming to mind. "Although I get the feeling that's not the only reason..." She wondered as the Aka'jor shimmered and disappeared. Wraith exited, overhearing her words.

" _I do question if my arrival has triggered any possible sensors... I don't want to get shot down on the way out._ "

"Do you really think these Trandos would have such capabilities?" Jinx asked.

" _If they were so willing to go the lengths to kidnap you all, it wouldn't surprise me._ " Wraith replied, now standing among them. " _Now... let's get started._ "

* * *

Moving back into the jungle, the group of five carefully crawled through the foliage, Kalifa taking point while Wraith advanced from behind, Ahsoka beside him. They ascended a tree, crawling across thick branches, Wraith demonstrating impressive agility for a man of his size which surprised the younglings, but not Ahsoka.

"It's daylight now, they'll be out hunting for sure." Jinx noted, looking up at the risen sun.

" _They don't attack during the night?_ " Wraith queried.

"We don't know, but they haven't so far." Kalifa replied. Wraith said nothing more, pausing to process that information. Ahsoka looked over her shoulder at him. She knew that quiet look well.

"What're you thinking, Wraith?" She asked.

" _The more predictable they are, the better. It makes it easy for us to chart their moves and be able to coordinate a proper, crippling strike._ " He answered. " _The sooner I learn their patterns and styles, the sooner we stand a better chance of taking them down._ " Kalifa lead them down onto a lower branch, motioning for them to be quiet.

"Get down. Someone's coming." They dropped as low as they could, sneaking along the edge of the branch until it interwove with another one, creating a sense of cover that the group hid behind. Looking down towards the jungle floor, they caught sight of a male Snivvian and a female Terrelian Jango Jumper walking in the open.

"Those two came in with me. We should help them." Ahsoka urged.

" _They're out in the open, it's already a risky move._ " Wraith debated. They couldn't afford to have too big a group, less they easily drew the Trandoshans' attention.

"It's too late." Kalifa replied. As she spoke, the Snivvian was shot down from behind, the Jumper startled by the sudden attack. The group looked to their right where the shot had come from and spotted a pair of Trandoshans on an MSP80 Pteropter hover pod. One of them blitzed the Jumper with a barrage of blaster fire, the would-be victim quickly leaping away and sprinting into the brush, attempting to evade her pursuers.

"Look at her run!" One of the lizards hissed. Ahsoka made to rise and help her out, but Wraith and Kalifa quickly placed thier hands on her shoulders, urging her back down. The Trando vehicle was maneuvered into position behind the fleeing Jumper. "It's your shot, take her out!" One lizard instructed his partner, who slipped a rifle off his shoulder and took aim, lining up the Terrelian through his scope. The female continued to bounce from branch to branch as she ran away from the hunters, only to be fueled by a single shot from the Trandoshan's rifle. Her body paused for a moment before falling back off the branch and hitting the jungle floor, dead. Ahsoka recoiled in horror, Wraith taking notice of her pained expression.

" _I'm sorry... but they were dead already. Helping them would've endangered you all._ " He told her in a whisper.

" _You_ could've done something!" She retorted, sounding desperate.

" _I'm here to help you get out of this alive, not 'do the right thing'._ " Wraith countered. " _But mark my words, when this is over, no one else will have to suffer these cowards ever again._ " He proclaimed, trying to reassure her. Ahsoka didn't seem too moved by his words, but did look back at the grisly scene with a sudden resurgence of determination.

"Let's keep moving." Kalifa whispered, leading the group on. After they were well out of earshot of the hunters and had arrived at a clearing, Kalifa turned to Ahsoka. "We're not saviors, we're survivors." She told her. "We can do nothing against them."

" _Not yet at least._ " Wraith rumbled. " _With my help, we'll soon turn the tide against these kriffing Trandos._ "

"And what exactly are you doing to help?" O-Mer questioned.

" _I am studying their mannerisms and courses of action, as well as keeping you all safe._ " He replied. " _It takes time to form a plan of action, young one._ "

"We'll never get out of here if we just keep hiding!" Ahsoka protested. "We have to act!" The younglings said nothing, taking a seat with their eyes downcast, expressions looking glum as if they couldn't see the hope in Ahsoka's words.

"There were other Padawans here who once thought as you do now." Jinx mused.

"Alright... where are they?" Ahsoka wondered. But Wraith immediately clued in to his words.

" _They're dead._ " He stated. Wraith was really starting to build a hatred for these Trandos. They killed and kidnapped as they saw fit and now they were willing to try and put his beloved Ahsoka's head on a wall. He looked out into the distance and balled his hands into fists, clenching them tightly.

This would not stand! In that moment, Wraith felt enough fervor to try exterminating the entire Trandoshan race. But he knew sending a message with these few scumbags would speak volumes... massacres could come later if the lesson wasn't learned.

"Just because _they_ failed doesn't mean _we_ will." Ahsoka earnestly replied, determined to do something about this. Wraith appreciated her tenacity, finding it rivaling his own.

"You don't understand. It's not that we don't want to... We're younglings, they have every advantage." O-Mer replied, revealing just how devastated they were. Wraith took note of his words and realized they had lost hope as the days wore on. They'd succumbed to the ravages of time and duress. Only he and Ahsoka truly had what it took to retaliate.

Their fires needed to be rekindled somehow.

But as he was contemplating this, Ahsoka turned and made to re-enter the jungle.

" _Ahsoka?_ " He asked.

"Get back here!" Kalifa hissed, not wanting her to be found. Ahsoka turned with a determined fire in her eyes.

"I can't do that. My master would never forgive me for running and hiding in a situation like this. I"m doing this whether you're with me or not." She replied before turning around, very determined to leave.

"Do not overestimate your abilities." Kalifa cautioned her, trying to get Ahsoka to see the wisdom in their current course of action. Before either of them could continue, Wraith spoke up.

" _Ahsoka,_ " He said her name with a gentle calmness that caused her to stop, " _normally I say to hell with whatever Anakin says, even now I still will._ " He said. " _But if you're going back in there, I'm coming with you._ " He stated. Ahsoka's expression brightened a little. Having tagteamed with Wraith once before, she knew his help to be invaluable.

"But-" Kalifa tried to say.

" _Kalifa,_ " Wraith interrupted, turning to the youngling, " _I trust her. Will you?_ " He asked. The girl regarded him for a moment before crossing her arms and looking away.

"I'm not taking advice from a Separatist." She muttered.

" _Then find someplace safe to hide. We will be back._ " Wraith ordered, bounding off into the jungle alongside Ahsoka.

* * *

Dropping down to the ground, Wraith and Ahsoka crept along, the super-soldier adjusting his proximity sensors as they did.

"Here lizard lizard lizard... come and find me..." Ahsoka softly called, halfheartedly hoping a Trandoshan would find her.

" _That's how you plan to lure them out?_ " Wraith wondered.

"You got a better idea?" Ahsoka asked, looking over her shoulder. Wraith chuckled.

" _No. Yours is cuter anyway..._ " He quietly remarked. Ahsoka caught it and chuckled herself, the lighthearted moment welcome in the midst of the moment.

"Maybe I'll try it next time I'm trying to find you." She joked.

" _I will come running._ " Wraith replied, smirking beneath his mask. They continued on for a few more moments before Ahsoka suddenly turned to her right and found an armed Trandoshan sizing her up. She quickly used the Force to push him to the side before grabbing him again and hurling him into the ground with a burst of telekinetic power. " _You got him?_ " Wraith asked as he hung back, Ahsoka not immediately replying as the Trando got up and started swinging at her. Ahsoka ducked each one as Wraith looked on, waiting for an appropriate moment to strike.

"Yeah... I think so!" She responded, suddenly leaping up and onto his back, covering his eyes as she tried to disorient him. But the Trando managed to grab her and promptly threw her across the jungle floor, retrieving his weapon and quickly taking aim at the recovering Togruta. Ahsoka thought she might be done for but then a blade pierced through the Trandoshan's torso from behind, a small splash of green blood landing on her montrals and raised glove as she tried to shield herself. The wounded Trandoshan managed a pair of barks for help before the blade quickly sliced upwards, bisecting the Trando almost in two and killing him instantly. His partially halved body hit the ground as Wraith retracted his blade, the super-soldier walking over to Ahsoka and helping her up. "What took you so long?" She wondered.

" _You said you had him._ " He replied. Wraith watched as Ahsoka tried to brush some of the Trandoshan's blood off her montrals, muttering a quiet "Ew" as she did. Wraith took the initiative and used his thumb to wipe a drop off her dusty cheek. " _Dirty girl..._ " He joked. Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

"Save it." She told him with a slight grin. As they conversed the younglings joined them, apparently moved by Ahsoka's words. They paused when they realized one of the hunters lay dead on the ground. A once invincible enemy was now no more.

"You... You got one." Kalifa whispered, staring in awe at the body at their feet.

"I've never seen a dead Trandoshan before." O-Mer said, chiming in.

" _A welcome sight, I bet._ " Wraith observed. " _But we now have a problem, he managed to put out a cry for help. His allies are likely close at hand._ "

"Well... I guess we're in it now." Jinx sighed as they realized they weren't exactly hidden any longer. Understanding the sudden tensity of the situation, Ahsoka turned to the one man who always had a plan.

"Alright Wraith, what do we do?" Ahsoka asked. Having given these Trandoshans some thought, Wraith had an analysis ready to go.

" _Trandoshans seemingly have no rhyme or reason to their ways. They're brutes, determined to overpower and overcome. They're also notorious predators, known across the galaxy for their animalistic ways._ " He answered, partly thinking out loud. " _They will respond to you like animals; attacking if they feel threatened and pursuing you if they feel they have the advantage._ "

"If they're predators, then what chance do you stand?" Kalifa asked in a rather demanding tone. Wraith turned to regard her.

" _They may be predators... but none of them are an apex predator._ " Wraith replied, more than ready to cement his dominance over these Force-damned cowards. Ahsoka knew to take his words literally, sometimes, and knew that Wraith believed himself to be above all others.

And sometimes... he was.

" _The four of you start running, we'll see how they react._ " He stated.

"Run? That's your plan?" O-Mer repeated in disbelief.

"You're gonna get us killed!" Kalifa exclaimed.

" _None of you will die. You have my word on that._ " Wraith assured them. " _I will bear the brunt of their assault. Should they pursue, the rest of you use the Force to frustrate them. Prevent them from getting what they want. The angrier they are the more likely they will be to screw up._ " He explained. " _Leaving them easy targets for me to pick off. If we work in tandem, we will survive. Now go. All of you!_ " He ordered as the thrum of distant engines grew louder. Ahsoka and the younglings turned and fled, Wraith staying behind as he stood his ground, waiting for the Trandoshan ship to arrive.

Moments later, it did.

The small, box-shaped hover pod came flying from out of the jungle foliage, bearing three Trandoshans. Wraith quickly broke into a sprint before vaulting up and onto the craft, a blade deployed. It speared clean through the head of the nearest, green-scaled hunter as Wraith tackled them all out of the craft, the vehicle promptly crashing into the nearby trees and coming undone with a burst of electricity. Withdrawing his blade from the impaled Trando, Wraith turned to face the remaining two.

"You're going to pay for that!" An orange-scaled lizard hissed as he raised his rifle. "And I'm going to get a nice trophy..." Clearly he had no idea who he was talking to.

" _Speak for yourself, lizard-lips!_ " Wraith growled as the Trando opened fire. The rifle rounds pinged off his armor as he quickly advanced. Triggering his second blade, Wraith pounced on the lizard and stabbed his blades clean through his body, green blood soaking his weapons as he hoisted the screaming Trando off the ground. Flexing his impressive strength, Wraith tore the hunter asunder, the halves of his body falling off his blades. The final Trandoshan, a far huskier green-scaled lizard, charged Wraith and attacked him with repeated punches that his armor absorbed. Realizing they had no effect, the Trando looked up into Wraith's fiery optics as the super-soldier's hand encircled his neck. " _Didn't think that through... did you, chopperface?_ " He wondered, punching the Trandos lights out, the lizard falling limp in his arms. Surveying the carnage around him, Wraith rolled his shoulders and breathed deeply.

That felt good...

But seeing as more would come, Wraith decided to leave a message behind for any other Trandos to find. Eyeing the lizard in his hand, Wraith drew one of his combat knives...

 _Later..._

As dusk fell, another group of Trandoshan hunters came to investigate what had become of the other group that had gone out that morning. When they eventually did find the party's crashed hover pod, they found a scene of horror awaiting them.

Three of their comrades had been stabbed and slashed open, one missing his face and another torn in two. But a final Trandoshan hung suspended from a higher branch... having been flayed alive and left on display for anyone to see... an Aurebesh 'W' carved into his flesh and a lightning bolt running through it.

* * *

Using his sensors to track down the Jedi, Wraith arrived at their treetop hideout. An impressive room carved into the tree set high from the forest floor, it made for quite a nice place to stay. Wraith settled in around the fire the younglings had constructed, his mouthguard retracted and the fire highlighting a few of the specks of green blood that dotted his armor. The Jedi were busy eating some tree fruits they'd collected and found to be edible.

"For the first time in a long time, I think we might actually stand a chance against them." O-Mer mused.

"I know. It's so wierd..." Kalifa agreed. She then turned to Wraith, who sat opposite Ahsoka. "I never thought I'd say this... but I'm grateful for your help." She honestly told him. "Thanks to you two and your strength, we've got a fighting chance that we've never had before." Wraith nodded. He could see the fire starting to be rekindled, hope flourishing anew within her.

"We may technically be on opposite sides, Kalifa, but there are some issues we can agree upon and therefore work together to change." He answered. "You'll find I'm not your average Separatist." Kalifa smiled at his response and offered him a fruit.

"You hungry?" She wondered. Wraith held up his hand to decline.

"You eat. I ate this morning, I'm good for several hours still." He replied. This was true. Wraith's average supplement consisted of protein shakes and maybe the odd solid meal, but mostly specially designed nutrient compounds that would aid his enhanced physique's metabolic needs. The younglings were astounded by his declaration of 'a few more hours' most of them needing at least a meal or two a day to stay alive.

"It's like he's not even human..." Jinx whispered to O-Mer. Wraith heard his words but made no reply.

"Wraith, we found out that the Trandoshans can control their blasters, so they can't be used against them." Ahsoka told him. The super-soldier quickly started questioning why this was.

"Interesting. They must have some kind of inhibitor failsafe installed into them, likely something that disrupts the frequency resonance of the energy cell." Wraith mused. "So they can control their own... but not mine, which is good." Drawing one of his pistols, he looked his weapon over, pleased that such an option was still viable... but he'd have to be careful about using it. He was running low on ammo of all sorts after his attempted defence of Gan Moradir. He'd have to pick and choose his ranged shots carefully. "So we should try to relieve them of their weapons. Shouldn't be a problem for a few Force-users, right?"

"I think so..." Kalifa replied. Then she yawned, stretching as she did. The contagious act was quickly repeated by Jinx and O-Mer.

"You all get some sleep. I'll keep watch. I left a deterrent behind, but I'm curious to see if Trandos are willing to operate at night." Wraith instructed them.

"After such a long day, you're gonna stay up all night too?" Jinx wondered.

"It's like you said, Jinx," Wraith replied, looking at him with a smirk, "I'm not even human." The younglings retired to their beds, but Ahsoka didn't follow them right away.

She wanted to talk with Wraith some more.

"I'm going to stay up a little later. We need to talk about... strategies." She explained to Kalifa, the word 'strategy' sounding more like an excuse to Wraith. The youngling nodded and climbed into bed, Ahsoka scooting over to sit right next to Wraith as they began to speak in hushed tones.

"I'm guessing you didn't agree to help us because you hate cowardly Trandoshans." She said with a rather knowing look in her eyes. Wraith chuckled, recognizing he'd been found out.

Not like he'd been keeping it a secret or anything.

"It was reason enough for them." He answered. "But you're right. My true purpose for staying is far simpler." He said. He knew he didn't have to say it, Ahsoka already knew.

"I don't think you've ever purposefully gone out of your way to help me like this." She responded, rubbing the back of her head.

"I've said it once before and I'll say it again; I would do anything for you, Ahsoka." Wraith replied, his crimson optics locked with her. "That and I hate seeing kids like them in situations like this." He added.

"But... they're Jedi, like me."

"That's not what I see." He said, voice turning solemn. "I see kids who need help... who shouldn't be here in the first place."

"So... you've got a soft spot for kids, eh?" Ahsoka wondered with a raised eye-marking and a half-smirk.

"There is something to be said for maintaining the innocence of childhood for as long as possible." Wraith replied with his own smirk, hiding the fact that he had never been 'innocent' by those standards. "So, what were you doing before this... hell broke loose?" He wondered, shifting the topic.

"I was on Felucia, helping Anakin and Master Plo retake ground from the droids." Ahsoka told him.

"So that's where you ran off to in the middle of our last... connection." Wraith mused. A couple days ago, Ahsoka and Wraith had spoken during one of those wierd time/space connections they had yet to fully understand. Ahsoka had to leave not long into it and now he knew why. "What about you?" She inquired.

"I had been sent to Gan Moradir in order to try and turn back the advancing Clone army. Unfortunately, I arrived too late." Wraith explained. "Lucky for you, Gan Moradir is now in Republic hands." He added. Ahsoka nodded, smiling a little.

"Good." She suddenly realized that they had both just shared what was, technically, military-grade information. She was openly speaking with a Separatist about the Republic reclamation of Felucia and he was telling her, a Jedi commander within the Republic army, about the Separatists attempted defence of Gan Moradir. And it had just come up in conversation becuase she felt at ease around him.

Was it weird for them to talk like this?

"You know... Felucia was the first time I ever saw you." Wraith told her, reminiscing of one of his earliest missions ever. "Fighting off the droid army atop a tank. You didn't have to say a word and yet your determination and tenacity was so obvious, just from looking at you." He said, a far off look in his optics as his head rested against the surface behind him. "I'm pretty sure that was when I developed a crush on you." Ahsoka felt her face go flush... and not from the heat of the fire.

"R-Really?" Wraith nodded.

"So bright. So youthful. So energetic. So... powerful. I was completely and utterly enamoured with you." He answered. Ahsoka smiled, the compliment rendering her quite bashful.

"And now?" She wondered. Wraith turned to her with a smile.

"Even more so." He replied. Ahsoka smiled in return, his words comforting to a certain degree. Something about someone else feeling so positively about you certainly did something to brighten the mood.

"Felucia was... not one of my best moments." She said, remembering the embarrassing aftermath and her reprimand in front of the Council. "Let's just say I had a rough go at first. I was really stubborn, really headstrong. Thought I could take on the galaxy all by myself."

"Don't we all think that at some point?" Wraith wondered. Of course, with his enhancements, he might actually be able to...

"But I made mistakes. Plenty of them. There were moments I didn't anticipate, changes I had to work with. Sometimes the outcomes were alright... other times, not so much. Like when I lost my squadron..." Ahsoka added. Wraith suddenly turned to her.

"You lost a squadron?" She nodded, recalling the event with little fondness.

"When the Republic went to take Ryloth. Anakin had me lead the charge against the Separatist blockade... but we weren't anticipating reinforcements. A couple cruisers showed up and decimated my entire squadron. I was one of the only survivors." She told him.

"That must wear on you." Wraith mused, knowing the burden of responsibility often weighed heavily on those who bore it. "Have you ever gotten over that?"

"I... I guess so." She replied. Ahsoka had never really brought that moment up until now. After Ryloth had been liberated, she slowly forgot about the whole battle for its airspace. "I guess I just got numb to it after a while." She mused. Wraith's expression changed, clouding over as darker thoughts entered his mind.

"The Jedi treat you like some kind of child soldier, expecting you to feel nothing. But that isn't so." He growled, not really meaning to say that to her.

"That's not true!" Ahsoka exclaimed in protest.

"Then why do they have you ignore your feelings? Why is that one of their mandates?"

"Because feelings and emotions can be a gateway to the Dark Side." Ahsoka informed him. To Wraith, it sounded like she was reciting someone else's cue cards. "Too much of any-"

"I'm sorry, but that's the biggest load of sithspit I've heard all day!" He interrupted her. "Your emotions can't corrupt you! They are a natural part of who you are, they are what make you a unique individual." He stated.

"You don't know what it's like to have two different sides pulling at you." Ahsoka emphatically replied, trying to help him realize the very real struggle Jedi like her faced every day.

"Ahsoka, not all of what you call the 'Dark Side' is really that bad." Wraith retorted. "The Jedi simply deny you such emotions because it goes against their code, there's really nothing wrong with them!" Such was the reality he had come to grasp. To him, the Jedi Order was very narrow-minded and he hated to see such a useless series of conservative commands hinder a strong-spirited go-getter like Ahsoka.

"Then what am I supposed to do? If I can't control my emotions, I'll become consumed by them and fall to the Dark Side." Ahsoka asked. Wraith quickly did a mental recap of what he knew about Togrutan physiology, psychology, society and culture. Having studied them quite rigorously, thanks to his emotional investment in one, he had learned a great deal of facts about the primal race... and believed he had a solution in mind.

"Maybe, instead of just blocking things out entirely and trying to smother them, you should try to temper your feelings." He suggested. "As a Togruta you're a very social and emotional creature, emotions are a part of your genetic makeup. You should embrace this." Wraith encouraged her. Ahsoka looked at him askance, the idea new and never before suggested to her. Not even by someone like Master Shaak.

"Why?"

"Scientifically speaking, pent-up feelings generally results in enhanced anxiety, tension and a decrease in other functions. If you keeping stowing your emotions away, Ahsoka, you'll end up hurting yourself." Wraith informed her, warning her simultaneously. His words hit home, but Wraith never realized it. This was Ahsoka's longest struggle and, Wraith was right, most of it was due to her emotional nature as a Togruta. She'd tried for so long to be like the other Jedi, but her youthfulness and changing body presented an absolute landscape of issues for her to overcome... some of which nobody else knew about. "If you don't mind me asking, how have you kept it together for this long?" Wraith inquired, trying not to pry but still curious all the same.

"I use the Force. It calms me, helps me focus, you know, generally cancels out everything else." She replied. While this was true, it hadn't been her solution to everything, but she did find it to be an acceptable, general answer. Wraith surmised she'd no doubt been taught to rely on that too... That was another issue he had wth the Jedi; they were too obsessed with using the Force to solve every single problem.

"The Force. Right. Like some invisible energy system is going to be the ultimate solution for everything." Wraith muttered.

"You'd be surprised." Ahsoka remarked.

"I prefer to ground what I know in science and fact." Wraith retorted. Suddenly realizing how hard and condemning he sounded, he immediately apologized. "I'm sorry, I... I-I didn't mean to come off so harshly."

"It's okay. I know you weren't directing it at me." Ahsoka responded, forgiving him. Wraith turned to her and watched as she gave a big yawn.

"You're tired. You should sleep."

"I can't." She replied, rubbing her eyes. "The others... they need me..." She tried to say, but couldn't help but yawn again in mid sentence. As she rubbed her eyes yet again, Ahsoka suddenly found Wraith's duster being draped around her shoulders, fitting her like a blanket.

"Sleep." Wraith encouraged her, one of his big strong arms coming to rest around her shoulders. "You don't have to do everything yourself. I will keep watch over us all." His words proved to be enough reassurance for her and Ahsoka soon nodded off, her head coming to rest against Wraith's shoulder as she leaned against him. Smiling to himself, Wraith rested his head against the wall behind him as he adjusted his proximity sensors to function at their maximum range...

* * *

 _Later..._

A subtle beeping stirred Wraith from his partial slumber as his proximity sensors alerted him to the inbound presence of several individuals. The fire in the hideout had long since gone out and Wraith quickly judged it to be the middle of the night.

Meaning it could only be Trandoshans moving in such a tactical pattern.

Realizing he needed to investigate, Wraith eased Ahsoka off his shoulder and carefully lowered her to the ground, ensuring he did not wake her.

"So much for them not attacking at night." He muttered, mask closing up over his mouth. Quickly stepping outside onto the nearest branch, Wraith triggered his cloaking field and focused on tracking the subjects highlighted by his proximity sensors, a total of six targets. Fastening a grapple to the tree branch, the invisible Wraith quietly dropped down from his perch as the six signatures appeared right beneath him.

Putting him right on top of them.

Wraith watched through his optics as the six armed Trandoshans carefully prowled through the jungle on foot. Adjusting his audio receptors, he listened in as the conversed.

"Keep searching! Garnac wants whatever killed Lo-Taren and the others taken out immediately." A green-scaled lizard stated. "We do not need unnecessary casualties, especially during a hunt!"

"Why did we have to be out here?" Another grumbled. "I wanted to be back partying with Dar. He's gonna kill a Jedi tomorrow..." Wraith quickly realized that his little 'message' had attracted the attention of these filthy lizards.

 _My bad._ He thought. Fortunately, these prowling hunters hadn't realized the Jedi were encamped directly above them, leaving Wraith to assume that they were safe for the time being.

But the longer these filthy things stuck around, the possibility of them being uncovered increased dramatically. They needed to be taken out, Wraith concluded.

With darkness and invisibility on his side, Wraith lowered himself to the ground soundlessly and proceeded to creep up on the Trando furtherest away from the group; a brown-scaled lizard at the back of the party. Drawing a knife, Wraith got real close to the hunter, close enough to hear the lizard sniff the air like he had detected Wraith's presence. He had no time to deduce the scent, however, as Wraith quickly and quietly slit his throat. Green blood sprayed from the wound as the Trandoshan wordlessly clutched his throat, gurgling as he keeled over and died. Wraith quickly retreated from the scene and waited to see if anyone would notice. No one seemed to and he began to pick out his next victim, ready to pair the group of five down to four. A green-scaled Trando at the front of the pack sniffed the air, his acute senses picking up a new scent.

"Fresh blood..." He hissed to his comrades. They could smell it too.

"Where from?" A husky, orange-scaled lizard asked. As their focus was turned on one another, Wraith struck suddenly before any of the others could speak, creeping up behind the rearmost Trandoshan and stabbing him clean through the side of his head. He pulled his knife free with a spray of green blood as he fell dead. This time, the death did not go unnoticed.

"Mo-Karo!" The Trandos gathered around his body, checking him over a thin, green lizard stood up and looked around. "We are being hunted..." He realized, gripping his rifle tighter.

"By who?" Another Trando asked him. He didn't have time to respond as yet another Trando was suddenly downed, his head twisting violently as his neck was snapped by an unseen assailant. Just as the hunters turned to recognize their dead comrade, yet another Trando fell dead as a throwing knife speared the back of his head, killing him instantly.

The two remaining Trandos waved their weapons about, wildly looking this way and that for some sign of the unseen killer. Suddenly, one of them was cut down, decapitated by an unseen blade. Only the husky brown Trandoshan was left and he made to fire, only to realize his blaster had been shorn in two. Dropping his defunct tool, the lizard drew a long hunting knife and looked around.

"What are you...?" He hissed, ready to strike as soon as he saw something. Then, the air before him started to shimmer, and a hulking form that was taller than him came into view, crimson optics blazing bright in the midst of the darkened jungle. The Trandoshan recoiled, startled by the sight of no mere jungle beast that was hunting him and his allies.

" _A real predator._ " Wraith growled, blades extending with a shrill ring.

The Trandoshan's ensuing screams, piercing Wasskah's night air, were silenced moments later...

* * *

 _The next morning..._

Ahsoka hummed as she slowly awoke, blinking her eyes as she registered the early morning sun. Stretching a little, she suddenly realized the positioning of her arms were... rather awkward.

While her head was still resting against Wraith's shoulder, her left arm was wrapped around his while her right was draped across his lap, her hand curling around his side as if she were hugging him. Realizing her predicament, her face turned bright red and she quickly sat up with surprising speed for this early in the morning. She hoped Wraith had nodded off and hadn't realized where her arms had been, but her hopes were quickly dashed when Wraith turned to her and asked,

"Sleep well?" Ahsoka flushed with embarrassment, pulling his duster a little tighter around her.

"Uh... Y-Yeah... yeah." She stammered in response, avoiding eye contact. He didn't seem to mind, nor did he make any remarks. _Of course he wouldn't mind._ She thought. This was Wraith after all...

"That's good." He replied, stretching his arms as his body rippled beneath his shirt.

"How was keeping watch?" She asked, shedding his duster.

"Quiet." He answered, deeming it unnecessary to alarm her with the news of the six dead Trandos beneath the tree. He stood up and offered her his hand, which she took. Once on her feet, she returned his duster.

"I was talking with the others last night before you returned, and we think we have a plan." She informed him. Wraith nodded as he did up the front flap of his duster.

"Good. Fill me in on the way." He replied. "Let's move before these kriffing scum get really active."

Once the younglings were awake, the five moved into the jungle, Ahsoka informing Wraith of the plan she and the others had concocted last night. Ahsoka had come to the conclusion that the Trandoshans has to have a base somewhere, meaning if they were going to attack that would be the best place to start.

Wraith had to agree.

" _A hunting guild like this one has to have a lodge of some kind._ " He mused. " _Smart thinking Ahsoka._ " He complimented. Ahsoka grinned, but knew there was another issue to raise.

"The problem is we don't know where to start looking for one." She added.

" _I'll adjust my scanners to see if I can find any high energy outputs. In the meanwhile, let's start looking for one while we're evading these lizards._ " Wraith suggested. With Kalifa taking the lead on where to look, the group started searching the island, combing areas left and right, all while trying to keep a low profile and avoid the Trandoshan hunters. Having never worked with, or even seen, the super-soldier before, the younglings were growing rapidly impressed with who The Wraith was. They watched as he scaled the terrain along with them, displaying impressive agility for a man of his build. He had the equivalent and proportionate abilities to a seasoned Jedi, they deduced, and they weren't far off.

The day wore on as they searched the island, investigating places they had already been to as well as other, seemingly more likely locations. Around midday, they stopped for a moment of rest, Jinx and O-Mer taking a seat while Kalifa leaned against a nearby tree, Ahsoka and Wraith standing tall.

"We've already covered the beach area and most of the briar on this side of the bay." Jinx mused as they paused.

"If it was easy to find, you guys would've found it before I got here." Ahsoka commented with a light chuckle.

"True enough." The Twi'lek agreed with a nod.

"Wraith, you picking up anything?" Ahsoka asked. The super-soldier shook his head.

" _Not yet. I've been actively scanning this whole time and I haven't turned up anything. I'm starting to think the energy output of their hover pods is messing with my sensors. I keep getting wierd, cross signal overlaps that's really conflicting things._ " He explained. Ahsoka dwelt on that thought for a moment before she suddenly had a burst of inspiration.

"Wait. Their hover pods..." She realized. Having worked on starships with Anakin quite frequently, her mechanical knowhow quickly kicked into gear. "If repulsor energy like that is causing you problems... maybe their fortress isn't necessarily on the ground." She suggested. Wraith quickly connected the dots and realized where Ahsoka was going with this.

" _A flying one... hovering in place and using the same energy as their pods._ " " _You're a genius._ " " _Let me do some cross referencing and I'll see if-_ "

"I don't think you'll have to." O-Mer interrupted, his gaze turned skywards. Everyone else followed him and soon saw the colossal Trandoshan hunting lodge emerge from the misty clouds that covered the sky.

" _Damn..._ " Wraith muttered, impressed by the scale of it. But as they were looking, three hover pods suddenly appeared in the sky, skirting the edge of the fortress and descending to the island at a rapid rate.

"Split up!" Kalifa cried. Switching his senors to proximity, Wraith locked on to all of them as they started running, following Ahsoka and Kalifa as they split off from Jinx and O-Mer, the sound of blaster fire not far behind them. Wraith quickly recognized the telltale sound of the blaster firing... and it didn't sound like your typical rifle or pistol.

" _A Z-Six rotary...?!_ " He incredulously wondered aloud. " _Damn lizards really are compensating for something..._ " Red rounds streaked past him and the Jedi, a few stray shots striking his armour as they ran. He purposefully brought up the rear, aiming to keep Ahsoka and Kalifa from getting hit. As they bounded across wide-spread branches, the one Kalifa was on was suddenly struck, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the jungle floor.

"Kalifa!" Ahsoka cried, desperate to keep her from getting killed. Wraith analyzed the situation and quickly developed a plan.

" _After her! We have to keep her away from the Trandos!_ " He declared, dropping down after her. Ahsoka followed suite, but both her and Wraith were oblivious to the Trandoshan's conversation in the pod.

Garnac, the leader of this hunting guild, encouraged his son Dar to give chase and earn his very first kill.

Down on the ground, Kalifa quickly scooted away and tried to get out of sight, despite her injuries sustained in the fall. Dar was quick to give chase, but so too were Wraith and Ahsoka. Ahsoka dove headlong towards Kalifa, eager to save her fellow Jedi. Wraith hung back, analyzing the situation and anticipating a moment where he could intervene.

He trusted Ahsoka. It seemed likely that she had this under control.

The young Togruta dove down from her branch and dropkicked Dar just as the Trando was lining up Kalifa in his sights. He was quick to spring to his feet and fire in retaliation, but Ahsoka deftly used the Force to push his rifle aside and miss, buying Kalifa time to escape. Finally giving up shooting her, Dar opted to swing his rifle like a club. But Ahsoka ducked and responded with a jump kick, a move that impressed Wraith. Dar fought back, swinging wild punches that the Togruta dodged with honed, expert ease.

But then, Dar tackled her with a sudden burst of speed, pinning Ahsoka to the ground. As she struggled to free herself, one of the hover pods flew onto the scene, carrying Dar's cheering comrades. They urged him on, chanting his name as they believed him ready to score his first ever kill of a hunt. The Trandoshan gave a toothy grin, more than ready to slay her.

"You're mine, Jedi welp!" He growled, confident his first kill was, literally, in his hands. His friend looked on as his clawed hands squeezed Ahsoka's head, causing her to cry out. Suddenly, from out of the jungle, Wraith burst into view and slammed into Dar with a massive bodycheck, throwing him off of Ahsoka

" _She! Is! MINE!_ " He roared as he went on the warpath, delivering powerful, bone-crushing punches to the Trandoshan. A hard kick crushed Dar's knee at an unnatural angle before Wraith delivered a hard left cross that snapped the Trando's head to one side, following up with an immensely hard gut-punch that sent green blood spewing from Dar's open mouth as his innards were effectively destroyed by Wraith's single blow. Grabbing the Trando and slamming him into a nearby tree, Wraith beat Dar over and over, his knuckles stained green with Trandoshan blood. The watchers were dumbstruck. First Dar was winning and now he was being brutally assaulted.

They were too surprised to intervene.

Hoisting him up, Wraith turned to Ahsoka. " _Ahsoka! Think fast!_ " He shouted, turning and throwing Dar with all his might. Ahsoka intercepted him in mid-air by leaping up and grabbing his neck with her legs. Quickly executing a reverse-hurricanrana, Ahsoka threw Dar off a ledge behind her and down into a bed of thorns below, his broken body impaled and killed instantly. Watching him squirm and breathe his last, a satisfied Ahsoka stood up as Wraith quickly opened fire on the observing Trandos with his pistols.

" _Nice move!_ " He called over the noise of his gunfire. The Trandos quickly beat a hasty retreat, but one departed the hover pod once they were out of view. Wraith stowed his weapons and turned to Ahsoka. " _Are you well?_ "

"Yeah, I'll be fine." She quickly answered. "But we've got to get to Kalifa."

" _Agreed._ " Wraith firmly nodded, knowing they needed to regroup. But then, the unseen Trandoshan who had stayed behind jumped down from above and landed on Wraith's back, his clawed hands encircling Wraith's throat as his feet pressed against Wraith's back.

"Got you!" The lizard hissed triumphantly. Wraith quickly struggled, trying to pry the Trando's hands off his neck. But in this awkward position, it was a much harder task than it should be what with him being forcefully bent back and the air being choked from his lungs.

" _Get... off me...! You... kriffing... lizard!_ " Wraith rasped as he struggled to fight back. The lizard had a pretty decent hold on his throat, playing things smart by trying to keep plenty of distance between himself and Wraith while gripping as tight as he could. Ahsoka shook off her surprise and rapidly deduced a means of helping Wraith. She needed a tool, she needed something to ward off the Trando and quickly. But there was nothing around, not even her lightsa-

Wait... she did have something on her...

But what would she tell him when he inevitably saw it? How could she explain it to him in a believable way? Maybe she could hide it somehow...

Knowing she needed to act and decided to maintain her secret later, Ahsoka started running towards Wraith and reached for her belt. Pouncing on the Trandoshan from behind, Ahsoka quickly slit his throat with a small razor blade, green blood spurting from the wound. The reptilian quickly let go of Wraith and thrashed about, throwing Ahsoka off of him and into a nearby tree. She managed to brace herself and bounced off, hitting the ground pretty hard. With his breath renewed, Wraith turned and cut the Trando in two with his arm blade. The bisected body hit the ground and Wraith dropped to one knee, gasping for air.

Maybe Scipio needed to give his shirt an anti-constricting neckpiece, or some kind of additional armour-plating. If a simple lizard could do that, what was to stop a Clone next time?

He looked up as Ahsoka crawled to her feet, a hand near her belt as she shrugged off the minor delirium inflicted by the blow. Having noticed the Trando's slit throat, Wraith obviously had a question or two in mind.

" _How'd you... do that?_ " He asked between breaths. Ahsoka quickly made up an excuse.

"Ripped off part of a thorn." She lied. Wraith believed her, having just witnessed Dar's demise.

" _Clever._ " He complimented, the wind just about back in his lungs. Ahsoka breathed an internal sigh of relief, grateful he hadn't seen her weapon of choice. " _You okay?_ " Wraith wondered, standing up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ahsoka answered. "He didn't get me." Wraith nodded.

" _Right._ " He rumbled, flexing his chest as breathing deeply. " _Let's go get Kalifa._ "

The two of them found Kalifa sitting on another branch, clutching her side. Knowing they needed to go, Ahsoka helped Kalifa up while Wraith scanned over the extent of her damage.

"Careful." Ahsoka whispered when Kalifa winced as she tried to put weight on one foot.

"It's okay. I can make it." The girl replied, determined to see this through. Wraith finished his scan and found her injuries both minimal and treatable.

" _You will. You're gonna be fine._ " He told her. Just then, his proximity sensors beeped a sudden and urgent warning. " _We have company!_ " Was all he managed to get out before a laser bolt ripped clean through Kalifa's chest, striking her from behind.

"KALIFA!" Ahsoka screamed as the girl urged forward, gasping for air.

" _No!_ " Wraith exclaimed, catching her before she fell. The two of them quickly carried Kalifa behind another tree as more red laser rounds flew past them. They set Kalifa down as a Trando started yelling.

"There's no escape! I'll hunt you down!" Garnac shouted from a distance. In that moment, Wraith felt his anger boil over.

" _Damn you..._ " He growled, charging his carbine and charging it up. " _DAMN YOU TO HELL!_ " He roared, opening fire on the direction the shots had come from. Set on full-auto, his carbine ripped through the foliage as he unleashed a storm of blasterfire, Wraith burning through the energy cell in his carbine without care.

These kriffing scum... they didn't deserve mercy of any kind...

"Kalifa, we have to move!" Ahsoka told the girl, believing she could still be saved. She had to raise her voice over the clamour of Wraith's carbine.

But Kalifa knew she wasn't long for this world.

"Please... Ahsoka, leave me." She replied, gasping for air.

"We won't!" Ahsoka fervently replied, still determined to save her somehow.

"You... have to..." The black-haired human rasped. "Ahsoka... please... t-take care of..." She couldn't quite get the last word out. Ahsoka accepted her statement.

"I'll will. I'll take care of the others." She quietly reassured her. Kalifa smiled weakly.

"I know you will..." She whispered. Taking a few more shallow breaths, Kalifa closed her eyes... and passed away.

Ahsoka felt her heart lurch as Kalifa's body slumped forward, her hands shaking as she eased Kalifa's body back against the tree. The girl remained still and limp, her life vanished from Ahsoka's senses. Ahsoka felt her emotions swell severely, forcing back tears as her sorrow rooted her to the ground, forever stuck looking at the girl she had been determined to help.

She had failed her. And by extension, she felt like she had failed Jinx and O-Mer in the process.

Another life she couldn't save.

The laser fire died down, Wraith having successfully driven off the hunters. He returned to the mournful scene, sheathing his carbine across his back, to see a forlorn Ahsoka looking at Kalifa's body with deep sadness.

"Kalifa..." She whispered in a broken, strained voice. Feeling a measure of sadness of his own, Wraith chose their next course of action. Stooping down and picked up Kalifa's body in his arms, much to Ahsoka's surprise. "What're you-?"

" _I'm not letting these scum get another trophy._ " He told her, a low growl masking his rage and sadness. Understanding and silently appreciative of his efforts, Ahsoka rose to follow him as they made their way out of the brush.

* * *

 _That night..._

They gave Kalifa a Jedi's funeral, burning her body on a pyre. Using what materials they could find, her body was wrapped up completely and laid to rest on a makeshift bed of dry sticks. Wraith used his firesaber to ignite it, the flames racing along the kindling until bright orange licked at the covered body atop it, engulfing it all in flames.

It was a death reserved for Jedi... something, they all believed, Kalifa had become again.

They watched for a few moments in thoughtful, sorrowful reflection, the four of them standing in silence as they watched the fire burn. But knowing that the smoke might eventually signal the Trandoshans, Wraith encouraged them to return to their hideaway. Seeing the wisdom in this, Ahsoka took the lead as she, Jinx and O-Mer bade Kalifa once last silent farewell. Wraith lagged behind, ensuring they weren't followed.

He returned later than the rest, finding Jinx and O-Mer sitting gloomily around the central fire.

"I... I can't believe she's gone." Jinx muttered sadly. Wraith leaned against the nearby wall, noticing the absent Ahsoka.

"We knew her for so long... to see her go, just like that..." O-Mer added, trailing off as their original trio was now down to two.

"If only we hadn't split up. Maybe we could've done something." Jinx wondered despondently.

"Kalifa's death is on my hands." Wraith stated, mouthguard retracted and taking the blame. He had the potential to save her, but had failed. "I wasn't fast enough. The fault is mine." He continued. In truth, he felt just as bad as they did.

But he had the feeling someone else was feeling even worse.

Looking up, his gaze switched back and forth between the two younglings. "Where's Ahsoka?" He inquired.

"I think she went to the top of the tree." O-Mer replied. "She said she needed a moment." Wraith glanced up at the top of the hideout, analyzing the best way up and knowing he probably needed to talk with her.

"Remain here. I'll be back." He told them, taking his leave. Stepping outside, Wraith scaled the exterior branches with ease, ascending to the top of the tree where the branches thinned out to offer a small, flat surface, indicating the hollow nature of the spacious opening beneath it. Poking his head up and over the edge, Wraith saw Ahsoka sitting alone on the far edge, her back to him. Her posture denoted she was concentrated on something he couldn't see, which made him curious. Silently crawling to his feet, Wraith suddenly addressed her.

"You alright?" She started at his words, breathing heavily.

"It's bad enough that connection scares me, do you have to keep doing that?!" She snapped. Her change of attitude was notable and rather strange by Wraith's understanding. Still, his mind excused it as being related to Kalifa's death.

He had no idea what was really going on...

"Sorry. I was just asking." He apologized, walking over. "What're you doing?" He wondered.

"Nothing. It's fine." She muttered in reply, hurriedly getting ready to throw her glove back on. But before she could, Wraith suddenly snatched it out of her grip, appearing by her side.

"Yeah right, you're up to something..." He retorted. But when he looked down at her bare left arm, Ahsoka grimaced in shame as her secret was revealed, Wraith's gaze became glued to the underside of her arm...

And the seven thin cuts across her limb.

Reaching from her elbow to her wrist, some were a very pale orange, having been healed over time. Others were bright and fresh, grouped together, one after another. And two... two were bright red, fresh blood still trickling from them and down her arm.

Wraith was speechless.

"What... What are...?" He stammered, piecing together their conversation from last night with the evidence before him. Ahsoka suddenly stood and snatched her glove out of his grip with a frown, throwing it back on and storming past him as her attitude suddenly changed.

"I told you. I'm fine." She firmly stated. Finally finding his tongue, Wraith stammered out another reply.

"You... You are not fine!" He exclaimed. "How long have you been doing this for?!" Ahsoka didn't reply, standing still with her arms crossed and her back to him. Wraith's mind fumbled, trying to process this, as he tried to be softer about it. "Do you at least tend to your wounds afterwards?" Still nothing. In the absolute insanity of the moment, Wraith's mind suddenly drew a conclusion.

Ahsoka had not slit the Trandoshan's throat with a thorn... she had used a razor.

"You did not use a thorn, did you?" He demanded. "Show me the razor!" Ahsoka made to try and brush him off.

"What're you talking about, I don't have-"

"Cut the sithspit Ahsoka!" Wraith practically yelled. "And before you give me some excuse, yes, I know Togruta's are completely hairless. You don't have a single strand of hair on your body. Plus, those two were fresh." He stated, knowing his facts well to see through any related lie. "So why else keep a razor on hand...?" Something else suddenly clicked in his mind, something that worried him. "Tell em you didn't use that! That thing was covered in Trando blood, do you have any idea what kind of bacteria might left on it?!" He asked in exclamation.

"Just mind your own kriffing business Wraith!" Ahsoka shouted turning around to face him and looking very perturbed.

"This is my business!" He shouted in response.

"No it's not! There are some things you simply can't control!" Ahsoka retorted, marching right up to him and jamming her finger at his chest. "You can't control me and you can't control my actions!" Her words gave Wraith pause, forcing him to stop and consider what she had to say.

He was reacting based on his emotional investment. He needed to pull things back, approach this from a calm and calculated mindset. Shouting to try and overwhelm shouting never got anyone anywhere.

Wraith took a breath and performed a quick mental recap of the situation and applied his own knowledge to it. From prior research, he knew cutting was a way people tried to cope with the pain of strong emotions, intense pressure or even relationship problems. Some people dealt with feelings that seemed too difficult to bear or bad situations that were perceived to be unchangeable. Others cut as a way to feel desperate relief from bad feelings, using pain as a way of escape.

So where did Ahsoka fall in this horrible mix? What was her struggle?

Reeling things back, Wraith chose to continue.

"You're right. I can't control you." He responded in a low, quieter voice. "But I can express myself in a way that relays how much I care about you." He added. Ahsoka looked at him with a measure of disbelief.

"You? Care?" She wondered in an almost scoffing tone, turning around again. Her words hurt Wraith, but he shrugged off the pain. _She's just being defensive. I've found a deep, dark secret likely no one else knows about._ He reassured himself. Nothing more to do than bear the brunt of her defence so he could wear her down to a point where she'd be willing to talk.

"I do. I really do." He replied. Ahsoka said nothing for a moment, appearing much calmer but still in a rather foul mood.

"I find that hard to believe... especially when all I've ever seen of you is... lifeless metal." She quietly replied, but her voice still contained an edge of suppressed defensive anger. Wraith found them to be true, all he had ever shown her was his mouth and his eyes. She hadn't seen the rest of them, there was no person for her to connect with.

No one to talk to about this.

He reached up and tapped the other side of his helm, opposite the controls for his mouthguard. His optics powered down and turned dark, panels sliding open as his head was freed from the confines of his helmet. Taking hold of his headgear with both hands, Wraith slowly slipped it off.

"If you won't believe my words... then take a good look at me... and see for yourself." He quietly stated. His words confused Ahsoka but also piqued her curiosity. She turned around to see what he meant and, when she did, Ahsoka's eyes widened and she quietly gasped out of nervousness as she her gaze landed on the true face of The Wraith.

He was... Pretty. Kriffing. Handsome.

His face was chiseled and lean, not broad or rounded like his helmet, with defined cheekbones lined with stubble. His eyes, although amber and reptilian in appearance, were bright and his gaze steady, the amber pupils softly glowing in the dark of the night. An alpha-numerical set of characters had been tattooed into the shaven left side of his head, reading 'A-31B'. She recognized them as being the same ones mentioned in the recording; his serial number during the original Sunstorm trials. He brushed a few stray bangs of thick and straight auburn hair out of his face. His hair was long and hung as low as his neck, leaving Ahsoka to ponder how he managed to keep it all tucked inside his helmet. Overall, while he might've born a youthful aura, the war had aged him to a point where he looked like a man who had seen his fair share of death and carnage.

More than someone his age should.

His eyes, the windows to his soul, denoted such an intense sense of care the depths of which she could not fathom. But they were laced with sorrow... sorrow on her behalf. Never before had she ever seen such strong and powerful emotions in someone's look alone... especially when such emotions were directed at her. Dropping his helmet down on the ground, Wraith slowly walked over to Ahsoka. His hands settled on her arms, never breaking eye contact with her. "Please... tell me why you're doing this." He asked. "Is it because of Kalifa's death?"

"I... I-I don't want to talk about it." Ahsoka stammered, looking away.

"You need to." Wraith firmly stated. "This is not something you can hide away. This is something that needs to be confronted and dealt with." Ahsoka made no reply, still looking away. "I won't force you to talk. But I'm telling you, you need to." He whispered. By now, Ahsoka's expression had fallen, no longer angry but more along the lines of closed and depressed. "Is this because of Kalifa's death? It is, isn't it?" Still nothing from her. She seemed so quiet and small now. Wraith reflected on the fact she had seven cuts on one arm, some of them close to being fully healed. If her other arm was any similar, it appeared Ahsoka had been doing this for a long time.

But for how long?

Suddenly recalling the conversation they'd shared last night, Wraith was hit by a sudden realization.

"The squadron you lost... you never got over it, did you?" He softly wondered. After another moment of silence, Ahsoka sighed and finally started to speak.

"I tried. I honestly tried to. For a while I thought I had, everybody told me I was gonna be okay. But then Clones kept dying... and I just couldn't." She told him. "They had me lead Apex Company. Those Clones looked up to me for direction... a-and I led them into a death trap. I just sat there and watched as they all died, one by one. I didn't know what else to do!" While Wraith was unfamiliar with Apex Company, he had no idea it was the squad on Gwori that he had destroyed. "It just kept building up as the war went on, so much so that... I started hearing their voices, their dying screams in my head. A-A-And sometimes I'd hear them in my sleep too, it'd wake me up in the middle of the night like a bad dream..." Ahsoka continued, voice slowly quavering as she went on, "a bad dream that... won't stop." She looked up at Wraith with big eyes. No matter how hard she tried to look strong and stuff away her emotions, she was starting to overwhelm her. "And then one day I... I accidentally cut myself. And the screaming stopped. It felt good, it felt like I could bear their pain for a little while." She revealed. "S-So I started doing it. Every time the screaming started I... I-I-I cut myself." Wraith could feel his heart break. How many times had she been tormented by such thoughts? How long had she lived like this, forced to bear such a terrible burden and not be able to do anything about it? "I thought about stopping, I-I-I even tried to. But the Clones keep dying... and I just can't stop." Ahsoka's voice started to break now, her control over her emotions starting to fall apart. "I tried to stop but the voices were unbearable. Crying, screaming, begging for help, condemning me for being the death of them." She admitted. "I tried... and I tried..." Wraith could see her eyes water and his hands moved to gently cup her face, his gloved fingers softly gliding along her cheeks.

"Your emotional reaction to their deaths has created this vicious cycle." He quietly said. Everything he'd mentioned about her sensitive, Togrutan nature was becoming quite evident. "The stress of war is too much for you... so you cut to find relief." That was why. That was what lay at the root of her troubles.

She was a fighting a war she was never meant to fight.

Wraith gently guided her gaze back to his, concern and a deep longing to comfort her evident in his amber eyes.

"You need to tell someone." He gently encouraged her.

"Who?" Ahsoka wondered, wiping her eyes and at a loss. She'd wondered the same question herself, before she started cutting. "Anakin is no help, Obi-Wan's too clinical, Master Yoda and the others wouldn't care. They'd just see me as needing more discipline. They're all masters and I'm... I'm just another Padawan who can't control how she feels." She rambled, revealing just how alone she felt. "Nobody cares." She mumbled, looking down, sounding despondent and forlorn. Wraith steered her face back to his.

"I do." He whispered, a single tear escaping his lid and flowing down his cheek. As if his single gesture of vulnerability were contagious, Ahsoka felt her own emotions swell and reach a breaking point. She tried so hard to keep her composure, but it was ultimately for not.

It was just like Wraith had said: being a Togruta, she was a very sensitive person. She couldn't keep this bottled up inside any longer.

She broke down and started sobbing, crying big ugly tears as her emotions consumed her entirely. She practically collapsed against Wraith, her hands pawing at his armored chest as they both sank to their knees, his arms around her.

"I can't do it! I just can't!" She sobbed. "I can't be everything they want me to be!" Her tears ran like a river, landing on his armor and glinting in the moonlight as Wraith continued to hold her. Ahsoka sobbed and sobbed, everything she'd ever repressed and kept pent up now exploding in this moment. She felt absolutely defeated. "I'm such a failure!" She bawled.

"No you're not." Wraith whispered, cuddling her close to his body, his own tears starting to fall in earnest.

Wraith wasn't sure how long they knelt there, how long Ahsoka bawled in his arms for. But he was willing to give her all the time in the world. He comforted her to the best of his abilities, generally offering her a presence, a shoulder to cry on. "Ahsoka... oh my dear, dear Ahsoka..." He whispered, tears streaking past his mouth. Working up his courage, Wraith pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, desperate to comfort her. "What I wouldn't give to take your pain away..." Ahsoka heard his words but made no response, finding them comforting all the same.

When her sobs finally died down, replaced with quiet sniffles, Ahsoka looked up from Wraith's chest and into his own tear-stained face. Her eyes red and a little puffy, tear streaks cutting clean lines down her dirty face, Ahsoka was certain she looked like an absolute mess. Wraith's thumbs wiped away her tears as he held her face. "It's okay to feel like this. But you can't let it control you to the point where you're forced to do this." He softly said.

"But... sometimes the pain is too much." Ahsoka sniffled, blinking back a few more tears. "I can't help but remember them, remember that I failed them. It... It helps me forget... It helps me cope." She was trying to defend her actions. It was her only means of survival and all she'd known for so long.

"There are other ways." Wraith replied. "When you want to cut, tell yourself you won't for just one more day, hour, minute, whatever you can manage." He encouraged her. "You can always talk to me about this. I promise you, I will not look down on you for this... even now I do not." He whispered, gently tracing the white markings on her cheeks. "I care about you. And I want to help you. Okay?" After a moment of consideration where she let his words sink in, Ahsoka wiped her eyes on the backs of her hands.

"Okay." She quietly replied with a small nod. Wraith nodded as well, affirming her.

"There's one more thing I need you to do." He said. "Take your mind off it. Forget Kalifa, forget the Clones, forget all of it. You're leading this group now. Help me figure out what to do." He requested. Digesting his words, and taking an extra second to bask in this closeness, Ahsoka nodded in understanding and acceptance.

"Okay... I guess we should talk with Jinx and O-Mer." She replied, composing herself. Wraith agreed and retrieved his helmet from the ground.

"Lead on, my dear."

Returning to the interior hideout, Ahsoka and a helmeted Wraith stood before the forlorn younglings, whose fires of hope were obviously extinguished by Kalifa's death.

They needed to pluck up their hopes again.

"We're all going to die here... it's only a matter of time." O-Mer bemoaned.

"Talking like that is going to make that a reality." Wraith gently chided him. "If we're going to survive this, we need to think otherwise."

"Easy for you to say 'super-soldier'," Jinx quietly retorted, "you've never faced odds greater than you. Anything less is... suicide for us."

"I survived an orbital bombardment by a Republic cruiser. A guild of scummy Trandos aren't gonna slow me down... and it won't slow you down either." Wraith replied. "What we need to do is think differently. Their lodge might be too heavily fortified for us to launch a direct assault, so we'll have to get inventive." He explained. After some thinking, Ahsoka spoke up.

"You've said that every few days they release new prisoners on the beach. I say we attack that dropship, head on. They'll never expect it." She suggested to the younglings. The Twi'lek and Cerean shared uneasy glances, uncertain about this plan.

"Is it worth a shot?" O-Mer wondered with a sigh.

"Maybe it is." Jinx mused, standing up. Although they were onboard, Wraith could see their uneasiness through their body language.

"I promise you, when I find the Trando that killed Kalifa... he'll get what's coming to him." He reassured them, cracking his knuckles.

"It's not like us Jedi to want revenge." O-Mer replied, fighting back the urge to agree with Wraith as he struggled to cling to his Jedi teachings.

"Don't worry. I'll take it for you." The super-soldier replied.

* * *

 _Later..._

Creeping along the brush nearest the beach, Wraith and the Jedi carefully took up hidden positions along the coastline. Wraith and Ahsoka took point as the distant thrum of inbound engines indicated the near arrival of the Trandoshan transport.

"Alright Wraith, how do you want to handle this?" Ahsoka asked in a hushed tone.

" _I'll have to get a better look before I can form a proper plan. But from what you've told me, there's only two main positions to worry about: the bridge and the gunner. If I can take out their offensive capabilities, we'll storm the bridge together._ " He responded.

"And if it proves to be different?"

" _Then follow my lead and do exactly as I say._ " He continued, adjusting his scanners so that he could understand the layout of the ship in a quick and reasonable amount of time. They waited tensely as a trio of lights emerged from the cloudy skies, signalling the arrival of the dropship. Immediately scanning it's makeup and composition, Wraith deduced the design in an instant. " _Hmm... an HCT-two-thousand-one Dragonboat-class Reugeot nine-oh-five freighter..._ " He mused. " _Interesting choice._ "

"You just said a mouthful." Ahsoka whispered teasingly. Wraith gave her a look that would've included a smirk if not for his mouthguard before turning back to the ship.

"The drop point isn't very far." O-Mer cautioned them. "We'll have to be quick." They waited a few more moments as the ship drew ever closer.

" _Leave their offensive capabilities to me._ " Wraith whispered to them all. " _Now... go!_ " At his word, all four of them sprinted out into the open, making a mad dash for a series of rock protrusions that would give them some height. The Jedi climbed it first, using the Force to launch themselves high into the sky. Wraith, lacking those capabilities, jumped as high as he could, before firing his grapples and reeling himself in the rest of the way.

Ahsoka landed on the transparasteel canopy surrounding the bridge, drawing the attention of the pilots inside, one of which immediately moved to deal with her. Crouched atop the ship, Ahsoka looked on as a hatch opened and the Trandoshan emerged with a rifle in hand. O-Mer and Jinx ambushed him from behind, knocking him down and silencing him before he could call for help.

"I've got the pilot!" Ahsoka called, jumping down into the ship through the open hatch. O-Mer and Jinx tried their best to keep the Trando at bay, but the reptilian creature was simply too strong for them and managed to throw both younglings off of him and send them slamming into the hull of the ship. Jinx looked up, dazed, and saw the Trandoshan ready to take a bite out of him.

 _CRACK!_

The deafening sound of a slugthrower being fired echoed throughout the area as a portion of the Trandoshan's head suddenly evorpated into a shower of blood, his body hitting the deck moments later. Wraith jogged onto the scene, holstering his slugthrower as he did.

" _You two alright?_ " He wondered. They nodded as they attempted to stand.

"Go help Ahsoka, she's inside." Jinx told him. Wraith gave a quick nod and descended through the same hatch, his sensors quickly pinpointing Ahsoka's location on the bridge... and his hearing picked up the sounds of a scattergun being fired. Wraith quickly stormed the bridge just in time to see Ahsoka use the Force to push a Trandoshan through the nearby canopy, disabling him. Wraith looked around, spotting scattergun holes piercing the controls of almost every wall. The ship took a sharp lean to port as the main controls fizzled and short circuited, sparks and arcs of electricity flying everywhere. Wraith could hear portions of the ship being torn off as the dropship fell prey to its lost controls.

" _This thing's going down! We have to move!_ " He called to Ahsoka, who was still at the controls.

"But the prisoners! They'll die!" She replied, desperate to try and find a way to save them. Wraith quickly jogged over and analyzed the shot-up panel.

" _There has to be a release... there!_ " He quickly pointed to a button which Ahsoka pressed. " _Now let's go!_ " Heeding his advice this time, Ahsoka quickly crawled through the hole in the canopy, Wraith following as he ripped open even wider. Together with Jinx and O-Mer, the four of them jumped back to the beachhead as the dropship spiralled wildly out of control. The ship ripped itself apart, starting at its aft as pieces practically flew off and landed in the water. The bow whipping around, the remains of the ship plowed into the sand, kicking up a storm of particles that engulfed the foursome. Wraith quickly shielded Ahsoka from the incoming blast of sand that died down mere moments later. The group surveyed the wreck that was supposed to be their way out. " _They did not build those things to last._ " Wraith muttered as he looked on. " _Seriously, that's some shoddy construction._ "

"Well... I guess we won't be escaping on that ship." O-Mer commented, pointing out the obvious.

"We'll find another way." Ahsoka reassured him. The group regathered and was about to discuss what to do next when a sudden growling from within the smoking wreck drew their attention.

"What was that?" Jinx wondered.

"A survivor." Ahsoka realized, jogging towards the origin of the sound. Not knowing what to expect, Wraith drew his blaster pistols and took point alongside Ahsoka as the group moved to investigate. "It could be one of the prisoners they were dropping off." She continued as they paused just outside the cloud of smoke.

" _Let's hope so._ " Wraith rumbled, pistols raised but not pointed. From within the wreckage, a tall figure, one even taller than Wraith, stood up and slowly walked out of the smoke, approaching the group.

"What is that?" O-Mer wondered, a little fearful. No one responded as the being emerged into the moonlight, revealing a tall and very hairy beast of a person. Ahsoka and Wraith recognized it instantly.

"It's a wookiee..." The Togruta stated, a little awed by what she was seeing. Said Wookiee growled in reply, speaking in his native tongue.

" _Makes sense. Trandos and Wookiees hate each other, they'd obviously want one for a sport hunt._ " Wraith mused as he stowed his weapons. The Wookiee wuffled something in response which Wraith made to translate for the others. " _His name... it's-_ "

"Chewbacca." Ahsoka finished, earning a rather surprised look from Wraith.

" _You speak Shyriiwook?_ " He wondered. She turned to him with an equally surprised look.

"So do you, apparently." She replied. Wraith lightly chuckled.

" _You continue to impress me, my dear._ " He stated.

* * *

Chewbacca the Wookiee accompanied the group back to their tree hideout, joining them without hesitation.

"Chewbacca, does anyone even know you were taken?" O-Mer inquired as they sat around a fire. Chewbacca replied, speaking in Shyriiwook which Wraith translated.

"No, but his homeworld, being Kashyyyk, isn't far from here." He said.

"That's great, but it might as well be Coruscant as far as I'm concerned. We've got no ship." Jinx replied in complaint. Chewbacca suddenly stood up and growled something a Jinx, making obvious hand gestures as he did.

"Calm down, ya walking carpet!" Wraith rumbled, advising the Wookiee to have a seat. But there was something to his words that Ahsoka immediately picked up on.

"He thinks he can contact his home planet if we can find a way to transmit a signal." She told them. O-Mer suddenly turned to Wraith.

"Wait, you have a ship, why didn't you do that to begin with?!" He demanded.

"My comms are all specially designed to run through specific Separatist frequencies. Any communication I make is monitored, so you can imagine what my superiors would think if they picked up a broadcast to the Republic through my tech." Wraith replied. "As much as I wanted to, it was an impossibility. But, I think this Wookiee might be on to something."

"Right... and how would we do that? Send smoke signals? We don't exactly have a transmitter lying around, if you haven't noticed." Jinx asked in a snarky, pessimistic tone. Wraith rolled his eyes as Chewbacca wuffled something further. Wraith turned to him as he realized what the Wookiee was saying.

"The wreckage? You can build one out of what's left of the ship." He said aloud. Chewbacca nodded.

"That might actually work!" Ahsoka realized, beaming with hopefulness.

"Well, we can't just sit here and wait for the Trandoshans to find us." O-Mer agreed. Jinx sighed.

"Fine. We'll do it the Wookiee way." He relented.

* * *

 _The next night..._

The group of five carefully and quietly returned to the beach and the crashed dropship. Crouching in the brush, it appeared the place was devoid of any Trandoshan guards. But none of them were up for taking chances.

"Wraith, Chewbacca and I will go ahead and scout the wreckage. You two stay here and signal us if you spot anything." Ahsoka instructed the younglings. With that, the group split up, Jinx and O-Mer finding a hiding spot while the other three quickly crept into the wreckage of the ship. The wove their way through the shorn and twisted metal ruins, trying to find the remnants of the bridge and its instrumentation equipment. But as they searched, the low humming of a hover pod in the area forced them to take cover. "Get back! It's a patrol." Ahsoka hissed. Pressed up against a piece of metal, she, Wraith and Chewbacca watched as a spotlight passed overhead, continuing to comb the grounds.

" _Want me to take it out?_ " Wraith wondered.

"Not yet. Let's make sure it's the only one around." Ahsoka replied. Once the hover pod had disappeared, the trio slipped inside the wreck. "Hopefully that patrol won't be back for a while." Ahsoka mused.

" _I'll let you know if it does._ " Wraith replied, adjusting his proximity sensors. Chewbacca started searching for pieces of tech he could use to construct a transmitter.

"What are we looking for?" Ahsoka asked him as Chewbacca ripped off a tangling circuit board. The Wookiee growled something in response as he moved from one side of the ship to the other, grabbing pieces as he went. "Are you still feeling optimistic about making a transmitter out of this junk?" She wondered. Chewie barked in response.

" _If anyone can do it... well, anyone apart from me, that is, I bet it's him._ " Wraith remarked.

"You can build a transmitter out of a ruin ship?"

" _During my early years, I built a sonic grenade out of a rusty rations can and a pin._ " Wraith responded with crossed arms, taking pride in that fact. Ahsoka looked at him quizzically with a raised eye-marking.

"Seriously?" She wondered, not believing him.

" _No. I was kidding._ " Wraith truthfully replied. " _The only thing I have built from scratch are these."_ He stated, hoisting a chain blade out from its sheath in the tail of his duster.

The two continued to wait as Chewbacca fetched part after part, throwing wires, plating and circuitry into a box he had found. After a few more minutes, Ahsoka decided they needed to go.

"We better get going before that patrol comes back." She stated. Chewie picked up his box and followed her out of the ruined bridge, as did Wraith. As they picked their way through the ruins, they soon made it to the short path back to the jungle brush.

A wide open stretch of ground where anyone could easily strike them.

"It looks like it's clear." Ahsoka reported as she scanned the area before stepping out into the moonlight. Chewbacca wuffled in disagreement, hesitant to continue until they were absolutely certain there were no Trandoshans around.

" _We have to take a chance._ " Wraith told him, following Ahsoka. As he did, his proximity sensors beeped a warning and he dashed to Ahsoka's side, blocking her body as a sniper shot ricocheted off his armor.

"Sniper! Get down!" She cried as she dove back behind a piece of metal, Chewbacca following suit with a bark that translated 'See? I warned you!' "Wraith, where did that come from?" Ahsoka asked.

" _I'm triangulating it now!_ " He quickly replied, pinging his sensors for a better look. His HUD soon revealed to him a tussle going on between not one but three targets and he drew a conclusion. " _Jinx and O-Mer... they're fighting it now!_ " He exclaimed, vaulting their cover and sprinting towards the position of the younglings. Ahsoka and Chewbacca took flight behind him, Wraith sprinting like mad as his thermal sensors picked up a knife-wielding Trandoshan hovering over the downed younglings. With a roar of his own, Wraith launched forward and speared the Trandoshan from behind, knocking the wind from his lungs and the knife from his hand. The Trando hit the ground hard only for Wraith to roll him over and deliver two hard punches across his face before gripping his throat tight and pointing a deployed arm blade dangerously close to his face. But before he could plunge it through, Jinx called out to him.

"Wait! We should take him prisoner!" He suggested. Wraith paused, turning to see if Ahsoka felt likewise.

"Alright. Wraith, bring him back." She ordered. With a nod, the super-soldier retracted his weapon and forced the Trando to his feet, bending one arm behind the lizard's back.

" _One wrong bark for help and you're history... ya readin' me, scale-belly?_ " He growled. The Trandoshan could only hiss in response as Wraith led him into the jungle alongside his group.

* * *

Back in the tree hideout, Wraith properly bound the Trandoshan before shoving him to his knees with another stern warning. Chewbacca quickly assembled his transmitter and powered it up as Ahsoka looked on.

"How's it going, Chewbacca?" She wondered as sounds and lights began to radiated from the device. Chewie growled in response as he fully powered up his creation. "Is it working?"

"Looks like something's working." O-Mer commented over his shoulder. But after only a few seconds, the transmitter fizzled and shut down, Chewbacca howling in frustration as smoke poured from the device.

"We've got a prisoner, we should be using him to our advantage while we have the chance." Jinx stated.

"I thought the prisoner was the backup plan?" Ahsoka replied in a questioning tone.

"It's clear enough we cannot rely on that device." Jinx shot back, deeming their attempt a failure. Chewbacca howled in retort. "No offence," Jinx quickly added, "but we just can't sit here any longer."

"We should wait." Ahsoka retorted, determined to give the transmitter another shot. She and Wraith had some technical knowhow, maybe they could fix it.

"I... agree with Jinx." O-Mer spoke up. "We have to act while we have an advantage."

"Let's say we do it your way, what's the plan then?" Ahsoka asked.

"We can use the prisoner to trick the enemy into flying one of their pods down to us. Then we hijack the pod, fly up to their base and take them by surprise." Jinx emphatically explained.

"And if the Trandos see right through your ruse and simply kill him before the pod shows up?" Wraith wondered, mouthguard now retracted. "Something tells me these lousy Huttspawns don't really care for one another like we do. And aren't you forgetting the fact that they outnumber you almost ten to one?" He added.

"That's... That's where you come in." Jinx quickly replied after some hesitation, clearly making up the plan as he went along.

"Really? Explain." He replied, crossing his arms and waiting. Jinx scrambled to come up with something, but those variables escaped him entirely.

"Well, you see... I... We'll... Maybe we could..." He stuttered, really having nothing to say. From his corner the Trandoshan snickered.

"It is useless to try anything. You're all bound to die here. No one's coming for you and you're not leaving here alive! Your 'desinty' is to wind up as trophies on our wall." He hissed with a chuckle. Wraith paused as he considered Jinx's plan, while the younglings were suddenly disheartened. He made a few mental amendments to it and realized that there was a way to do it... a much safer way, that is.

"Your heart's in the right place." He told Jinx. "But I've got a better idea." Chewbacca wuffled something in response.

"Yeah, you're right. We have to make use of 'scale-belly' somehow." Ahsoka agreed with a smirk. The Trandoshan hissed in response.

"I dare you to say that to my face, furball!" He spat, followed up with a throaty, threatening growl. Suddenly turned around, the lizard found himself looking up into Wraith's dark and terrifying form, partially concealed by dancing shadows with only his optics gleaming brightly. Wraith bent over, close to the lizard's face and let out a quiet, threatening growl of his own, one noticeably deeper than the Trandoshan's. The lizard whimpered out of fear as the super-soldier's hand curled around his neck, the others watching with piqued fascination.

"Where. Is. The lodge?" He growled.

* * *

 _The next day..._

"Let me get this straight. Your plan is to check out their base from the ground and then go ahead with Jinx's plan?" Ahsoka wondered as she and Wraith traversed through the jungle.

" _It's simple reconnaissance, a basic military procedure. We find out what we're up against and that'll help us when we go on the offensive._ " He replied. " _It's better than flying in blind, as Jinx recommended._ " He added as he leapt over a branch, Ahsoka hot on his heels. " _Now, that Trando said the base follows a linear path, sweeping back and forth across this island. So based on its position the last time we saw it..._ " He parted some of the jungle brush, stepped forward into a small web of thick branches and looked up, " _it should be right here._ " Ahsoka stood beside him and looked up.

Low and behold, there it was.

Floating several hundred feet off the ground, the guild lodge stood set against the cloudy sky, looking mighty and somewhat impenetrable. The massive structure was quite the sight for the two of them, who had only ever seen it once.

"Nice work, Wraith." Ahsoka complimented. "So, now what?"

" _Now I take a few scans and see what my tech tells us._ " The super-soldier explained, reaching up to the side of his helmet and adjusting his HUD. Electromagnetic, thermal, electrical as well as a variety of other specialized sensors swept over the base, feeding back a plethora of telltale information that Wraith received through his optics. " _Looks like it has next to no built-in defensive capabilities... apart from the dozens of Trandoshans already on board._ "

"Great. Well, I guess that makes it a matter of manpower over firepower, right?" Ahsoka asked. Wraith nodded.

" _Correct, my dear._ " He affirmed. " _We get on board and thin their numbers, then the day will be ours._ "

"Easier said than done, right?"

" _Not necessarily._ " Wraith replied, turning to her. " _After all, you have me._ "

"Let's hope you're enough." Ahsoka joked with a smirk. As she was speaking, Wraith's proximity sensors alerted him to movement aboard the base. Moments later, the thrum of repulsor tech reverberated through the air around them.

" _Hover pods! Get down!_ " He exclaimed, both of them diving underneath the branch they were on. Ahsoka clung to the underside of the branch with Wraith right behind her, protecting her from any immediate assault. As they did, the humming grew louder as one of the Trandos' hunter platforms flew past over head. It started circling the area as a second one joined it. Wraith quickly determined that they had either been spotted or the Trandos were using this area as a staging ground. Clinging to the underside of the branch, Wraith and Ahsoka waited with baited breath for the Trandoshans to leave. As they did, a line of insects crawled past them on the wood they clung to. It was a very close encounter that made Ahsoka, the closest to them, a little uncomfortable.

Such feelings were heightened when the bugs started crawling up her leg.

Looking to Wraith with a nervous look in her eyes, the super-soldier gestured for her to remain still. She could feel them crawling up her leg and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. Ahsoka fought back the urge to act, calming herself with the Force and trying to ignore the feeling of thousands of tiny legs working their way up her. She closed her eyes, trying to focus and forcing back an outburst of any kind.

Mercifully, the pods were soon on their way.

As soon as they were out of sight, Wraith began swatting the bugs off Ahsoka's leg, brushing them away as quickly as possible, starting low and working his way up. As he brushed off the last few, his hand accidentally passed under her skirt, where it momentarily settled on her hip. He froze as he realized his mistake, but couldn't move his hand fast enough. He managed to feel the waistband of her underwear as well as the skin of her upper thigh before he quickly retracted his limb. " _I'm sorry... I... I never meant to-_ " He tried to say.

"I-I-It's okay." Ahsoka quickly responded, her face bright red and montrals very dark. "I know what you were trying to do."

" _Just trying to be helpful..._ " He mumbled, apologizing again.

"Yeah... thanks." Ahsoka replied, now feeling a little flustered as her heart pulsed much faster. "Let's... L-Let's get back to the others."

* * *

Journeying back to the crashed dropship, Wraith and Ahsoka met up with O-Mer, Jinx and Chewbacca, who was currently guarding their Trandoshan prisoner. But before they linked back up with the others, Wraith had made a decision concerning their next course of action.

" _Ahsoka,_ " he spoke her name, causing the Togruta to turn around. He extended his hand to her, in it, the hilt of Tyth, " _here._ " He offered. Ahsoka recognized the tool but didn't quite two and two together yet.

"Your firesaber?" She wondered.

" _I know it's not what you're used to, but I trust you with it._ " Wraith replied, silently hinting at the fact that he wished to see her protected and able to defend herself. Ahsoka understood and, while it wasn't what she was used to, she readily accepted the weapon.

"Okay." She agreed, taking it from him. But after holding it for barely two seconds, a reaction kicked in. "Ow ow OW!" Ahsoka cried out as she suddenly dropped the hilt, shaking her hand while grasping it.

" _Are you alright?!_ " Wraith asked worriedly.

"That thing... it's hot to the touch!" Ahsoka explained, examining her hand for fear of a burn. "Scalding even..." She muttered, looking down at the silver hilt lying on the sandy ground. "How do you hold it?" She earnestly wondered, looking up at Wraith. The super-soldier was thoroughly confused.

" _It's not scalding._ " He answered and, pulling off his glove, he scooped up his weapon with his bare hand, holding it tightly for Ahsoka to see. " _There, you see? It's actually kinda cold. Feels just like regular metal._ " Now it was Ahsoka's turn to look confused.

"When I picked it up it felt like it was red-hot." She replied, flexing her hand as the pain of intense heat finally wore off. Wraith glanced at the weapon in his hand.

" _Curious..._ " He quietly mumbled, deciding he might have to do some research after this was over. " _Maybe you should just stick to using the Force._ " He decided, stowing the hilt behind him. Ahsoka agreed but was still disappointed to not be wielding a weapon.

"I feel naked without my lightsabers." She commented.

" _Please tell me you're wearing something under your skirt this time..._ " Wraith asked, half-joking. Ahsoka shot him a look. " _What? It's an honest question based on prior experience._ " He replied.

"I would think you would know the answer to that... after feeling me up and all." She shot back.

" _Again, that was unintentional. I apologize._ " He stated. Without another word, they continued on, eventually meeting up with the others and arriving at the beach.

"Alright, we better get started." Ahsoka stated, knowing it was now or never.

"Right... time to call your friends." Jinx instructed the Trandoshan. The reptilian hissed.

"I'm not helping you, welp." Well, that wouldn't do at all.

"Chewbacca, we need him at eye-level, please." Ahsoka asked, the Wookiee promptly forcing the Trandoshan to his knees. Jinx walked right up to their prisoner and waved his hand.

"You will listen to me." He stated. Wraith recognized the attempted Force mind-trick. The Trandoshan merely chuckled in reply.

"No I won't." He growled. Chewie promptly punched him in the head as Jinx focused and tried again, speaking slower this time.

"You will listen to me." He said. After a moment, the Trandoshan complied.

"I will listen to you." He answered, rather hypnotically.

"You were our captive, but now you've escaped." Jinx continued.

"I was your captive, but now I've escaped." The Trando repeated.

"You need to call a speeder to pick you up." Jinx said as he removed the lizard's bonds.

"I need to call a speeder to pick me up." The Trandoshan replied, still in a hypnotic, trance-like state. He reached for the communicator on his arm and opened a channel, another Trandoshan's voice coming through.

"Smug. Where have you been?" It asked.

"I need a speeder to pick me up." 'Smug' repeated as Jinx waved his hand again, as if to make sure. The comm ended as Wraith leaned over to Ahsoka.

" _He tries anything, I'm shooting him._ " He stated in a hushed whisper.

"Have a little faith in the Force, Wraith." She replied.

Setting into motion the next phase of their plan, the group left the Trandoshan where he was and waited for the pod to arrive, making him look like he was alone as they hid in the jungle. Soon enough, a hover pod arrived, piloted by a white-scaled Trandoshan who landed right in front of his comrade.

"Get in. Let's go." He stated. At that moment, Ahsoka initiated their next move.

"Now!" She called. Bursting from his hiding place, Wraith fired two shots, one from each blaster, and downed the Trandoshans with quick and simple headshots. From there, the Jedi used the Force to move the bodies as O-Mer took control of the transport. They all climbed on as the pod started to move, Wraith stopping as his gaze lingered on Ahsoka. Now without the hinderance of jungle foliage to block out the sun, he got a really good look at just how dirty she was. Her face was so dirt smeared he had a hard time picking out her facial markings.

"What?" She wondered, catching his stare.

"I never realized it until now in broad daylight," He mused, retracting his mouthguard, "you, my dear, are in bad need of a shower." He responded. Ahsoka chuckled out loud.

"Tell me about it." She agreed.

* * *

They flew the craft up to the guild's lodge, following Wraith's direction. With all of them ready for a fight, they wasted no time attacking the two Trandoshans out on the landing pad. Ahsoka and Jinx subdued them with quick Force-enhanced moves as Wraith and Chewbacca jumped in as well, Chewie throwing one of them off the side as the other managed to bark for help.

" _Sithspit..._ " Wraith rumbled, " _we're gonna have company._ " Dozens of Trandoshans started pouring out of the interior, armed with weaponry of all kinds. " _Everyone behind me! Use the Force to relieve them of their blasters!_ " Wraith called, triggering his protective field. From above, a white-scaled Trandoshan looked on with malice in his gaze.

"Kill them! I want their skins!" He shouted. The Trandoshans promptly opened fire, red blaster rounds striking his shield from all angles. The Jedi quickly forced their weapons to the side, buying Chewbacca enough time to move into position behind another hover pod. Drawing his carbine, Wraith opened fire on the distracted Trandoshans, expending the last of the energy cell within as he drew the fire of those outside while O-Mer strafed the rest with his pod's weapons. It was then that more Trandoshans started to appear on the upper levels, some manning the defensive rotary turrets positioned there. " _Get to cover!_ " Wraith shouted, stowing his now-drained carbine. Unfortunately, the gunner quickly managed to strafe O-Mer with a barrage of shots, disabling the hover pod and send it crashing down into the chaos below. Everyone dived for cover as the pod crashed into another, both of them erupting in smoke and fire. O-Mer and the others recovered, but the Trandoshans recovered even quicker and soon had the downed company at blaster point.

By this point, Wraith had seen enough lizards to last him a life time.

He quickly stood, earning the attention of the reptilian hunters. With half a dozen weapons now trained on him, Wraith rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. " _Try it. I dare you._ " He growled. The Trandos obliged him, cackling gleefully as they unloaded their weapons into him.

But every shot merely bounced off his armor.

The startled hunters looked on, now bearing expression of mixed surprise and fright as Wraith started to advance upon them. His allies watched as Wraith strode past them, not fazed in the slightest by those firing on him. The Trandos backed away from him, still firing as they vainly tried to do something. Wraith cornered one Trando up against the railing, swatting his weapon out of his had before delivering a swift gut-punch, followed up with a heavy right cross and grabbed the Trandoshan, throwing him tot he ground. Wraith looked up and registered the terrified looks of unease on the other hunter's faces. " _Do you know what a real hunting trophy looks like?_ " He asked them. When none of them replied, he stooped down and plunged his hand into the fallen Trandoshan's back, tearing out the lizard's spine as the hunter screamed. The Jedi and Chewbacca looked on with wide eyes, appalled by Wraith's gratuitous display of ultra-violence. Finally tearing off his head as well, Wraith held the head and spine in his hand as he eyed the petrified Trandoshans before him. " _Now this... is a trophy._ " He growled, gesturing to his gruesome acquisition. " _And judging from the number of you here, I'm gonna have a lot of them by the time I'm finished here._ " Tossing the head to the side, Wraith triggered his armblades and rushed the Trandoshans with a mighty roar. More red rounds pelted his armor as he waded into the midst of them like death on the move, hacking this way and that.

For the first time ever, Jinx, O-Mer and Chewbacca got to see The Wraith unleashed.

The super-soldier ripped through the Trandoshans without hesitation, dismembering them and tearing them apart as he thinned their numbers in droves. Impaling one against the wall, his free arm blade slit open his torso, his innards falling to the ground. Attacking another Trandoshan, Wraith beheaded him before turning and bisecting another, his swords and arms quickly becoming covered with green blood. By the time he was finished, only portions of their corpses remained. Deactivating his blades, Wraith looked up as the sound of blasters powering up caught his attention. A plethora of Trandoshans now had their rifles trained on them as well as every rotary cannon they could point in his direction. At the front of the pack, the same white-scaled Trandoshan from earlier started to speak.

"A valiant effort, younglings. Especially you, Togruta." He growled, mocking them as his gaze landed on Ahsoka. "You will be a prized trophy in my collection." Frowning beneath his mask, Wraith took up his own address.

" _Garnac, right?_ " He wondered aloud. " _You're one ugly motherkriffer._ " He jeered.

"And who are you supposed to be?!" Garnac asked. "The one who thinks he can do as he pleases on _my_ island, during _my_ hunt."

" _If you didn't want to mess with me, then you should've left her alone._ " Wraith declared in response, gesturing to Ahsoka. " _As for who I am... I... am the man who shattered your son's ribcage before ensuring his demise on that bed of thorns._ " He revealed. The spines atop Garnac's head stiffened and he hissed most violently at Wraith's words. " _And I enjoyed every second of it...!_ " Wraith growled in addition. That was enough to push Garnac over the edge.

"Kill them! Kill them all!" He shouted to his men. But as he finished, a loud thrumming interrupted him, coming from above. Wraith and the others looked up, Chewbacca barking in excitement as a dropship appeared, carrying an arsenal of Wookiee warriors who howled on arrival.

" _Looks like that transmitter worked after all!_ " Wraith called to Chewie, he flashed him a quick grin. The Trandoshans quickly attacked their age-old enemies as the Wookiees dropped down from above. The Jedi quickly scrambled to their feet and rejoined Wraith as the Wookiees went on the offensive. As Wraith watched the scene, he suddenly saw Ahsoka vaulting up to the top level and giving chase after Garnac. " _Ahsoka!_ " He called after her, quickly firing his grapple and racing up to the top.

It was dangerous for her to go after him alone.

Vaulting up to the top level, Wraith quickly bashed a Trandoshan in the head and sent him sprawling... as well as two, silver, cylindrical objects that Wraith immediately recognized...

Entering Garnac's chambers, Wraith was treated to the unwelcome sight of the Trandoshan hunter throwing Ahsoka around, his brute strength enough to overwhelm some of her more agile attacks. Grabbing Ahsoka roughly by the neck, Garnac slammed Ahsoka into the wall repeatedly until she stopped struggling for a moment.

"Now... for your skin to adorn my wall!" The Trandoshan hissed. Suddenly, Wraith's arm blade appeared and cut clean through both of Garnac's extended arms, severing them completely. The Trandoshan screamed in pain as he backed away, his arms reduced to bleeding stumps as Ahsoka hit the ground. Wraith walked up with blade extended.

" _She's never going on anyone's wall... ever!_ " He growled threateningly, his blade disappearing back into his gauntlet. Turning to Ahsoka, Wraith helped her up, Garnac not a problem any longer. " _Are you well?_ "

"I've had worse." She replied, rubbing her neck and kicking away one of Garnac's severed limbs. "So... what do we do with him?"

"Whatever we choose." Wraith replied, retracting his mouthguard. "Although, I must admit, I was thoroughly impressed by your ability to kill Warden Sobeck." He added.

"You think I'm gonna kill him now while he's helpless?"

"If you wish, especially after he killed Kalifa." Ahsoka paused and thought that over, eyeing the kneeling Garnac as she juggled the decision in her head.

"Jedi don't wish revenge on anybody. Or, at least, they're not supposed to." She finally answered.

"I won't argue with that." Wraith replied. Then he reached into his jacket. "Here. Hopefully you won't feel too... exposed any longer." He said, presenting her lightsabers to her. Ahsoka brightened immediately as she took them, the smooth metal hilts feeling quite grand back in her grip.

"Thank you Wraith." She whispered with a big smile. Wraith returned it.

"Gah... you two are making me sick..." Garnac muttered. Wraith turned back to him, now frowning.

"You know what's gonna be even more sick?" He asked him, drawing Tyth and igniting it. The blade of bright red flame caught Garnac's eye immediately and the Trando looked up as Wraith stepped closer to him. "What I'm gonna do to you for kidnapping her..." He growled.

* * *

 _Later..._

With the hunting guild dead and disposed of, the Wookiees thanked the Jedi for aiding Chewbacca and promised to give them all a lift back to Coruscant. As Jinx and O-Mer received some long overdue medical treatment, Wraith and Ahsoka talked off to the side.

"So you're good to go?" He asked her.

"Yeah, the Wookiees are gonna take us back to Coruscant. Also, I happen to know the pilot who flies that dropship. She's a friend." Ahsoka replied. Wraith nodded.

"I see. Then it appears my work here is done." He mused.

"Yeah. Hey, thanks again for... everything." She said in the most sincere voice she could muster. Wraith took her hand in his and kissed the back of it.

"Anything for you, my dear." He replied. Ahsoka smiled and made to leave, but stopped when she realized that Wraith was still rooted to the spot, his gaze tracking her. Ahsoka looked him up and down before returning to him.

"You look like you want something." She commented.

"I suppose that's because I do." He answered. Reaching into his jacket, Wraith withdrew a small holocommunicator that Ahsoka had seen some senators and other Jedi carry around. "I've encrypted this communicator and programmed it with a direct line to my personal frequency. If you ever feel the pain or the need to cut again, I want you to call me." He explained. Pressing it into her hand, he closed her fingers around it before clasping her hand with both of his. His crimson optics locked with hers and Ahsoka could imagine the amber, reptilian eyes behind them looking back at her. "You are not alone in this. Not any more." He whispered. "I'm here for you... I care about you." Although uncertain about broaching this topic again, Ahsoka nodded and tucked the device into her belt.

"Okay." She agreed. Wraith nodded and closed up his mouthguard.

" _Farewell Ahsoka. Until next time._ " He said, bidding her farewell before turning and sprinting to the edge of the platform, leaping over the edge and disappearing into the jungle below...

Returning to his shuttle, Wraith stepped inside the craft and sat down with a sigh. It felt good to be back in familiar territory and no doubt his hyperdrive had cooled off by now. As he leaned back into his seat, he put in a call to Scipio. " _Doc, you there?_ "

"My boy, where in the universe are you?!" Scipio exclaimed in response. "You are well overdue and were supposed to be back days ago!" Having anticipated this kind of reaction, Wraith calmly recalled the story he'd been rehearsing.

" _Yeah, about that... I happened to touch down on Wasskah, Trandosha's moon. I ran into some lizards while I was waiting for the hyperdrive to cool off and of course these things don't speak a lick of Basic and want to pin my duster to their wall. So you could imagine how busy I've been._ " He explained. Scipio fell silent for a moment as he realized there was a logical excuse.

"Oh... well... when you put it that way..." He replied, trailing off. "Are you well?" He wondered.

" _I'm fine. Them, not so much._ " Wraith reported as eased his ship into the air.

"Well, that's good to hear. I trust you'll be back soon then?"

" _Indeed I will._ "

"Count Dooku has called, he needs you to head to Felucia as soon as possible. Republic forces have overrun our position there." Scipio then informed him.

" _I-... Why can't we ever hold on to that world?_ " The super-soldier wondered, feigning exasperation. Wraith was about to say 'I suspected as much', recalling what Ahsoka had told him, but quickly caught himself and said otherwise to keep up the ruse that he was alone here. " _Alright, I'll be on my way as soon as I resupply. It's like these things like to eat my ammo or something..._ "

* * *

 **Author's Note: I just want all of you to know that I don't take this lightly. This is a serious issue and I will endeavour to handle it with care. Also, if any of you out there, reading this, are struggling with something similar, please shoot me a PM and talk to me. You don't have to be alone.**


	80. Wraith's Log: Entry 17

Wraith's Log - Entry 17

" _I am recording this en route to the Dominance as I leave behind a... most head-spinning experience. I had no idea my little 'pitstop' on a seemingly innocuous moon would result in such an eye-opening experience."_

 _..._

" _I got to have some prolonged conversations with Ahsoka. Given how we were mostly alone, I found her opening up to me in ways I never thought she would, revealing things so private and personal that I had never known about before. She... She's been traumatized by this war. The things she's seen and witnessed first-hand..."_

 _..._

" _She's been cutting herself. She says it's a way to deal with the pain she feels concerning Clones who die under her command. It gets to be all-consuming and reaches a point where she needs an outlet, a means to take her mind off the crippling thoughts that oppress her. But why more pain? Why such scarring, addicting pain? Why trade one pain for another?"_

 _..._

" _I can't fathom it."_

 _..._

" _It makes me wonder about what other things she has witnessed. She told me about a squadron that was decimated within moments. What other circumstances has she... has she suffered...?"_

 _..._

 _*groan* "Oh Force... Oh Force almighty...!"_

 _..._

 _*sigh* "How many of them were caused by my hand? How badly have I traumatized her?!"_

 _..._

 _..._

" _It... It breaks my heart." *deep breath* "Not because she's imperfect, but because I've been too busy putting her up on my own little pedestal to realize that she's got her own issues. I was a fool to think her to be so flawless. And I don't mean that negatively._

" _I'm not mad at her... I'm mad at myself for making her out to be so perfect without even thinking that she might have her own issues that she's struggling with."_

 _..._

" _To make matters worse, she tells me she has no one to go to. No one to talk to. They all think of her as an over-emotional, impetuous child in need of discipline..."_

 _..._

 _..._

 _*slam* "FOOLS! ALL OF THEM!"_

 _..._

" _They all think she's just like them. She never asked for that life, she didn't even have a say! You want to know what she is? I'll tell you what she is! She is a kriffing CHILD SOLDIER!"_

 _..._

" _The Jedi... They vex me so."_

 _..._

End of Log

* * *

 **Author's Note: Stay tuned, we got some serious, jaw-dropping stuff on the horizon!**


	81. Mid-Rim Machinations

-Chapter 47: Mid-Rim Machinations-

Location: Felucia and Takodana

"Expect the unexpected and question everything until proven otherwise."

Explosions. Blaster fire. Shouts and screaming. The tromping of boots through mud. Chaos, fire and death ran rampant as the flame of war was fanned on Felucia.

Legions of battle droids stormed the Republic lines on the jungle world that was crucial to both sides. The Clone Army fought back valiantly, doing their best to hold them off and maintain their hold on Felucia.

But it wouldn't be enough.

His heavy boot crashing into a trooper's chest with enough force to crush his ribcage, Wraith stormed the Republic ahead of the droids, bringing death wherever he went. His pistols blazing as he gunned down the white-armored soldiers in precise, methodical fashion, the Separatist super-soldier was here for one reason: to take back what belonged to them.

A blade shot out over his left fist and he carved a trooper in two before beheading another and bisecting a third. The loud CRACK of his slugthrowers drowned out the chaos of battle for a moment as another Clone's head was blown open with a shower of blood and brain matter. Diving ahead with a dropkick that pushed another Clone to the ground, Wraith was immediately surrounded by Clone troopers.

"Halt! You are surrounded!" The squad commander ordered. "Put up your hands and surrender!" He commanded Wraith.

" _You're joking, right?_ " Wraith half-mockingly wondered as he triggered both blades and spun around, slicing clean through all of their necks. As his bloody blades retracted, the headless Clone bodies collapsing to the ground, Wraith drew his weapons and continue to attack the Clones. " _General, I'm ready when you are._ " He spoke into his comms.

"Copy that, kid!" From above, Durge came flying in on his jet pack, crashing into the ground as his belt-fed, arm-mounted carbine powered up. Turning his aim on the Clones, Durge pounded their position with a relentless barrage of blasterfire, cutting them down in droves. Wraith quickly joined him, his disruptor rifle drawn. "You handlin' this alright?" Durge asked over his shoulder.

" _Never better._ " Wraith answered. " _This is our big push, the more power we put behind this assault the better._ " He then explained.

"You got it!" Durge replied with a nod. "All units, push forward!" He ordered the droids. Pressing his rifle into his shoulder, Wraith took aim and started disintegrating Clones with his shots. Those hit by his disruptor rounds turned to ash, screaming in agony as they died slow deaths. Approaching a Republic mobile command center, a Cerean Jedi with a green lightsaber joined the conflict, cutting through droids with ease as he rushed Durge. Seeing the Jedi coming, Durge retracted his ranged weapon and deployed a pair of red energy shields on his arms. He deflected each strike from the Jedi, raising his arms in time to parry his lightsaber. But this Jedi would not be stopped so easily and continued to force Durge back with pressured attacks. But as his focus was so intent on attacking Durge, he forgot about who was behind him. Raising his lightsaber above his head to strike again, the Jedi suddenly cried out as he was shot from behind, his body disintegrating into dust and his lightsaber falling to the ground. Wraith lowered his weapon and gestured Durge onward.

Today would be theirs

* * *

With the Republic forces retreating, Durge and Wraith stood tall as they lay claim to this part of Felucia.

"Another hard days work." Durge remarked as he breathed a satisfied sigh. "Too bad there wasn't a whole lot of blood, though. Shoulda used your blades more, kid."

" _I use what is necesary as the situation presents itself._ " Wraith replied, his arms crossed as he surveyed the droid army.

"You oughta make blades a mainstay, though. I love seeing Clone blood fly." Durge commented.

" _You and me both._ " Wraith agreed. A tactical droid suddenly walked up to them.

"General, Commander, you have an incoming message from Count Dooku." It informed them. Durge and Wraith shared a glance.

"Let's not keep the boss man waiting then." The Gen'Dai replied. The droid held up a holoprojector and an image of Dooku flickered to life.

"Durge, soldier, we understand that you've helped make some significant gains on Felucia." He greeted them.

"Considering the fact we had lost the planet, I'd say we're doing alright." Wraith replied.

"Indeed. With the foothold you've helped us earn, Wraith, I'm trusting Durge with finishing this engagement. I need you elsewhere." Dooku informed him. Wraith accepted the new assignment without hesitation.

" _Where am I headed?_ " He asked.

"Takodana, a forested Mid-Rim world. Republic forces have arrived as part of an apparent campaign to retake worlds in the Mid-Rim." The Sith explained. Wraith saw the pattern right away.

" _Just like Gan Moradir._ " Wraith surmised. " _I'm on my way._ " He answered, turning to leave.

"There is more to this than a simple defensive ploy, soldier." Dooku stopped him, earning Wraith's attention once more. "We cannot afford to allow the Republic to take Takodana. Our hold on the Mid-Rim is already in a questionable state, we cannot afford to let the Republic win another world from us." He stated. Wraith gave a quick nod.

" _Consider Takodana ours._ "

* * *

 _Later that day, on Takodana..._

The verdant world of Takodana had proven to be something of a curious world as the war raged on. Famous for its green forests, crystal clear waters and massive ruins, the world had little strategic value save for when an army was on the move, trying to claim more territory.

At the moment, The CIS controlled the planet... but the Republic wanted it back.

Touching down as the sun slowly sank over the horizon, Wraith set his shuttle down behind Separatist lines where numerous tanks and STAPs surrounded a central mobile command unit. Departing his shuttle, his dark blue duster a sharp contrast to the green around him, Wraith approached a tactical droid sporting black and red markings who was waiting for him at the bottom of the landing ramp.

"Commander Wraith, we have been expecting you." It greeted with a bow.

" _And now I have arrived._ " He replied. " _You must be the N-Two droid I've been told to meet._ "

"I am. I have news for you that requires your immediate attention." The droid continued, holding up a holoprojector a displaying a large render of the field of battle, drawn up like a grid. Several locations were highlighted in red. "We have been losing contact with many of our units along our right flank. Our sensors cannot pinpoint a single problem and any scans of the area come back negative. It is advisable that you discover the reason for this and put a stop to it."

" _Agreed._ " Wraith mused, studying the holomap. " _Send me the coordinates. Have we identified which Clone Army is here?_ " He inquired as he made to leave.

"Our scouts have confirmed that they are of the five hundred and first legion." The droid responded.

" _Skywalker._ " Wraith growled. Although happy to deal another blow to Skywalker's record, he was starting to hate how persistent the Jedi was. " _Be careful around him. His penchant for winning via unorthodox strategies is matched only by his penchant to behave stupidly._ " He warned the droid as he moved towards the forest. " _We may have been too late to save Gan Moradir, but we will not lose Takodana._ "

"I understand, sir." The droid confirmed.

* * *

As night fell across Takodana, a brilliant starlit canvas comprising the entire night sky, Wraith continued to trek through the forest. En route to the positions highlighted by the droid along their right flank, Wraith could hear the distant clamor of battle taking place many miles from his current position. Part of him preferred to be engaged in the fight, helping to strike crucial blows in the Republic's assault.

But he knew that the greater good had to come before his own preferences. And right now, that greater good was comprised of ensuring no more droids were lost.

The woods looked the same wherever he turned, his only way of figuring which way was correct were his HUD's guidance and navigational systems. If not for them, he would have a hard time telling one tree apart from another. Wraith realized it would be easy to get lost around here if one were disoriented, determining then and there that he needed to ensure his tech was always operational.

Vaulting over a fallen log, the super-soldier nearly tripped over the husk of an offline B1 droid. Crouching to examine his find, Wraith knelt and scanned the droid over, realizing there were no scorch marks or penetrative wounds of any kind. As a matter of fact, the entire chassis seemed to be completely intact, nothing was missing or had been torn off.

" _It's like it just... shut down._ " He muttered, examining the droid's limp hand. As he looked up, his scanners quickly highlighted the bodies of other offline battle droids lying around the forest floor. He'd found the location, alright. The question now was, what caused this? " _N-Two, do you read me?_ " Wraith asked into his comms. Instead of a voice, he got a burst of static and crackling interference. " _N-Two, respond._ " He said again. Still no answer. Realizing his comms had been rendered ineffective, Wraith stood up and looked around, pondering what was causing this. " _An EM-field..._ " He said aloud as the realization hit him. " _Might be in its early stages. If it grows, they could wipe out our droids no problem._ " With this understanding, Wraith deduced that this was the cause behind these malfunctioning droids.

No wonder they were caught off guard... it really was like walking into a trap.

At first glance, it appeared like nothing but forest stretched on ahead of him. But he knew there was something out there, a generator or similar contraption, that caused this.

And it needed to be shut down.

Understanding the new danger of having his comms down, Wraith decided to press on and disable this field as soon as he could. He took off at a moderate jog, bounding through the woods at a determined pace. Though he could see nothing at the moment, Wraith soon realized he'd have to find this thing the old fashioned way as his long-range sensors and scanners were proving to be absolutely useless. The further away from the droids he got, the more flickering and bursts of static he saw flash across his HUD. No doubt other vital systems would malfunction the closer he got to the source, the electromagnetic readings radiating in waves from what he could see... when static wasn't in the way. Passing by tree after tree and leaping over the odd fallen log or rock outcrop, Wraith continued on with ease, despite the disruption to his tech.

But he was about to encounter some obstacles he would not be prepared for...

Still jogging across the grassy ground, Wraith's disrupted HUD normally would've indicated the presence of a small disk-like object on the ground in front of him. But because of the static, he entirely missed it. The split second he realized he'd stepped on something, a series of flat disks popped up from the ground all around him and released a cloud of golden dust. Wraith shielded himself, fearing some sort of explosion or corrosive and knowing the filters in his mask could block out any airborne toxins, Wraith waited for a reaction of some kind... but none came. Looking up after a few moments, Wraith watched the dust settle to the ground, seemingly having done nothing to hinder him. " _What the hell...?_ " He muttered. Looking himself over, his basic vision could not find anything wrong with his duster or his armor. " _Strange..._ " Deeming the encounter bizarre, and likely meant to confuse him, Wraith chose to continue on.

But a short while later, he encountered trouble of a very different kind.

Now sprinting through the jungle, Wraith passed by a pair of trees and into, what he failed to realize, was a specially designed grid. Moments after entering the open and empty area, a blast of powerful and continuous electricity rocked his body, throwing him to the ground. Wraith growled in pain as electricity ripped through him, sparks exploding from his cloaker and his shield generator as they shorted out, his HUD winked out completely as his helmet's systems were overloaded. More sparks erupted from the computation equipment in his gauntlets as the electronic and technical portions of their design were disrupted. Managing to look up from his hands and knees, Wraith suddenly spotted a small, spherical object stuck to a tree from which the purple bolts originated. " _An... ion... mine...?_ " He rasped. Almost as soon as he recognized the device, the electricity ceased, leaving Wraith steaming and gasping for air. Slowly standing back up with a groan, Wraith bent over as he tried to process what had happened. He realized that this was no mere accident, nor was this a chance encounter.

Someone was anticipating him...

* * *

 _Elsewhere..._

Standing within a Republic mobile command center, a series of individuals stood around a holographic render of the area, where a single red blip flashed repeatedly as it moved along the map.

"'E tripped the mine, 'e's gotta be close then." A short, burly man with a scar running through his eye stated before taking a drag from his cigarra. "Providin' 'e survived it, o' course."

"Indeed. That puts him in sector one." Commander Thrawn replied. The man nodded and turned to a nearby violet-skinned Twi'lek male who was bent over a small terminal.

"Jammah, that dampenin' field 'o yors workin'?" He asked in his heavily accented voice. The Twi'lek gave him a nod.

"Yes, Boss. All systems normal." He replied in his native tongue of Ryl. The man nodded in reply and turned back to Thrawn with a narrow gaze.

"Yor orders... Commandah?" He inquired.

"I would suggest you have your teams ready. The time to act is near." The Chiss calmly responded. The man gave a quick nod.

"Roight then." Clenching his cigarra between his teeth, he raised his wrist and opened a channel via his comms. "All teams report in."

"Team one, ready." A female voice called in.

"Team two, ready." A male voice echoed.

"Team three, ready." Another male voice reported.

"Bogey's been sighted, headin' inta sectah one." The man informed them.

"Copy that. Team one moving to intercept." The female responded in a very authoritative voice.

"Ya know what ta do, Theris." The man replied. He then changed channels as he contacted yet another operative. "Boomstick, 'e's in position. Rock his world..." He stated.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Stick around, the heat's turning up!**


	82. Clash With the Titans Part 1

-Chapter 48: Clash With the Titans Part 1-

Location: Takodana

"Opportunities multiply as they are siezed."

Taking a couple steps forward, Wraith carefully examined his surroundings for any sign of another trap.

Little did he realize that he had just walked into one.

All of a sudden, multiple explosions went off all around him, forcing Wraith to shield himself as columns of flame shot up around his body. These were no ordinary concussive explosives though, but specially designed thermite explosives, designed to induce heat instead of force. The sudden heat was searing, Wraith gritting his teeth and shutting his eyes as he bore the brunt of this fiery assault. After a few seconds, which felt like an absolute eternity, the flames finally died down. Once he was certain that it was over, Wraith lowered his arms and looked himself over. His armor was glowing red-hot, the explosion having superheated the Phrik through sheer temperature-manipulation alone. Wraith himself could feel a few beads of sweat on his brow and questioned why someone would try to force him out of his armor through a roasting...

And then the shooting started.

"Cranking steel!" He heard a distant voice shout. Then he heard the staccato of, not blasters, but slugthrowers firing as multiple bogeys attacked him. The first few shots were wide, grazing his helmet and his armor.

But then, they found their mark.

Being as warm as it was, the Phrik his armor was composed of was now soft and malleable, offering no resistance to the slugs coming his way. They pierced clean through him, striking Wraith hard and burrowing deep into his body. Growling as a pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before flared up, Wraith raised his arms to defend himself, only to watch in shock as a melt slug ripped through his armored arm, a trail of his blood following it. He was being struck all over, his blood absolutely flying from an innumerable amount of holes that were being punched in his armor. Wraith felt every hit and impact, felt every slug pass through his armor and into his skin, felt every ounce of burning pain that came with each shot that struck him. His arms, shoulders, torso, chest, legs, he felt each blow all over his body as a slug struck him and passed clean through his armor.

This wasn't supposed to happen. His armor was designed to ward off attacks like these. How did they managed to get past it? Why had his armor failed him? What kind of slugs were they using that not even Phrik could stop? He had plenty of questions, not a single answer for any of them, and a boatload of pain instead.

In that moment, Wraith started to panic. His HUD was on the fritz, he was having trouble seeing, he couldn't properly spot his attackers and therefore had no way to know who or where these shots were coming from.

He needed to get out of here, collect himself, and then think of a solution... and fast.

Breaking into a run, Wraith charged off as a few more shots pierced his shoulder, his blood now streaming freely down his body from the dozens of holes that had been shot into him. Drawing his pistols, Wraith blindly fired into the woods, aiming in the general direction of the shooting. He could hear more slugs whiz past him, striking the trees as they attempted to hit him. Bits of shredded leaves rained down around him, cut to pieces by passing slugs. Adrenaline was now fueling Wraith's escape, brought on by fear and panic as he took flight to evade his attackers. Knowing he was faster than them, than any kind of soldier, Wraith powered past the pain and continued on.

Behind him, a group of mercenaries clad in black armor and wielding strange, rectangular slugthrower rifles, tromped through the woods, their green-lit visors scanning the woods for their quarry. At the front of the group, a pale, brown-haired woman with dark brown eyes swept the forest this way and that, looking for Wraith. To her disappointment, the super-soldier was nowhere to be seen... only a few drops of blood splashed here and there along the ground.

"Command, target is on the run and we've lost visual contact." She reported into her wrist comm.

"Undahstood. We're tracking 'im. Eyes up, Theris, he could still come back." Came the reply.

"Roger that, command." She answered with clipped authoritativeness.

* * *

Back at the hub, Thrawn and the man carefully studied the holomap before them, now joined by two more individuals: Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Jedi Knight looked on in disdain as things progressed, displeased with the recent turn of events.

"We should be leading this." He muttered, loud enough for the others to hear. Obi-Wan made to say something, but Thrawn beat him to the punch.

"The Jedi were given numerous chances to defeat The Wraith, General Skywalker. You alone have quite possibly received more chances out of all of them. But every time they have failed to do so and the Chancellor has decided to turn to outside assistance at my request." He calmly explained. "We can no longer allow Wraith to go about as freely as he does."

"Which is why we're gettin' paid to rid ya of this kriffer." The man remarked not even turning around. "Trust me, yor Chancellor was smart to come to the Titan Conglomerate. We get the job done right... the first time."

"Right. Like I'm supposed to trust a bunch of credit-hungry mercs with no scruples." Anakin remarked, crossing his arms.

"Ya don't have ta like it for it ta work." The human retorted, taking a long drag from his cigarra and blowing a cloud of smoke large enough to force Anakin to wave his hand before his nose. "Here's the deal, Jedi, yor Chancellor is payin' us top credit to bag this bloodthirsty kriffer. An' since he put me in charge a' this, that makes me the one givin' the orders 'round here. So you can either get in line or get outta my way." He stated, jabbing his finger in Anakin's direction. The Knight huffed and rolled his eyes as the human clamping his cigarra between his teeth.

"Corsair, aren't you worried that Wraith will eventually adapt to your methods?" Obi-Wan asked, trying to shift topics to something more amicable. Corsair snorted.

"Hardly." He replied. Reaching for his belt, which had a pair of magazines clipped to it, Corsair popped out one of the slugs and tossed it to Obi-Wan. "Depleted uranium slugs. Bought 'em off some smuggler who claimed he got it off Ruusan 'imself." He explained. "Got my whole team outfitted with 'em. These suckah's 'll pass clean through a planet, north ta south. They'll have no trouble piercin' Wraith's armah, trust me, that kriffer's gonna get perforated real good." He paused to take another drag from his cigarra. "By the time we're done, he'll have more holes in 'im than a piece a Rugosan coral." Corsair remarked as he blew another cloud.

"Must you do that?" Anakin wondered in irritation. Corsair glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"What? This?" He wondered, holding out his cigarra in one hand. "This 'ere's savorium herb, mate. Straight from Ithor." He stated, taking another quick drag. "Good stuff too. Calms the mind, keeps ya thinking. Maybe you oughtta try some to soothe that tempah yor nursin'." He added with a grin.

Anakin's frown deepened.

* * *

Wraith had managed to outrun his pursuers and slowed down to catch his breath, having run for a long time.

Looking down, the super-soldier quickly realized he was a mess.

His entire duster was full of holes, ranging from as far down as his coattails to as high up as his shoulders, his own blood splashed across the tarnished armor and dripping from holes punched clean through every protective layer he had on. As he stood there, shocked by the damage done to him, only now did the pain set in.

Feeling like dozens of burning embers had been imbedded in his skin, every move Wraith made brought with it a new agony. He realized he couldn't function like this. He needed to figure this out... and fast.

" _Unless they've switched up their arsenal,_ " he mumbled to himself, pulling a pneumatic dispenser out of his duster, " _I don't think those were Clones._ " Injecting himself with bacta, Wraith breathed deeply as as the healing salve coursed through his body. In spite of this, Wraith knew he couldn't survive a prolonged engagement with all of these holes in him. He needed to do some reconnaissance, find out who was aiding the Republic and then high-tail it out of there. Leaning up against a tree, Wraith paused and tried to recall the encounter he'd escaped. It seemed to be well-orchestrated, well-planned. They knew to disorient him, disrupt him, make sure he didn't have access to all the tools he used to know his surroundings. Had his proximity sensors been working, he would've seen them coming. " _My tech is down, my armor's been shredded, I'm bleeding all over,_ " he recounted, " _could this get any-_ " before he could even pose his jinxing question, a blaster round slammed into his exposed shoulder, forcibly staggering the super-soldier. Wraith cried out in pain as he turned to see the smoking scorch mark left behind and looked around for any sign of his attacker. He could see none, but the force of impact indicated to him that it must've come from a high-powered weapon. From where, though...?

What he didn't realize was that he was being watched from afar...

* * *

Perched high atop the ruins of what might've once been a wall or a turret, two individuals laid on their stomachs, a sniper rifle in each of their grips and their scopes trained on Wraith. One of which was a member of the Gand species, the other was a human sporting a black mohawk and had the numbers '10101' tattooed above his left eyebrow. As the Gand fired a second shot that struck Wraith in the opposite shoulder, his partner put out a quick call.

"Command, this is overwatch unit. We've got eyes on target." He reported.

"Copy Binary. Force him inta sectah three." Corsair replied.

"Understood." Binary closed the comm and adjusted his aim. "You heard that, Araa?" He asked. While the Gand only spoke in his native tongue, Binary's PUT helped him understand.

"I did. Let's keep him moving then." He said, taking aim at Wraith once more.

"Remember to chase him and cut him off good and hard should he deviate." Binary added, releasing his breath while simultaneously squeezing the trigger.

* * *

"Binary puts 'im headin' northeast. Good." Corsiar observed with crossed arms before he keyed his wrist comms yet again. "All teams, subject has been relocated and is headin' ta sectah three." He told his crew. "Maintain positions an' keep alert."

"Aw, come on! How come three gets all the fun? Doesn't two come after one?!" A second male voice wondered, sounding quite disappointed.

"Can it, Cager!" Theris promptly ordered. Corsair smirked as he switched channels, knowing who was would be going up against The Wraith next.

"Block, Stock, he'll be comin' ta you next... Let's see if 'e can survive all three rounds." Corsair instructed them with a chuckle.

"You got it boss." A deep voice replied.

"Heh. Yeah, we'll show him a good time." A second, equally deep voice chimed in. With the next part of his plan ready to go, Corsair switched channels one more time.

"Boomstick, 'e's almost in position. When I give tha word, take out 'is escape route." He ordered.

* * *

Having quickly understood that his opponents were attacking from afar, Wraith quickly determined that he needed to escape their visual range. They could obviously spot him through the forest foliage, despite the density of the trees, leading him to conclude that they might be using thermal scanners of some kind.

So with little else to use in the way of tech, Wraith simply started running. He sprinted past the trees as fast as he could run, shots tearing through brush and greenery behind him and overhead. They would have a hard time leading him, blaster rounds weren't instantaneous shots and they'd have to line up their shots almost precisely if they wanted to nail him while he was moving.

But a sudden shot struck his head and Wraith tumbled, quickly picking himself back up and thanking Scipio for adding a few extra layers of head protection. The shots were coming hard and fast now, forcing Wraith to switch directions in order to throw them off. In the distance he could see the outline of some symmetrical structure, likely one of Takodana's notable ruins. Deeming it better than running around in the open, Wraith made a beeline for it. Racing past tree after tree, more shots striking the woods around him, Wraith finally made it into the safety of the ruins and paused to catch his breath. But before he could rest for too long, a sudden explosion threw him off his feet and deeper inside the structure as his point of entry suddenly collapsed and was closed off. " _So, you want me in here, huh?_ " He wondered, crawling back to his feet. " _I'm fine with that._ " At least he was away from those snipers and out of sight. Standing up in total darkness, Wraith proceeded to smack the side of his helmet a few times, hoping he could get some of his tech to still work. Attempting to cycle through his settings, Wraith suddenly triggered his night vision, allowing him to see every detail of the darkened building he was in. " _Of all the things that still work._ " He muttered, grateful that he could at least see where he was going even if he didn't know where he was. Wraith quickly sized up his surroundings; a large and open room, sporting a few support pillars and a couple of old, collapsed walls, leading him to theorized that there might've been multiple rooms at one point. Taking a couple more steps into the place, Wraith's gaze swept this way and that as he did his best to make sure he was alone and had time to figure out and escape plan.

That's when the thudding started.

It was a low and distant sound, quite audible despite the lack of intensity. Wraith slowly turned as he registered the noise, his mind rapidly attempting to deduce what it was. " _Is that... artillery?_ " He wondered aloud, turning to face the noise. " _It could be... From the battle._ " He stated, justifying his logic. The sound grew louder, giving Wraith an opportunity to analyze the pitch and tone. " _No. No, it's too rhythmic. Too constant._ " He realized. The sound drew closer and Wraith was able to deduce what it was... much to his terror. " _Footsteps...?_ " Peering into the darkness, Wraith watched as a pair of shapes emerged from the gloom, his night vision highlighting what he was up against.

A pair of Houk, clad in heavy power armor.

The eight-foot tall burly humanoid twosome were among some of the most powerful species in the galaxy, rivaled only by Wookiees in terms of brute strength. They towered over Wraith, their power armor fitting them like regular clothes and not like mechanized exo-suits as with other beings. The entirety of their faces, save their mouths, were hidden behind a silver visor, leaving their identities a mystery. Instead of hands, they had armored knuckledusters. Big, solid pieces of forged steel that no doubt packed a serious punch.

"Well well, look what we have here..." The one on the left rumbled in a deep voice.

"It's The Wraith." The one on the right chuckled. Wraith steeled himself as they drew closer, easily taller than him and many pounds heavier. "He doesn't look so tough."

"Whaddya say, bro? Shall we see if he lives up to his reputation?" The other Houk asked his apparent brother.

"I say we shall!" The right one suddenly drove his fist into the ground, aiming for Wraith. The super-soldier had anticipated the move and lept back, narrowly avoiding the blow. The second Houk quickly swooped in with a right and left cross, both of which he narrowly dodged by ducking and sidestepping. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Wraith felt little pain from his slug wounds as he vaulted and flipped over the Houk's gigantic arm. Left to face off with the other one, Wraith was goaded on by the smirking humanoid. "Come on! Show me whatcha got!" Needing no further encouragement, Wraith rushed him with blinding speed and delivered a massive flying cross that snapped the Houk's head sideways. Thinking he had landed a decent blow, Wraith looked on abysmally as the Houk casually turned back to face him, grinning from ear to ear.

" _Aw Si-_ " Wraith didn't even get to finish before a mighty punch sent him flying through the air, head snapped back as his optics were cracked by the immense blow. Skipping across the ground like a stone across water, Wraith eventually halted when he slammed up against a wall and limply landed on the ground like a wet piece of cloth. " _Ow..._ " He murmured, amazed that his jaw and face were still intact. The pain returned anew and Wraith was content with lying on the ground for a while longer.

But the Houk's weren't willing to give him that curtesy.

"Nice hit, Block." One complimented the other.

"Thanks Stock." His brother replied, rolling his shoulders. "What's say we show him what we 'smash brothers' are all about!" The two brothers started lumbering forward, speed clearly not their forte. Wraith crawled to his hands and knees, forcing himself to get back up so he could face these things. In a half-seated position, Stock attacked him all too quickly, his knuckleduster sinking into Wraith's torso and propelling the super-soldiered the ground and into Block, who bashed him with a heavy backhand and sent him tumbling once more. Rolling to a halt, Wraith barely managed to return to his hands and knees before Stock literally pounced on him, delivering a heavy double-axehandle to his back and putting him flat on the ground.

"First we crack the shell-" He said, slamming a knuckleduster into the back of Wraith's head. Feeling the metal crack, Wraith slowly picked himself up only to see Block come charging at him.

"-then we smash the nut inside!" The other Houk finished as he delivered a massive rising uppercut that knocked Wraith into the air and then flat on his back. Landing hard, Wraith coughed for air as a fresh pain surged through his jaw and torso, likely indicating more than a few bone fractures. In the distance, despite the ringing in his ears, Wraith could hear Block and Stock laughing, the two Houks pounding their knuckledusters together as Wraith slowly, and painfully, sat up. "Come on, get up! We'll give ya a fighting chance!" Block jeered, encouraging Wraith to get back on his feet. In no mood to please these things but also not willing to go down without a fight, Wraith crawled to his feet, pushing past the ridiculous pain as he did.

"Eh, close enough." Stock rumbled as he charged Wraith again. A quick right cross slammed into the super-soldier's side, bringing with it the resounding crack of broken ribs. Wraith cried out in pain, but was silenced as Stock struck him square in the chest. "All yours, bro!" Stock called out, Block winding up right behind him.

"Batter up!" The Houk called as he charged forward, right fist cocked back. Too stunned to move and too winded to think, Wraith stood weakly as Block delivered an almighty right cross that snapped Wraith's head to the side, striking him with enough force to tear off both halves of his mouthguard. Careening through the air, Wraith crashed clean through a nearby wall and tumbled to a halt, feeling beaten and broken beyond repair. Blood dripping from his exposed mouth, the super-soldier coughed up a few drops of his crimson fluids, the fight taken out of him and too pained to rise.

 _Wraith? Wraith, come on! You gotta get up._ The voice in his head encouraged him.

"Hurray... more... pain..." He gasped in response.

 _Save the quips for later._ Voice replied. _Come on, get up, this is my body that's getting beat up too._ Reluctant to do so, Wraith begrudgingly moved to a partially raised position, pain hounding his every move. _You can't take much more of this. You have to get out of here._

"Brilliant observation." Wraith sarcastically remarked. "Problem is... I can't get a moment... to think."

 _Then let me do the thinking. You just keep from getting hit._ Voice instructed. Although hesitant to oblige this voice, Wraith knew he didn't have much of a choice.

"Agreed." He rumbled, forcing himself to his feet. As he did, Block and Stock stepped over the wall and approached him.

"Found your second wind, eh?" Block wondered with a toothy grin.

"We can work with that." Stock rumbled with his own grin. The two Houks charged him, Wraith summoning enough strength to backflip away as Block smashed his fist into the ground where he'd been standing. The move worked, but not without consequences. Wraith grit his teeth as pain flared up everywhere and he quickly fished out his other shot of Bacta. He didn't inject it just yet as he had to roll out of the way of Stock's incoming punch. Barely having enough time to inject it into his thigh, Wraith threw his dispenser away and promptly raised his arms to grab Block's incoming overhead smash. Grabbing his knuckleduster with both hands, Wraith pushed back with all his might, ignoring the burning pain in his arms as he struggled to avoid getting crushed. It was hard going, but it proved to be enough to surprise the Houk.

"Hey! He's fightin' back!" Block remarked.

"I'll fix that!" Stock cried as he charged in and promptly rounded a hard punch to Wraith's side, sending him flying into another wall.

 _What happened to not getting hit?_ Voice demanded.

"It's a work in progress." Wraith growled back. Shrugging off the blow as fresh adrenaline surged through him, Wraith started to run, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up as he felt Stock's knuckleduster barely miss him and smash into the wall.

"You can't run forever!" The Houk bellowed as he gave chase.

"You'll bleed out before we're done with ya!" Block added as he joined in. Wraith kept moving but could only move so fast with his injuries. Fortunately. The Houk's did not have speed on their side, allowing Wraith to outrun them and leap through a hole in a nearby wall. Pausing to stop and catch his breath, Wraith watched in mild amazement as one Houk merely shattered the wall with his fists, powering through it with his brother right behind him. With a sigh, Wraith turned and started running again.

 _Wait... That's it!_ Voice suddenly declared.

"What's 'it'?"

 _The walls are old and fragile. I bet if one of these guys so much as touches one, it'll collapse!_ Voice explained. _Find one of the exterior walls!_ Seeing the logic in his plan, Wraith turned right and kept moving. But the Houk's had overheard him.

"Is he talkin' to himself?" Stock wondered.

"I think we knocked somethin' loose in his head." Block replied. Stock turned to his brother with a broad grin.

"How about we knock it clear out of 'im?" He suggested. Block grinned in response and the two Houks took off after Wraith. The super-soldier led them right into the corner of the ruins, feigning having taken a wrong turn and was now trapped. The Houks charged him with big grins and fists drawn back.

"Lights out!" They both simultaneously cried as they launched forward, thinking they were about to smash Wraith for good.

At the last possible second... he ducked.

Block and Stock sailed over him and crashed into the wall, bursting through it as debris rained down around them. The twin gigantic foes tumbled to a halt, thoroughly dazed. Nimbly stepping over them and out into the open, Wraith eyed the two fallen Houk's with a rather smug look.

"Big? Yes. Strong? Yes. Smart? Not so much." He commented before turning and running back into the woods. As he did, Block picked himself up with a groan, managing to catch the tail end of Wraith's dusters before they vanished into the foliage.

"Corsair, boss... he got away." The Houk said into his comms.

"Status report!" Corsair demanded.

"He took out a wall. Stock's out cold." Block explained, looking at his fallen brother.

"Huh. Smart little kriffer." Corsair muttered. "Undahstood. Maintain position." He ordered.

* * *

"Kinda figured Block and Stock would be the end a' him." Corsair mused as he examined the holomap through narrowed eyes. "Still, they likely softened 'im up." While he could still track Wraith, he needed to know what was up. "Overwatch, this is command. Target has escaped sectah three, keep a look out." He ordered Binary.

"On it, boss." The sniper replied. Shutting down his comms, Corsair took a long drag from his cigarra as he studied the map, watching the moving blip with keen interest.

"Where are ya goin' now...?" He wondered aloud, letting out a puff of smoke. The Jedi and Thrawn watched him as he waited for the blip in the map to make a move.

When it did, Corsair knew what to do.

"Looks like sectah four." He noted, watching the signal move and extrapolating his next move. He had a team there, one for every sector of the map and knew right away who to call. "SpeedFreak, pick up Hater and head to these coordinates on an intahcept course. Ya know what ta do." He instructed into his comms. A Sullustian answered him, speaking in his native tongue.

"On it boss! Have no fear, I am a champion podracer in five different systems after all!" He proudly announced. Corsair sighed and rolled his eyes.

"So ya tell us all the damn time."

"Uh... 'Hater'?" Anakin wondered.

"H-Eight-R, Jedi." Corsair replied with a grin. "You'll see what we packed him full a' soon enough."

* * *

"Ow, ow..." Wraith hissed as he leaned up against a tree and sank to the ground, clutching his side. "Ow...!" He groaned. Now that his adrenaline rush had died down, the pain from over-exerted, slug-riddled limbs and broken bones had caught up to him. Resting against this tree, breathing heavily and blood still dripping from his wounds, Wraith was feeling exhausted. Whatever this group was that had it out for him, they sure knew what they were doing. "First armour-piercing slugs... then a couple of muscle heads..." he recounted, "who... the hell're these guys?" He asked aloud. "Doc... the one time I need you... and my comms don't work." He sighed, taking yet another shot of Bacta. The salve should stem the bleeding and numb the stinging pain from his broken bones, but he couldn't do anything more about his injuries until he was out of here. Knowing he needed to take advantage of this lull, Wraith chose to make a break for his own lines.

Question was... where had he come from? Without his navigational sensors, he would have a hard time telling what was up and what was down... although an absurd notion, it was quickly becoming a very real possibility with the number of hits he'd taken.

Rising from the tree, Wraith staggered off into the woods once more, determined to get out of here. But as he did, he heard a distant thrum of an engine... growing louder every second. Turning around, Wraith witnessed a very strange arrival as a Sullustian, driving what looked like a heavily armoured and modified airspeeder, and a human, sporting a plethora of cybernetic prosthetics and replacements, burst out from between the trees at breakneck speeds. The human stood on the back of the speeder, manning what resembled a mounted turret with multiple barrels and a missile pod. As they barrelled towards Wraith, an HK model assassin droid, carrying an A280 assault blaster rifle, jumped off the side of the speeder and moved to engage him on foot. Taking one look at the sight before him, Wraith had only one thing to say, "You've gotta be kidding me..." The speeder took off to Wraith's left as the droid trained his sights on him.

"Deal with 'im, Hater! We'll make sure he don't go nowhere!" The human shouted as his weapon powered up.

"Analaysis: subject located. Response: target with extreme prejudice." The droid stated in a monotone voice as it opened fire with a barrage of red bolts. Wraith quickly held up his punctured arms to block the incoming strike, the nearly-shattered armor of his gauntlets faring a bit better against this kind of attack. Absorbing every round that came his way, Wraith quickly drew his slugthrowers and opened fire with two shots aimed right at the droid's torso. Unfortunately, both slugs harmlessly ricocheted off its frame, the droid unfazed as it continued to pursue Wraith.

"Of course this damn thing's armored." He growled as he turned to flee, booking it into the woods. The HK droid gave chase, but not even his advanced servos could match Wraith's adrenaline-fueled sprint into the woods. More red bolts zipped past him, some narrowly grazing his armor as they struck the trees and rocks around him. But the droid was failing to keep up, leading Wraith to believe he'd be out of this shortly.

That's when the speeder pulled up before him.

"Where'd ya think you're goin'?" The cybernetic man wondered as he trained the turret on Wraith and opened fire, a dozen rounds being spit out in less than a second. Wraith slid to a halt and scrambled to run in the opposite direction, several blaster rounds slamming into his cracked armor as the multi-barreled turret unleashed a volley of rounds that followed hot on his heels. The speeder gave chase, the human grinning gleefully as he continued to fire on Wraith, the Sullustian driver easily keeping pace with the super-soldier. Soon enough, Wraith was directly in his line of fire and he pounded him with an unrelenting barrage of blasterfire that knocked Wraith off his feet and sent him tumbling through the woods. Growling in pain, Wraith rolled over and felt the searing scorch marks that now dotted his front and sides, renewing his agony as his body burned beneath his shattered armor. Forcing himself to his feet, Wraith stumbled behind a tree for cover, the cackling duo turning about in a wide arc. Taking a moment to analyze the airspeeder, Wraith realized that, while the body might be heavily modified, the inner-workings likely weren't.

With that in mind, Wraith believed he finally had a means to fight back.

The HK droid suddenly burst from the woods, peppering Wraith with a barrage of fire. Blocking with his now-fractured gauntlet, wraith quickly returned fire with his blaster pistols, the rounds enough to force the droid to start moving as it recognized his target was still able to fight back. Holding off the droid, Wraith quickly summoned a trio of explosives to his hand and armed them all. Quickly throwing them down in a line across the ground, Wraith waited for the speeder to come back around. It did soon enough, the Sullustian sporting a cunning grin as he bared down on Wraith, the human looking equally magical as his cybernetic eye flashed brightly behind his turret. Another barrage of shots started ripping up the ground before him, drawing closer and closer with every second. Then, Wraith rolled out of the way and triggered his explosives, the speeder sailing past him and through the concussive column of fire as a result of the detonation. It proved to be enough to shut down the repulsorlift engines and sent the speeder crashing into the ground, digging a deep trench as it plowed to a halt. The Sullustian jabbered on in the cockpit, banging the controls and looking rather distraught by the loss of his speeder as his partner jumped off his mount and pulled out a manpack-rocket launcher, a lid falling open to reveal four individual projectiles.

"Don't worry Speed, I got 'im!" He shouted, hoisting the weapon over his shoulder. "I'm too fast for this kriffer! He ain't goin' nowhere..." True to his word, he wasted no time taking aim and pulling the trigger, firing a single rocket. He had been fast alright...

But Wraith was faster.

A single blaster round ripped through the manpack, causing the missiles inside to explode and sent the cybernetic human sprawling, his clothes smouldering as the shattered remains of the launcher lay next to him. The Sullustian became much more animated, wildly waving his arms and continuing on in his native tongue as Wraith dusted off his blackened shoulder and turned back to the HK droid, who now stood alone against him. "Okay, droid. I think I have enough left in me to slice you to ribbons..." He growled, stowing his pistols and popping an arm blade with a shrill ring. The droid paused, standing straight up as it's crimson photoreceptors scanned Wraith up and down.

"Analysis: high probability of solo combat. Response: engaging Rancor protocol." It stated. Wraith stopped and before he could even ask what the hell that was, the hum of more engines drew his attention skywards. Large metallic containers dropped down from the sky, splitting open and forming pieces of armored equipment that gravitated towards the HK droid. Stowing its rifle on its back, the droid spread its arms to the side as they began to change. The hands transformed into ports as the armor along the forearms split open while smaller containers wrapped around its limbs and extended up to the shoulders, forming enormous hands and equally enormous arms. The same went for the droid's feet as canisters wrapped around its transformed lower limbs, making the droid several feet taller as its legs bulked out. Finally, the biggest container opened up and wrapped around the droid's body like a glove, creating a massive chest and torso component that interlocked with the droid's now exposed inner systems. The transformation complete, the now-hulking HK droid loomed over Wraith as weapons systems sprouted all across its massive body. "Rancor protocol online. Engaging Wraithbuster mode."

"Nevermind..." Wraith sighed, his shoulders slumping as he took in the sight of the new foe he had to evade. Stowing his blade, Wraith took off as a shoulder-mounted rotary cannon blitzed him with a quick barrage that shredded the trees and foliage, indicating just how powerful it was. Then a single, boxy looking tool morphed out of the droid's right arm, taking on an elongated shape. "Shockwave program initiated." The droid stated before it slammed the piledriver into the ground, generating a small tremor that tripped Wraith up for a moment. It was enough for the droid to open up a small missile pack on its left arm, firing a barrage of micro-cluster missiles that rained down around Wraith, exploding all about him. The super-soldier struggled to escape, the droid hot on his heels thanks to its enhanced powered-up form. A twin-barreled blaster, looking like a cruiser turret that had been ripped off and fitted on the droid's arm, powered up and opened fire on Wraith, heavy blaster rounds kicking up dirt and debris and obliterating trees with every shot. Dodging this way and that, Wraith could feel his body starting to reach its limits. His wounds and the related pain were taking their toll on him and Wraith knew he needed to catch his breath.

He couldn't do this forever.

Taking shelter behind a rock, Wraith paused to gather himself, the heavy thud of the droid's every stomp growing louder and louder as it approached him.

 _Hey, that droid's all tech, right? Armor can't protect circuitry._ Voice observed, trying to be helpful. Wraith understood what he was saying and quickly launched a shock chip into his grip and dialed it up to the maximum. The HK droid peered around the woods, charging his blaster for another powerful shot. But before it could, Wraith lept out from behind his cover and tossed a single shock chip through the air, the small, square piece of tech landed right on the droid's chest, delivering a powerful burst of electricity moments later. It was enough to subdue the droid, forcing it to its knees and giving Wraith the opportunity to vault over it and vanish into the forest behind. By the time the droid had recovered, all systems recalibrated, it turned around to see no sign of The Wraith.

"Target lost. Activating search mode." A power spotlight morphed out of the droid's left shoulder, switching it on to shine a blinding light on the dark forest. Photoreceptors sweeping the woods, the droid moved in a lumbering pursuit of its lost quarry.

Meanwhile, Wraith had taken shelter behind some fallen logs and was completely hidden from view. He could hear the droid's loud, thumping footsteps off in the distance, obviously searching for him. For the moment, it couldn't find him. But how long would that last? Surely there were more members of this group around and, if not them, the droid would surely find him sooner or later. He couldn't keep running from fight to fight, he needed out of here.

But how would he manage that? His blood-soaked shirt clung to his bruised and wounded body, his cracked and shattered armor barely hung on to his duster, he had no tech whatsoever to use... how could he possibly escape this?

Resting his head against the log behind him, Wraith looked up at the starry sky with only one question on his mind,

"What am I gonna do?"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Wraith's question shall be answered next chapter!**


	83. Clash With the Titans Part 2

-Chapter 49: Clash With the Titans Part 2-

Location: Takodana

"He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious."

'Hater' tromped through the woods of Takodana in search of his elusive quarry. He was following a trail his photoreceptors had picked up, glowing through his image transceivers and plain as day. But while he was able to tail the subject in question, he couldn't quite catch them, leaving him only able to hound and force them to travel where he wanted them to go.

In this case, that particular destination was the next sector. Where the next team was waiting.

His target, a bloody and heavily injured Wraith, half-jogged and half-stumbled through the woods. With blood still trickling from his many, many wounds, Wraith was desperate to find a way out, too drained and too weak to fight. But with minimal tech at his disposal, Wraith could only hope to survive this.

 _Hey, why don't you just use Tyth and burn down the woods?_ Voice wondered.

"And give away... my position?" Wraith rasped as he braced himself against a tree, clutching his side as the pain from his broken ribs forced him to pause.

 _Yeah, good point. Still, why haven't you tried fighting back?_

"If you haven't noticed... I haven't really... had an opportunity." Wraith growled in reply. "They're fast... they're good... they're pushing me to my limits."

 _Huh. Kinda says something about who they are, right?_

"Indeed." Wraith agreed. Hearing the thunderous footsteps of the hulking droid behind him, Wraith started moving again, clueless to the fact that he was being led somewhere...

* * *

Back at his mobile hub, Corsair watched the single blip walk across the map with Hater's own signature right behind him.

"Pushin' 'im inta sectah two. Brilliant, that droid is." He remarked, tapping some ashes off his cigarra.

"Where did you even get armor like that for him?" Anakin wondered aloud. "I've never seen a modular type like that."

"Jedi, when you've been around as long as I 'ave, ya know people who can work wondah's with tech." Corsair replied.

"But... 'Wraithbuster'? Seriously?" Anakin asked, finding the droid's armored-up designation a tad childish. Corsair shrugged.

"Last week it was 'mercbuster' and before that 'tankbuster'." He replied.

"So it's a verbal tic. How interesting." Obi-Wan mused, stroking his beard.

"Ya got that right. Like I said, ya know people who can do things. Kinda like the rest of my team." Corsair continued, blowing smoke from his mouth.

"Yes. They do seem to know what they're doing." Obi-Wan agreed, walking over to the holomap. "They're organized in such a fashion that they can handle any situational variable as it arises." He observed, taking note of the various teams set up around the map, all of them ready and waiting for Wraith to enter their zone. "While I might also be one to question the Chancellor's judgement in hiring mercenaries, Anakin, you have to admit, they do seem to know their stuff." He said, turning around to his friend.

"I like this one! He's calm and he sees tha big pictah!" Corsair remarked with a grin, giving Obi-Wan a friendly slap on the back. The blow was enough to make the Jedi stumble, but Corsair didn't seem to care. "Team two, 'e's headin' yor way! Cagah, head to Hater's location!" He ordered into his comms.

"Finally! On our way boss!" Came the reply.

* * *

Leaning up against another tree, Wraith coughed into his hand as he struggled to go on. He was really running out of steam now. He needed to stop and catch his breath for a lot longer than a couple of seconds. But that wasn't doable so long as the HK droid was still on his tail.

"Why won't this damn droid stop?" He wondered aloud. As he did, another burst of static caused his HUD to flicker and his left optic winked out. Growling in frustration, Wraith promptly smacked the side of his helmet, restoring his optic and accidentally triggering his thermal sensors in the process. Looking down, Wraith suddenly saw something he hadn't seen before... he was the wrong color.

His thermal imaging systems usually registered his own body in a myriad of colours, based off his own body heat. But at the moment, his entire body was green.

Then it hit him... the mines that had detonated earlier that night, releasing a cloud of dust.

That dust was what was on him... they were using it to track him.

"Sonnuva..." He realized, looking himself over. Turning around, he could see a similar trail of green left on leaves and trees and the ground through his cracked optics where the dust had rubbed off.

This was it. This was how they were tracking him.

Without a second thought, Wraith hurriedly removed his jacket, knowing the armor was fractured and beyond useless now anyways. But before he discarded it entirely, he removed all of his valuable materials from within, namely the dispensers containing Bacta. Tossing his duster on the ground, Wraith made to leave, but not before he had an idea...

* * *

 _Later..._

The second team of Titan mercs, this one consisting of a mix of humans and repurposed or reprogrammed battle droids, either clad in black body armour or painted black, moved carefully through the jungle with custom slugthrowers raised. They were nearing the location of Hater's last ping and were anticipating The Wraith to be somewhere close by. Knowing their fellow Titans had already done a number on him, team two was ready for a fight, the history of their target a long and well-known one.

With all the organics bearing special visors and goggles that could track The Wraith, they soon came across a large reading that could only be him. To confirm, their leader called the HK droid that had been in pursuit.

"Hater, you got optics on target?"

"Affirmative. Range: ten feet. Analysis: target is on the ground in a prone state." The droid replied. Cager took the answer with a nod before issuing orders.

"Tee-Dee Four, Tee-Dee Five, move up and watch the perimeter. Tee-Dee Six, Arrow, check it out." The four individuals, three droids and a human, advanced on the glowing mass their scanners picked up. Advancing slowly with weapons at the ready, they were prepare for anything.

But what they found was most disappointing.

Once they were standing right in top of their reading, Hater so much as emerging from the woods to join them, all they found was Wraith's discarded duster.

"Subject lost." Hater bluntly observed as the battle droid put out a call.

"It's just his jacket, sir." It said, conveying the disappointing news. "I think he figured out we covered him with irradiated dust that made him easy to track." Cager sighed, as did his men.

"Boss' ain't gonna like this." Arrow mused.

"Tell me about it." Cager agreed, the defeat weighing heavily on him. He'd have to be the one to tell Corsair that Wraith had gotten wise to their plan. "Well, bring it back anyways." Arrow stopped down to pick up the duster, grabbing it by the armoured portion surrounding the neck. He lifted it up off the ground and suddenly heard a steady beeping. Turning the duster over, Arrow laid eyes on four explosive disks that had been fixed to the inside of the duster... and all of them were armed.

"Uh oh." The battle droid managed to get out before the disks detonated and and a massive explosion threw them all back. The droid nearest Arrow was destroyed immediately, the human flung back and to the ground, a little charred and burnt, while the other droids were simply knocked back and offline, but not beyond repair. Hater quickly patted out the flames on its arms, massive scorch marks now marring its chest and shoulders. Cager and the rest of his team were on the scene as soon as the explosion died down.

"Man down! Get medical over here!" He ordered before queuing his comms. "Boss, target gave us the slip. He figured out the dust and ditched his jacket." He reported.

"Really now...?" The Titan leader fell silent for a moment as he weighed the situation in his mind. "He couldn't 'ave gotten far, Hater was trackin' 'im nonstop." He continued. "Maintain position team two."

* * *

Shutting off his comm, Corsair paused for a moment of silent admiration of Wraith's deception before he took one final drag from his near-finished cigarra before crushing the butt under his heel. "Even in 'is condition... he is good." He had figured that Wraith would eventually catch on to their means of tracking him, but had partially hoped that he wouldn't until it was too late.

But now that he had, this job got a little harder.

Pulling out another cigarra from his vest, Corsair lit it and took a drag. Blowing out a small cloud of smoke, the Titan leader contemplated their next step, glancing at the map which no longer sported a moving red blip. He soon had an idea and acted on it. "Jammah, contact Linah and tell 'er to bring in the drone. Looks like we'll need it after all." The purple Twi'lek nodded and moved to obey as Corsair put out another call. "Hackslash! See if you can find 'im while we get the Anoobas ready." He ordered another Titan.

"For the last kriffing time, Corsair, I hate nicknames! My name is Maro!" Maro responded angrily. Corsair rolled his eyes.

"Whatevah."

* * *

Maro was a member of the four-armed Ardennian people, commonly referred to as 'space monkeys' by most organics due to their appearance resembling other similar sapiens. His skills as a combatant were what earned him a spot with the Titans, the nimble being able to chase down targets with quick efficiency. That and his tracking abilities often proved invaluable on mission where the target started running.

Given the information available, Maro understood that Wraith had been weakened by his encounters with the other Titans, meaning that he couldn't be very far, especially if Hater had been tracking him the entire time. But there was one more trail he could follow... Wraith's own blood. Adjusting his visor to a different setting, Maro was able to pick up a trail of liquid drops, glowing through his visor.

"Can't hide from me..." He mused, taking off in pursuit. The Ardennian bounced and swung from tree to tree with remarkable agility and skill, his four arms grasping at limbs and bark before he'd even reached it. Maro had been on dozens of chases like this one before and every time they always ended the same way.

This one would be no different.

Bounding through the forest, Maro eventually caught of with Wraith's stumbling form, currently leaning against a tree and bent over as he coughed for air. Maro opened a quick channel to Corsair.

"Boss, I got eyes on target." He reported, knowing that they were already tracking his position.

"Stall 'im!" Corsair immediately responded. "Sendin' the othahs yor way!" With his path clear, Maro drew four different vibroknives from behind and lunged at Wraith, two blades cutting through his side as the Ardennian suddenly made his presence known. Wraith cried out in pain, clutching his wounded side and feeling warm blood around his fingers as Maro slid to a halt in front of him.

"You're not getting away that easy, big guy." Maro remarked, grinning behind his visor. With barely a minute to size up his new opponent, Wraith quickly formed a plan of action based on Maro's shorter stature and choice of weapons. Wraith calmly drew both of his knives without another word, twirling them about in his hands as he prepared himself for combat. Maro saw his weapons and smirked. "You think you can take me?" He wondered.

"I could ask the same of you." Wraith replied in a tired voice. Maro was quick to go on the offensive, Wraith struggling to parry or block all four of his weapons at once. The Ardennian quickly got a few cuts in, slicing Wraith's unarmored arms and body, causing him even more pain. But the pain was far worse when Maro stabbed a knife deep into the side of his shoulder, earning him a growl of pain from Wraith.

"Death by a thousand cuts, pal." The Ardennian announced as he pulled his blade free, Wraith clutching his shoulder as blood seeped through his fingers. "That's how you're going down."

"If I go out, I'm going out on my own terms." Wraith retorted, gathering himself and ready to go again. Maro was quick on the draw this time, bouncing off nearby trees as he attacked with spinning slashes, Wraith's gauntlets bearing the brunt of his blows. But Maro took the low road and started swiping at Wraith's legs, impaling a knife deep into the super-solder's thigh. Howling in pain, Wraith swung wildly with his own knives, but Maro was already gone. As blood dripped down his thigh, forcing him to one knee, the Ardennian jumped on Wraith's back, digging his blades into his unprotected flesh. Wraith screamed in agony as Maro tore free, blood flying in the wake of his knives. Wraith keeled over, knives still in hand and struggling to hold it together. Maro ran around to his front and Wraith took a few hard swipes in his direction. But the Ardennian dodged them with ridiculous ease, bouncing from ground to tree and back, just in time to strike Wraith with a quick slash.

Wraith could no longer focus. He couldn't keep this up. The pain was just too much, he was losing too much blood. He tried to swipe again and failed, missing Maro entirely and opening himself up in the process. The Ardennian promptly jumped on him, sinking his upper knives deep into Wraith's shoulders as Maro stabbed the super-soldier once, twice, three times, four times in the chest and torso before finally hopping off, blood trialing behind his knives. Wraith doubled over and fell to his hands and knees, his blood hitting the ground in rivers.

 _Wraith, he's too good! You can't beat him at his own game, not in this state._ Voice cautioned him. _Outsmart him or outwit him, you're not going to overpower him._ Wraith silently agreed.

"Had enough?" Maro wondered, twirling his knives around in his hands. Wraith forced himself to stand, silently defying him. "Fine by me, pal. I like gluttons for punishment." Wraith ignored his retort and stumbled over to a tree as Maro warily followed him, ready to strike.

Then he did.

Launching himself forward, four hands propelled the Ardennian into a dropkick that struck Wraith in the back, causing him to purge forward and crash clean through a low-hanging tree branch. Coughing for air and struggling to push past the burning pain that ripped though him, Wraith scrambled to find a way out of this. He saw the branch lying on the ground beneath him, looking thick and heavy, no doubt a very weighty piece. Grabbing the branch in desperation, Wraith summoned whatever was left of his strength and pushed past the burning pain in his arms to heft the branch up and blindly swing it around with a roar.

Luck was on his side, and the branch connected with Maro's head.

The Ardennian was thrown to the side, his head snapping to the side and his knives falling from his grip as he flew through the air before landing unconscious on the forest floor. Realizing his fortune, Wraith breathed a happy sigh of relief, dropping the branch and falling to his hands and knees, rasping for air. He coughed, a few drops of blood landing on the ground. Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, Wraith was in need of a very long rest. But he couldn't afford to just yet. He had a sneaking suspicion that the rest of this group wouldn't be far off and so, mustering enough strength to slowly sheath his knives and rise, Wraith stumbled off into the darkened woods.

* * *

It didn't take long for the other Titans to find Maro and their communication to Corsair left the Titan leader in a rather thoughtful mood.

"I'll admit, 'e's good." He said aloud, taking a long drag from his cigarra. "Jammah, where tha hell is Linah?" He demanded of his Twi'lek techie. "We gotta hurry up an' find this kriffer!"

"She said she was on her way, boss." The Twi'lek replied in Ryl. "I assume the drone might be giving her issues." Corsair grumbled in response.

"Sounds like you're having some issues." Anakin mused with a slight grin. Corsair glared at him.

"Not now, ya backwatah brat!" He snapped. "Jus' stay outta my way." Anakin rolled his eyes, like he was going to heed the words of a mercenary. With Obi-Wan having returned to tend to the battle for Takodana and Thrawn having also returned to the fleet over the planet, Anakin was alone without any serious supervision. And he decided to take full advantage of it. Turning around, he opened up his own comms and put out a transmission.

"Hey Snips, feel like leading a scouting mission?" Anakin asked his Padawan.

"What am I looking for, Master?" Ahsoka replied.

"Anything that resembles a wounded, bloody Wraith. We've lost contact and need to find him again. We're getting him this time for sure!"

"Oh. Okay, on my way." Her reaction was noticeably less-enthusiastic... as was someone else's.

"Jus' what the hell do ya think yer doin', Jedi?!" Corsair demanded, grabbing Anakin's shoulder and roughly turning him around. "Ya can't jus' interfere in my operation!" He shouted.

"I'm not." Anakin calmly replied, a response already in mind. "I'm technically carrying out an operation of my own." He stated, crossing his arms. "I'm not in your way, I'm just having a team of my own do a sweep of the area." He finished with a smirk. Corsair could see right through his words, his motives as plain as day, and frowned.

"Ya win on account a' technicality, Jedi. But pull anothah stunt like that again, and yor Chancellor will hear about it." He threatened, taking a long drag from his cigarra. The Titan leader returned to his thoughts on the task at hand, plotting out the best course of action to take next. This wasn't the first time he'd lost contact with a target, there were ways of salvaging this. But now that Skywalker had gone and butted in... things might get tricky for him and his men...

And yet... if his Padawan was leading the scouts... there might be something for him there...

Corsair had read through Thrawn's entire dossier on The Wraith and took careful note of all his observations... including the small aside about his apparent infatuation with Ahsoka Tano. Now that the teenage Togruta was out in the field, Wraith might end up gravitating towards her... and right into a trap in the process.

'This could actually work out well...' Corsair thought to himself, grinning a little. He queued his comms and opened a channel to all his units. "All teams, listen up: target's gone dark but lost his armah. Time ta go toxic." He instructed them. A chorus of 'yes sir' greeted him in response.

"Toxic?" Anakin wondered. Corsair simply shot him a grin, not saying a word.

"I want all a' ya ta fan out, start at the edges of tha grid and work in towards command. We'll find 'im." He continued.

* * *

 _Later that night..._

While the Titans were busy sweeping the edges of their operating zone, Ahsoka had taken a small group of 501st Clones and started searching the second grid of the map where Wraith had last been seen. She led them in a slow, methodical approach known as 'mowing the lawn', essentially leading the group from one side of the sector to the other as they worked their way down. Time ticked on as the Republic affiliates dutifully searched the nocturnal woods for their Separatist prey, the whole ordeal painfully boring.

But then, as she was leading the group onwards, Ahsoka suddenly sensed a familiar presence through the Force. Like a dying flame that offered little heat, she could sense a weakened person nearby... and could only guess who it was. The Clones were a little ways behind her, so Ahsoka took a moment to peer into the darkness... and could've sworn she saw a pair of crimson optics vanish behind a nearby tree. Knowing Wraith, he was likely doing everything to avoid being seen, which indicated to her that these mercs must've really done a number on him.

How bad a number? That she was determined to find out.

"All clear so far." The lieutenant behind her reported as he walked up. He was quick to notice Ahsoka's distant look. "Commander?" The Togrutan quickly thought up an explanation, and a means to get these Clones out of here.

"I... think we're going about this the wrong way." She told him, turning about. "If The Wraith really is as wounded as they say, then he'll be looking to hide, not run." She explained. The Clone slowly nodded.

"That does make sense, sir." He replied.

"We should split up, we'll cover more ground that way. Just make sure your visual scanners are maxed out, you don't want to get ambushed out here." Ahsoka instructed them. "I'll keep searching around here, you five move along." None of them argued with her and they all immediately moved to obey, much to her relief. As the Clones moved along, Ahsoka acted like she was searching the area. But as soon as they were out of sight, she quit acting. "Wraith?" She softly called to the darkness. "Wraith, it's just me. I know you're there." She reassured him. Squinting slightly, she saw the darkness stir as a familiar form slowly emerged from behind the tree.

"I'm... that easy to find... am I?" He dryly wondered aloud. Ahsoka was about to respond when he stepped into the moonlight, and she instead gasped in horror.

His body was riddled with holes, stab wounds and slash marks, his shirt just about soaked with his blood. Absolute rivers of crimson stained his legs and dripped from his mouth, indicating the sheer number he had sustained tonight.

"Oh my Force! What have they done to you?!" She worriedly asked, rushing over to him.

"Plenty..." He replied with a cough, leaning against the tree for balance. "Are... Are they around?" He worriedly asked. Ahsoka shook her head.

"No. It's just me. I sent the Clones off."

"Clones too huh?" He wondered, his breathing labored and raspy. "Everbody's... here-oof!" He suddenly doubled over, falling to one knee as another coughing fit racked him. A worried Ahsoka immediately knelt by his side. "I... I think they might've... punctured some organs..." He told her, sounding weak. Worry and concern written all over her face, Ahsoka questioned what she could do to help him. But her limited healing training left her with very few options, none of them enough to stabilize Wraith.

Anakin was right. He was really beaten up.

"I have to get out of here... I... won't survive another engagement." He rasped, his sentences coming slowly as pauses for prolonged breaths punctuated his words. "Tell me... where's the... the battle?"

"You're seriously thinking about going back out to fight?" Ahsoka asked incredulously, ready to forbid him from doing such a thing.

"Of course... not." Wraith replied, coughing as he did. "But that's about... where my ship will be..." He added. Ahsoka breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, it's to the southwest of here." She told him. "Here, I'll help you." Taking her extended hand, Wraith slowly stood before Ahsoka put her arm around him helping him on.

"Thank you... my dear." Wraith whispered, grateful for some assistance after a long night of opposition. "Hey... question: Remember... when I accidentally slipped under your skirt... on Wasskah? What kind of... underwear were... you wearing?" He asked. Ahsoka paused, her face flushing as she registered the half-awkward, half-personal question.

"Does it matter?" She slowly replied.

"Well... the waistband did feel pretty narrow... Was it a... a thong?" Wraith inquired. Ahsoka turned beet-red.

"No! Don't be ridiculous!" She exclaimed. "I've never worn a thong... ever!" She added in defence.

"Sorry. I'm... bleeding out and all I've got left is... my sense of humor." Wraith remarked, coughing a little as a fresh surge of pain rocked his body.

"You survive this and I'll teach you all about women's underwear." Ahsoka told him. Wraith chuckled.

"That's a class I'll... happily attend." He mused. Ahsoka couldn't help but sigh... and smile a little.

"Yep, your humor is definitely intact." She noted. But her moment of reprieve was cut short when Wraith started coughing again, persistent this time and almost violently so. Ahsoka helped him to his knees as Wraith's coughing fit died down.

"I'm sorry..." he rasped, "I can't... move very fast..."

"It's okay, take your time." Ahsoka responded, knowing everyone else was pretty far away right now.

But neither of them noticed the small, DRK-1 probe droid hovering in the sky above them.

* * *

"Boss, over here!" The brown-haired Corellian woman in a pilot's jumpsuit called to Corsair. Seraj Liner had been busy manning her little probe droid and scanning the forest for Wraith. She'd found nothing until now, finally registering a pair of thermal hits. Corsair quickly strode over to her holodisplay and leaned over as she pointed out the targets. "Grid eight in sector two."

"They're not far from 'ere." He noted, quickly activating his comms. "All teams, head ta sector two by eight now! We've got confirmation of target!" He ordered. Quickly moving to go there himself and link up with Theris and team one, Corsair stooped down and grabbed his custom scatterblaster from the ground, pumping it as he did. "Feel free ta tag along, Jedi," he told Anakin, "jus' don't get in my way."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Anakin sarcastically remarked.

* * *

"Are you gonna be okay?" Ahsoka wondered as Wraith injected himself with his final shot of bacta. The super-soldier was sitting up against a tree, needing a moment to recover his strength.

"I should." He replied, slightly uncertain about how long he'd be down for and if these mercs had caused him any serious internal damage.

"You don't look so good." She noted, kneeling next to him.

"That's kinda... stating the obvious... isn't it?" He wondered with a half chuckle. It even hurt to laugh. Ahsoka made a small smile.

"Maybe a little." She agreed. Having recovered enough, Wraith made to stand and Ahsoka helped him the rest of the way. "Come on, I'll help you to the edge of the woods." She told him. But Wraith only made it a few more steps before he faltered, his stabbed leg giving out from under him. He was in incredible pain and it was only his drive to survive that had kept him going this long.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out for.

Ahsoka helped him back to his shaky feet as Wraith steadied himself, now starting to doubt his odds of surviving this night.

"Ahsoka..." he rasped her name, drawing her attention. Wraith looked to her and his crimson gaze met her shining blue. "If I don't survive this... I..." he started to say, trailing off as he worked up the strength, let alone the courage, to say what was on his heart. "I just... want you to know that... I..." Ahsoka waited for him to continue, but he just couldn't get the words out.

He was simply too afraid.

 _Come on! Tell her!_ Voice encouraged him, knowing the three little words he wanted to use, that he'd longed to tell her. But Wraith couldn't. They lay lodged in his throat, trapped by a fear of how she would react and what might become of them.

But as he feigned attempting to catch his breath, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as Wraith sensed a great many people closing in on them. Just like on Lola Sayu, he could sense the presence of individuals, even though he didn't know how he was doing this or even where they were. But if he was picking up this many signatures, that could only mean one thing...

"We've got company." He suddenly said, looking to her. Before Ahsoka could get another word out, a shot rang out and Wraith suddenly lurched forward with a cry as a slug ripped clean through his shoulder. Ahsoka barely got her arm up in time to shield herself from the ensuing spray of blood that splattered her, crying out in surprise and dismay as she was suddenly decorated with red droplets. She looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes as Wraith struggled to stay on his feet, blood flowing from the new wound in his shoulder.

"Wraith!" She exclaimed, frozen in place but desperate to help him.

"G-Get... Get down...!" He finally told her and they both dropped to the ground, Wraith positioning himself so that his body would protect her. More shots started to rip through the woods, bouncing off trees and shredding foliage as they tried to find their mark. A few more were embedded in Wraith's back and he growled as fresh pain consumed him. He felt like he was on fire, a striking ache beneath his skin causing him endless agony. Ahsoka looked up from the ground, seeing the stressful expression of his gritted teeth as he attempted to survive. But then a larger, more thunderous shot reverberated throughout the woods and Wraith lunged forward with a cry as multiple projectiles struck him at once, causing him to almost collapse atop Ahsoka. The Togruta cried out as he fell forward, his blood-soaked shirt stained her own clothes from their close contact.

"Wraith?!" She was desperate to know if he was okay. Wraith managed a pain growl in reply as he gathered his senses.

"G... G-Go..." he managed to tell her, "run!" Ahsoka quickly crawled out from beneath him and started running.

But Wraith didn't follow.

He knew that if she was caught with him, the ramifications for her would be far worse. Even more grave was the possibility that she could be struck while with him, an accident that could prove fatal the longer she stuck around. But Wraith was determined to not let either of those come to pass. He would shift their focus and ensure she was left out of this.

Summoning the last of his strength, Wraith jumped up, turned, drew his slugthrowers and opened fire on the woods, trying to hit something... anything. More slugs flew from the dark and struck Wraith's body, causing him to grunt in pain but keep shooting as a burst of adrenaline fueled his actions.

Even if he didn't survive, he had to buy Ahsoka time to escape.

Said Padawan looked over her shoulder and now saw the distant, darkened shapes of people moving among the trees. The mercs had obviously arrived and were now seeking to finish the task the Chancellor had assigned them. She looked on as Wraith blazed away with his pistols, showers of blood erupting from his already bloody and broken body where slugs struck him. Now standing rooted to the ground, Ahsoka had a sudden thought that fired up her determined spirit.

This was wrong. He shouldn't be suffering like this. There were other, more humane ways to immobilize him!

Making up her mind, Ahsoka turned back and helped Wraith up, using the Force to ward off some incoming shots.

"I won't leave you!" She exclaimed in determination, helping him to his feet.

"Ahsoka-" Wraith tried to retort before she cut him off.

"You stayed to help me on Wasskah, now it's my turn!" She told him. But before she could say another word, a slug grazed her shoulder, leaving a red trail in it's wake and she cried out in pain as she stumbled into him.

"Ahsoka!" Wraith shouted as he clutched her, quickly using his body like a shield once more to keep her from getting hit. Just then, Anakin burst out from the trees alongside the mercs, just in time to see Ahsoka in Wraith's clutches. At first glance it seemed like he was taking her hostage, putting her at risk of being shot.

"Ahsoka! Hold on!" Anakin shouted, using the Force to pull his apprentice away from Wraith and over to him. Little did he realized that was the last thing she wanted him to do.

"Master! No!" Ahsoka exclaimed, struggling against his invisible grip as she was torn away from Wraith's close hold and over to her master. Wraith reached out for her, almost as if he were trying to bring her back. But a sudden volley of slugs stopped him in his tracks. Corsair now arrived on sight with his scatterblaster in hand.

"Light 'im up!" He ordered his team as he took sight of The Wraith. Dozens of guns suddenly fired in quick succession, slug after slug striking Wraith's body. The super-soldier roared in agony as he was riddled with slugs, Ahsoka, mouth agape and eyes wide, watching helplessly as Wraith got shot to pieces by these mercs, unable to intervene in anyway. Corsair stepped forward and fired his special, custom weapon. While most scatterblasters simply fired a barrage of small pellets, Corsair's fired a single large slug that disintegrated as it traveled through the air, turning into a cloud of superheated shrapnel before striking his target. Wraith quickly learned this the hard way as a shot for Corsair tore into his torso, causing him to double over. Another follow-up blast from Corsair's shotgun promptly struck Wraith right in his ex[posed helmet, a pair of superheated shards tearing through the metal along the left side of his face, leaving two deep scars behind.

Then the shooting stopped, suddenly and without warning. Corsair held up a fist, a motion for his team to hold. Wraith stood staggered, his body close to faltering and giving out completely. Fresh holes had pierced clean through him, his blood everywhere now. He was in danger of not surviving this. The pain was too much, the blood loss too severe. As his pain-addled mind comprehended his predicament, Wraith could determine only one foreseeable way out of this.

He needed to become enraged.

Wraith quickly channeled his anger, feeling the fire come alive in his limbs and surge through his body. All the pain and stress from tonight added to his desire for revenge, fueling his passionate anger as he barreled towards rage. Tending his body, pain receding as anger took its place, Wraith could feel he was on the cusp-

And then he felt a horrific, stabbing pain in his gut that forced him to double over.

Like he was being pierced a thousand times, Wraith off up an absolute fountain of blood as he clutched himself, not knowing what was wrong with him. The sudden pain sapped him of his strength and his determination to fight back vanished completely as the wear of the night overtook him. His slugthrowers falling from his weakened grip, Wraith finally collapsed to his knees before falling flat on the ground, unable to maintain his strength. His optics winked out for one final time as he lay motionless, save for the erratic rise and fall of his back in time with his labored breathing. His head to one side, Wraith could barely make out the distant forest through the shattered duraglass of his optics... a sight that was promptly disturbed first by footsteps and then by a chuckling someone standing before him.

Corsair looked on, pleased by the work of him and his team, taking in the sight of the galaxy-renown super-soldier lying bloody and beaten on the forest floor. "Well well well," He drawled, drawing closer with his scatterblaster over his shoulder, "if it ain't the indestructible Wraith himself." He said aloud, mocking the defeated super-soldier. Crouching down closer to the collapsed Wraith, Corsair took another drag from his cigarra, blowing smoke from his mouth. "Did ya really think that you wer' invincible? That you wer' untouchable?" He wondered in a scoffing tone, snorting as he did. "Well I got news for ya punk; as those holes we just put in ya show, yer not invincible. Nor were you evah the best soldier in the galaxy." He took another drag before continuing. "See, we're real soldiers, unlike those copies of some bounty hunter who got his kriffin' head cut off by a Jedi of all people. And that's one reason why you've just lost; you've had it waaay too easy fer far too long, fightin' only Jedi and Clones. You're just lucky that Chiss only told us to hurt you instead of outright kill ya." The word resonated with Wraith. Chiss... did that mean the Commander Thrawn he encountered was behind this? "Ya know, if it'd been up ta me, I would've just blown yer bloody head off while you were talking to that Jedi girl who, fo' the record, looks like someone ya'd find on a late-night street cornah." Corsair chuckled, not only at his own remark but also at the way Wraith tensed up and clenched his fists, baring his teeth as the words sank in.

He wasn't the only one.

Both Anakin and Ahsoka glared daggers at Corsair upon catching the remark, both of them ready and willing to force an apology out of the merc... later. Corsair took another drag from his cigarra. "Seriously mate, ya should stop thinking with what's between yer damn legs. She's a bloody Jedi mate; there's no way'n hell she's spreadin' her legs for ya. Best ya learn that now." He informed Wraith using far cruder language. The super-soldier determined then and there that the next time he saw Corsair, he would cause him a world of pain for speaking in such a manner.

If there was a next time...

"You've had yer time in the sun, mate. It's ova now. You've lost." The Titan leader remarked in closing. To cap it all off, Corsair removed his cigarra from his mouth and pressed it directly into one of Wraith's many gunshot wounds, the super-soldier wincing and stifling a growl as intense pain shot through his arm.

That one really hurt.

"Tag 'im and bag 'im, lads. We're done 'ere." Corsair announced as he stood. But before he left, he picked up both of Wraith's discarded pistols. "Hm... nice custom models." He mused, observing the careful design of his one-of-a-kind fifty caliber pistols. "They'll make a roight nice trophy." He declared with a smirk, tucking them into his belt. The other Titans moved in to take hold of Wraith... but were in for a real surprise. The whole time Corsair had been droning on and on, Wraith had managed to develop something of a plan, when he wasn't reacting to Corsair insulting Ahsoka. Recalling Aphran and Scipio's technique to get him out of there, Wraith put all of his hope in one of his enhancements.

It was likely the only way he'd get out of this.

"Voice... command..." he rasped, "engage... protocol... four!"

"Wha's that? We can't here ya over yer whimperin'." Corsair jeered, having heard Wraith. But then, to the Titans' surprise, his body went taught and shuddered for a moment before Wraith leapt to his feet with a spinning backflip, his foot catching Corsair's jaw and causing him to stumble back into the arms of his team. "What tha hell?!" He exclaimed. Wraith had been down for the count, far to injured to carry on. But now he was standing straight and tall, eyeing Corsair through his blackened optics. Without another word, Wraith turned and sprinted into the woods. His sudden move left the Titans awestruck,, until Corsair shook them form their stupor. "Don't jus' stand there, ya blitherin' idiots! Stop 'im!" He shouted. The Titans gave chase... but it was ultimately a fruitless effort.

The Sunstorm serum allowed Wraith to run a full mile in under a minute at top speed. There was no way the Titans were catching him.

* * *

Arriving back at his shuttle just as the distant horizon started to turn pink with the rising sun, Wraith bounded inside the craft and managed to get into his seat before Protocol 4 wore off. As the sudden rush of energy died down, Wraith was left feeling completely sapped of his strength and absolutely consumed by an unbearable pain. His over-exerted body had been pushed to its limits one time too many and now he was really starting to fade. His seat soon became soaked with his blood even as he lifted off and programmed the hyperspace coordinates into the hyperdrive, putting the ship on autopilot. Leaning back in his seat, Wraith was ready to fall asleep when-

 _I know what you wanted to say, before the Titans interrupted._ Voice suddenly informed him. _Why didn't you tell her?_ Wraith knew the answer to that, but deemed it inferior to the other glaring issues at hand.

"Not... now... voice." He managed to reply, spluttering and coughing immediately afterwards. "I'll... explain later..." He promised... although questioned his ability to hold up that promise.

* * *

 _Elsewhere, aboard the Dominance..._

Count Dooku walked with Admiral Sereva Shak through one of the Subjugator's many hangars to where his solar sailor was waiting.

"I trust all will go well with you, Admiral, given the enormity of the task at hand?"

"You needn't fret about a thing, my lord. I shall handle the task of the invasion fleet with the utmost care and attention to detail." The Lethan Twi'lek answered. The Sith nodded.

"Very good. Your expertise indicates great potential, Admiral. With luck, you shall be seeing even greater horizons should this invasion prove successful." Dooku replied, hinting at a promise. Sereva smiled and nodded.

"Then I shall strive to never disappoint you." She promised in return. As she was speaking, Doctor Scipio suddenly entered the hangar, walking at a very brisk and determined pace and being followed by a medical droid pushing a hover gurney. They could see a worried look on his face as he approached them.

"Doctor. What brings you down here in such a hurry?" Dooku inquired.

"Pardon my intrusion, my lord, but I have just received a transmission from Wraith requesting medical assistance on arrival. He was unable to supply me with any more details, but I fear Takodana did not go well." Scipio reported, relaying the grave news he had learned.

"It is unlike Wraith to request medical aid like this. The damage must be severe." Sereva agreed, now a little worried herself.

"A sentiment I share, Admiral." Scipio agreed. The thrum of engines drew their attention to the hangar entrance where Wraith's shuttle had appeared. It touched down in a calm and normal fashion, the three witnessed slowly approaching the exit ramp. "Wraith? Are you there, my boy?" Scipio called. While no voice answered him, the sound of metal on metal moving at an irregular pace met him as Wraith shuffled into the light. He staggered down the ramp, revealing himself to them. Scipio's eyes widened in shock and horror, Dooku's expression changing to one of surprise while Sereva audibly gasped and covered her mouth, all of them stunned by Wraith's punctured, slashed and blood-soaked appearance. His helmet was barely clinging to his head, both of his optics cracked and dark. Blood dripped from him in rivers, leaving a crimson trail behind as he stumbled forward, collapsing at their feet with a groan.

"Doc... Uhn..." Wraith's body was soon surrounded by a pool of his own blood, his fluids absolutely leaking out of him from the countless holes and cuts. Scipio gingerly turned him over.

"What happened?!" He urgently asked.

"The... R-Repub-lic's... got some... new... friends..." Wraith managed to tell him. It had taken all of his strength to do so.

"Droid! Come here!" Scipio ordered. The medical droid dropped the gurney to the ground and made to aid Scipio. "We'll have to lift him, carefully." He said, trying to best figure out how to do so. But Dooku intervened and used the Force to lift Wraith on in a most efficient matter. "Many thanks, my lord." Scipio thanked him before rushing Wraith over to the turbolift. Sereva turned to Dooku.

"If you'll excuse me, my lord, I think I need to-"

"Of course, Admiral." Dooku replied, already knowing where she was going. With a quick bow, Sereva ran over to join Scipio in the turbolift.

* * *

Rushed to Scipio's medical lab, Wraith was moved to an operating table where Scipio quickly set about stabilizing him.

"While I appreciate your concern, Admiral, I would ask that you please stay out of the way until I need you." Scipio asked her, inserting a ready-made IV drip into Wraith's arm.

"Of course, Doctor." Sereva agreed, content with watching from the sidelines until it was necessary to intervene. Scipio worked feverishly to get a proper amount of regenerative chemicals into Wraith's body in order to get him healing again. Such colossal damage was a new one for him and Scipio wanted to make certain Wraith would recover in due time.

Little did he realize that he was running out of time... the blood loss was too great.

 _Uh... Wraith? I-I don't feel so good..._ Voice suddenly said, his tone one of worry. Wraith could feel it too. He was losing his grip on consciousness, slipping away...

"Doc... D... D-Doc..." He rasped, trying to communicate with Scipio. When Scipio didn't immediately reply, Wraith shifted to the next thing on his semi-delirious mind. "A... Ah... Ah-sok...a..." But he suddenly lost all strength, his hand collapsing against the table, his body going slack...

as the heartrate monitor flatlined.

Scipio whirled around at the deafening sound and was suddenly frozen with fear, as was Severa.

"Wraith?" He asked, worriedly. But the super-soldier made no response, laying still as stone. "Wraith!" He shouted, realizing the immediate danger he was in. Sereva remained frozen as Scipio scrambled for some life-saving equipment.

"Doctor! Is... Is he-!" She fearfully wondered.

"Admiral, take this!" The Pau'an interrupted, handing a small control pad to her as he tore open Wraith's chest and affixed a device to his skin. "Keep it at seven-hundred volts!" He ordered her. Sereva immediately obeyed, adjusting the device's settings as it hummed to life. Dashing over to a nearby counter, Scipio opened a drawer and retrieved a small vial of green liquid, which he quickly inserted into a pneumatic injector.

"What is that?" Sereva wondered as he returned.

"Project Phoenix." He replied, tilting Wraith's head to the side and pressing the end of the injector against his skin. "Pray it is enough." He whispered looking up at her as he pressed the trigger. With the contents injected, Scipio discarded the tool and ran for a bacta syringe. He returned moments later and pressed it into Wraith's shoulder. As the flurry of activity continued to unfold, the sound of a flatline continued to fill the room. "Come on my boy... come on!" Scipio desperately said, knowing that a few more seconds of no heartrate and Wraith would be gone forever...

* * *

 _Back on Takodana..._

Ahsoka had returned to the cruiser in orbit and her quarters. She had yet to clean Wraith's blood off her and her clothes and planned on having a shower as soon as possible. She moved slowly, her thoughts those of contemplation and reflection as she dwelt on the events of the night. Deep down, she felt as though Wraith did not deserve such a cruel and harsh assault like that. The Titans showed him no mercy, demonstrating a level of wanton bloodlust and violence she hadn't seen even in bounty hunters. She wanted to intervene and do something for him, but had a feeling it would've been swimming upstream, given how ruthless they all were... even Anakin had just stood by and let them do the deed.

As much as Ahsoka despised the whole situation, she hadn't felt like she'd failed him. He'd managed to get away, even though her hands were tied. Surely Wraith would live to see another day. He always did...

But as soon as she entered her quarters and closed the door, Ahsoka suddenly fell to her knees and clutched her head, crying out as she was overwhelmed by a dark sensation. Images flashed through her mind like a vision, showing her a bloody medical table... and the motionless body of Wraith on it. She saw a Lethan Twi'lek in an officer's uniform and that Pau'an, Scipio, around him and working feverishly.

She couldn't hear them, but she could hear the long, droning tone of a heartrate monitor with nothing to read. A sound she knew well enough.

"No..." She quietly gasped. "Wraith...!" A single tear slipped down her cheek as she felt the devastating reality shown to her. It was a dark and grim sensation she hadn't felt so sharply before. But there was no denying it, she could feel innately what it was conveying to her... and there was no escaping its truth.

Wraith had died.

" _NO!_ " Ahsoka screamed, her voice reverberating through the Force as she started to sob uncontrollably. She broke down on the floor of her quarters, hot tears flowing from her eyes like a river. She beat the floor with her fist, slow, mournful blows as her grief set in. "I failed him...!" She sobbed, eyes squeezed shut as her tears rolled down her cheeks. " _I failed him!_ " She collapsed on the floor in a heap, crying her eyes out, puddles forming on the floor.

The one person she had wanted to help so badly was gone... And what had she done? Nothing. She'd waited too long to act, to open herself up, now there was nothing she could do.

Finding the strength to get up, Ahsoka crawled into her bed, hot tears still streaming down her face.

She hadn't cried this much since Wasskah.

Through bleary eyes she looked around her quarters, feeling helpless, lost and alone. She sniffled and sobbed, not done crying yet. Ahsoka felt like she could cry herself to sleep... but didn't feel worthy of it. Without knowing that Wraith was out there, a man worth saving, the whole war seemed pointless to her. Her one purpose, her one goal which she believed could pull her out of this pit she'd created, was now gone... all that was left was the deep despair she grappled with every day... now amplified tenfold. Guilt was quickly eating away at her and it started to overtake her thoughts. If she had done something, if she had acted sooner... maybe he'd still be alive.

But 'if' and 'maybe' couldn't bring Wraith back to life... nor could it remove the despair she felt.

Taking her razor from her belt, Ahsoka tore off her gloves without hesitation...


	84. Scipio's Log 75771

Scipio's Log: Entry 75.771 - A Miracle

 _..._

 _..._

" _Words cannot describe my true feelings on the matter I am about to discuss. There simply are none to properly ascribe to it..."_

 _..._

" _There we were, the Admiral and I, standing around Wraith's lifeless body. We had tried resuscitation and I had injected him with Project Phoenix, but nothing. I knew that it would only be a few more seconds before Wraith was gone for good."_

 _..._

" _But then... he lurched, literally spasmed on the table, then gasped for air as he was restored to consciousness, his heart beating just like normal."_

 _..._

" _I simply can't fathom it... It was nothing short of a miracle."_

 _..._

" _Being a man of science, my personal preference is to trust in logic and cold-hard facts, what can be proven through trial. But in this instance, I can't help but believe what some might call an 'act of the Force' is responsible for Wraith's restoration._

" _Since then, I've been busy working on restoring him to full health. I pulled almost forty slugs from his body, each one of varying design and caliber. They appear to be custom made, but I have yet to perform a composition analysis. These new foes must be studied intently, for if they were this close to being successful the first time, they will certainly try again... of this, I am certain."_

 _..._

" _Wraith is sleeping now and still in recovery. But when he awakens, I know Count Dooku will wish to ascertain a full report from him. I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious to learn of the details myself, as we must take precautionary measures when Wraith is next fit for duty. I don't want him coming back looking like this again... for I doubt such a lifesaving miracle will occur twice."_

End of Log

* * *

 **Author's Note: No, he's not dead :)**


	85. Wraith's Log: Entry 18

Wraith's Log: Entry 18

" _I am recording this from bed... I barely had enough strength to turn this thing on._

" _To say that Takodana was almost a near-fatal experience would be something of an understatement. My encounter with those mercenaries put me in serious jeopardy... and Doc tells me I died as a result. Only for a moment, though, for I still live... if you couldn't tell."_

 _..._

" _These mercenaries... I do not know who they are, but their leader is a real piece of sithspit if ever I've seen one. And I've seen a few. He had the audacity to refer to Ahsoka like a slut or a street whore! The worst part is, he seemed very calm and confident in his actions... with good reason. Him and his team were able to do what others have only dreamed of... they beat me."_

 _..._

" _While I foster my hatred for him and his ilk, I will not deny that which can be learned from this encounter. They knew how I worked, they found weaknesses to exploit. My armor was useless in the face of their attack, my tech rendered unreliable by their tactics. They knew what they were doing and had the advantage in every situation."_

 _..._

" _I have... never faced a defeat like this before. To be struck down so thoroughly and without remorse... they are not like the Republic at all. Who are these mercenary scum... and why would the Republic turn to them? Surely they must be desperate-"_

 _..._

" _Wait... that's it! The Republic is-... Not now, Voice, I'm in the middle of logging something."_

 _..._

" _Yes, I do remember that. But not now!" *sigh* "Must you be this annoying?"_

 _..._

" _Fine. You wanna know why I didn't tell her? It's because I'm afraid... Yes, afraid. You heard me."_

 _..._

" _I'm afraid... of how she'll react... of what would become of us. She seems to handle things fine now, believing my feelings to be nothing more than a simple crush. She's... likely 'crushed' on others before so the feeling would be understandable."_

 _..._

" _Would you quit reading my thoughts like that?! It's annoying."_

 _..._

" _Yes, everything you do is annoying." *sigh* "I'm afraid of how she'll react if I were to reveal just how passionately I feel about her. She may pulse me... she could do any number of negative things that would break my heart..."_

 _..._

" _You think I'm being controlled by those nightmares?"_

 _..._

" _Maybe you're right. True, much of what I fear that twisted version of her has belittled me with and accused me of. And as much as a part of me deeply desires to ignore her and write them off as nonsense... I can't help but wonder if what she says is true. Could I possibly cause this darker side of her to emerge due to my advances?"_

 _..._

" _You're right. I don't know that. But... now you know why I am reluctant to tell her. Such an issue is mine and mine alone to deal with. Are you happy now?"_

 _..._

" _I don't think there's a whole lot you can do, Voice."_

End of Log


	86. You and Me

**Author's Note: Yo! We're on chapter 50 already?! Half way to 100! Woo! At any rate, enjoy this special milestone chapter on today, the two-year anniversary of this story!**

* * *

-Chapter 50: You and Me-

Location: Jedi Temple/The Dominance

"Anyone can catch your eye, but it takes someone special to catch your heart."

 _In the office of the Supreme Chancellor..._

"So The Wraith managed to evade you..." Palpatine mused in summary as Corsair finished delivering his report. With him was a holographic render of Commander Thrawn, the Chiss strategist still on Takodana.

"Yeah, 'e did. But not befor' we pumped 'im fulla' slugs. I guarantee, Chancellor, ya won't be seein' him on tha battlefield any time soon." Corsair replied.

"But he was not defeated permanently, as per our contract." Palpatine continued with disappointed look in his eyes. Corsair went unmoved, reading the Chancellor's body language like a holotext.

"I know what yor thinkin', Chancellor. We didn't delivah as promised, I'm all blustah and no results, and the like. But this kriffer ain't yor average target. He's no businessman or politician, he's a damn supah-soldiah for Force-sake!" He responded. "We didn't quite know what we was gettin' inta. But now that we do, we'll gladly hit 'im again when 'e rears 'is head again."

"If that is your plan, then you will have to do it on your own time." Palpatine stated. "You failed to deliver according to our deal, therefore you will be paid half of the original price. Our business is concluded." Anticipating a reaction, Palpatine's hunch soon proved correct as Corsair responded to his words of termination. He walked right up to Palpatine and leaned over his desk, a very serious look on his face.

"We ain't goin' nowhere, Chancellor." The Titan leader bluntly stated. "That kriffer cost me resources. I got unfixable droids and three o' my men are in sick bay 'cause a' him. This _was_ just business, Chancellor... but now 'e's made it personal." He explained. Palpatine simply nodded at his words. "We will be tryin' again... with or without ya." Corsair declared.

Palpatine smiled.

"I understand your dedication... and it has given me the evidence I needed." He said with a smile. Pulling a datapad out of his desk, he slid it across to Corsair. "Instead of completing our original deal, I would like to offer you an open contract to fight with the Galactic Republic. The Titan Conglomerate has proven their invaluable worth in their ability to outthink and outfight The Wraith, two qualities we have been missing up until now. Commander Thrawn has already vouched for your prolonged employment and highly recommended your company to me." He informed him. Then, leaning forward, he continued in a far more inviting tone. "If you do agree, I can promise you a very modest, if not extremely generous, rate of pay." Corsair straightened up, thinking over the Chancellor's offer. He pulled a fresh cigarra from his vest and lit it, taking a few puffs and blowing a few smoke rings before he replied with a smile of his own.

"Where do I sign?" Gesturing to a spot on the datapad, Palpatine watched as Corsair completed the deal, sealing it and binding the Titan Conglomerate to the Republic's service. "Much obliged Chancellor, and to you, Commandah." Corsair thanked them, leaving with smug look on his face. Palpatine and Thrawn watched him go, their own thoughts on the matter in mind.

"Although their work did not provide the results we all desired, it was, nonetheless, a victory." Palpatine determined, turning to the Chiss. "You were right to recommend them, Commander Thrawn." The Chiss tilted his head in silent recognition.

"I thank you for being willing to give them the opportunity they needed, Chancellor." He calmly replied. "I'm sure that they will prove to be most beneficial against The Wraith and his schemes as the war continues. But to that end, I have a favor to ask of you, Supreme Chancellor." Thrawn continued, quickly switching from praising reports to business. "I would like to request your permission to send an auxiliary fleet to Kamino immediately and ask that I oversee operations there." Palpatine was taken aback and for good reason.

"Whatever for, Commander?" He wondered.

"It is to be where the Separatists shall strike next." Thrawn simply stated, surprising Palpatine even further.

"But our intelligence operators have had no word on an impending invasion or planetary assault. Not since the last one that was helmed by General Grievous." He replied, attempting to find the folly in Thrawn's deduction. But the Chiss was adamant in pursuing this course of action.

"I know it is a lot to ask for an outsider, Chancellor. But if you will trust me, I do have a plan in mind." He calmly responded.

* * *

 _Elsewhere in the galaxy, aboard the Dominance..._

Striding through the halls of the Dominance, Count Dooku moved at a quick and determined pace, proceeding straight to the heavy cruier's medical bay. He had received a report from Doctor Scipio and was determined to be here in person in order to follow through.

The information he was about to receive would determine how the Separatists proceeded next in the Clone Wars.

Stopping at a door, the twin panels slid open to reveal a spacious room containing a multitude of scientific equipment and a bed surrounded by the Pau'an doctor as well as Admiral Sereva. In the bed, was a heavily bandaged Wraith, still recovering from his fight on Takodana. His face concealed by heavy wrappings around the left side, Wraith certainly didn't look as fearsome and intimidating as he normally did. Turning to see Dooku enter, Wraith weakly raised an arm in salute.

"Sir... I'd sit up, but I barely have the strength to." He greeted. Dooku excused him with a passive wave of his hand.

"That is quite understandable, Wraith." He replied, approaching the foot of the bed. "It pleases me to know that you have survived the encounter. However, I must ask that you tell me whatever you know about these assailants that attacked you. I do not ask for a full report, just whatever information you can give me." Wraith gave a small nod.

"That won't be too hard, sir." He softly replied. He went on to recount his story to him as best he could, most of the far more 'impactful' moments from the encounter fresh in his mind. He told them everything he could remember, but his information was hindered by his limited vision and hearing throughout the night. He told them what he could, Dooku nodding and listening to his every word, a curious Scipio and Sereva also attentive to a report which, up until now, they did not fully understand. Then Wraith looked up with a far more determined fire in his eyes. "I think I figured this all out." He stated. A curious Dooku nodded for him to continue.

"Go on, soldier."

"There's only one reason why the Republic would supplement their forces with such mercs: they're running out of Clones." Wraith stated, revealing his deduction. Dooku paused and grew thoughtful, considering this new development. If it proved true, there could be startling ramifications for both sides depending on how they responded to such information.

"Which would mean that the most prudent course of action is to attack Kamino." Dooku determined. Wraith gave a nod.

"My thoughts, and recommendation, exactly sir. Without more Clones to replace those lost to us, not even a mercenary band can stop an army." He replied. After a few more moments of careful consideration, Dooku nodded in approval.

"A prudent insight, soldier. I commend your forward thinking in spite of this trial." He said. Wraith tilted his head in acceptance before leaning back and into the soft bed behind him, rest his weakened muscles while the Sith turned to the Twi'lek by his side. "Admiral Shak, I need you to come with me." Sereva moved to obey, following Dooku out into the hall and knowing her bedside manner came second to the will of her leader.

"How may I serve you, my lord?" She politely inquired.

"We shall heed Wraith's advice and seek to attack Kamino at once. I am putting you in charge of the fleet and the preparation of the invasion force. Feel free to make use of one of the Subjugators and prove their power over the Republic forces." Dooku informed her. Sereva agreed and bowed.

"I will go at once, my lord." She stated. Upon rising, Sereva quickly noted Dooku's furrowed brow and realized that something seemed off with him. "Does something trouble you, sir? You look troubled." She wondered. The Count looked to her.

"My trouble, Admiral, is that Wraith claims a simple mercenary group cannot defeat an entire army." Dooku replied. "And yet they managed to defeat a one-man army with relative ease."

* * *

 _Back on Coruscant..._

Within the halls of the Senate, Ahsoka Tano sat by herself near a window, bathed in the mid-day sunlight. Her expression was downcast, one of solemn reflection. Her gaze was turned downwards to her hands, where a single communicator lay cradled.

It was the communicator Wraith had given her on Wasskah.

Convinced of his death via the horrific vision she'd experienced, this was all that Ahsoka had left to remember Wraith by. His simple gesture of attempting to reach out to her and help her... now a memento of the man who used to be.

She was waiting for Anakin to arrive so they could speak with Chancellor Palpatine. But in silent, quiet moments like this one, Ahsoka grew forlorn and quiet, her depression no longer suppressed as when she was around others. It was her true self, the part of her hidden beneath a mask of youthful courage and attitude she dared not let anyone see past. In moments like this, all she wanted was to be alone so she could wallow in her suffering.

"Ya really thought that you could get 'im ta turn?" A startled Ahsoka looked up to see Corsair leaning against a nearby doorway. "Sorry luv, but Wraith already spilled too much blood fer that ta happen." He continued. Ahsoka was momentarily dumbfounded by his words.

"W... What're you-?" Corsair smirked and approached her.

"It's alright, luv, yor secret's safe with me. I know all about yor effaht's to try and 'redeem' The Wraith." The merc revealed, surprising Ahsoka. How did he know about this. Sure her belief in his salvation was known by the Jedi, but not her attempts. That was something she had only ever shared once with...

With Commander Thrawn...

"But ya can take it from me, sweetheart, no one evah really changes. They nevah do. That sad excuse of a bugger is only interested in whatevah's undahneath that skirt a' yors. If ya truly believe that 'e really feels anything for ya, then yer an even bigger fool 'n 'e is." Corsair crudely remarked. Ahsoka felt a fervor burn within her, scowling at the Titan leader. She wouldn't dare share with him how she knew of Wraith's death, but was still determined to defend her choices.

"Let's get one thing straight, you kriffing sleemo! I know what I've seen under Wraith's helmet, and I know that there was a man who needs help." She retorted, hands balled into fists. "The fact that he feels-... felt something for me that went beyond what his superiors dictated was evidence enough! And before you call me a fool, the only fool here is the one who believes people can't ever change!" Corsair calmly listened as Ahsoka continued her tirade, arms crossed and a smug look on his dirty face. "I don't care what you've gone through to get to this point, but keep your foul thoughts to yourself! Your job is to fight, not give your smoke-addled opinion!" Ahsoka exclaimed. Corsair couldn't help but chuckle at her irritated state, more than ready to mock her.

"Of tha many things that kriffer is, a good man was nevah one of 'em, and the only 'help' 'e needs is some medical attention..." He stated, then paused, reconsidering his choice of words. "Scratch that, 'e's prolly dead on the floor by now." Ahsoka winced. He had no idea. "And even if he ain't, by some miracle, I guarantee that ya'll be disappointed when Wraith shows 'imself for the damn bastard 'e truly is. Jus' remember that when 'e bends ya over. It's best ya just rip that bandage off now." The Togrutan stood speechless, aghast that this human would so willingly resort to crude, lowlife-level terms. With his spiel completed, Corsair made to leave. "You'll thank me latah." He called over his shoulder.

"No I won't." She quietly growled, glaring daggers at Corsair's back as he left.

* * *

 _Later that day..._

"Well, the scars will be permanent, just like all the others." Scipio mused as he studied his work. "That and I've had a moment to examine the remains of your armor and tech. None of it is salvageable, I'm afraid. It's all been completely trashed."

"Hmph." Wraith grunted, begrudgingly accepting the fact he was no longer symmetrical.

"Oh don't be so sour." Scipio chided him, putting his data away and helping Wraith off the bed.

"A harder task than you realize, given how I feel." Wraith replied, tentatively feeling the bandages wrapped around his face.

"That is fair." Scipio mused, sizing up Wraith's stability and wanting to make sure he didn't fall. "I've done what I can. What you need most is some rest. You can take those bandages off in an hour, your body should be almost fully healed." He stated.

"I hope so." Wraith rumbled, hissing in minor pain as he stretched his legs and raised himself to full height. He'd made remarkable progress in terms of overcoming several of his wounds, Project Phoenix the likely reason for that. But now his body needed to work on overcoming his other injuries. Scipio had done what he could.

"Do you need help, my boy?" The Pau'an wondered as he came alongside Wraith, taking an arm over his shoulder.

"Yeah... That'd be safest." Wraith agreed and allowed the doctor to help him out of the medical lab and down the hall to his room. It was slow going, mostly due to Wraith's increased size, inability to move fast due to his pain and Scipio's smaller, slightly-less supportive body. But they eventually did arrive in Wraith's room and the Pau'an eased his super-soldier down onto his bed. "Thanks Doc." Wraith replied as he removed himself.

"Don't mention it, my boy." Scipio replied as he made to leave. "Now get some rest."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Wraith mumbled as Scipio left. Laying down on his bed, Wraith allowed his muscles to rest and closed his eyes, quickly falling asleep.

* * *

 _An hour later..._

After a rather fruitless talk with Chancellor Palpatine about the prolonged stay and extended use of the Titan Conglomerate, Ahsoka returned to her room in the Jedi Temple and promptly plopped down on her bed with a sigh.

Things weren't going well.

The Republic seemed to have reached an all-new low. Not only did Chancellor Palpatine approve of these lowlife mercenaries, but he had just granted them a long-term contract as well! Meaning that foul-mouthed Corsair and the rest of his ilk would be sticking around a lot longer than both she and Anakin would like.

That and their roles as the Republic's new 'Wraith hunters', a fact that she would never be on board with... not that it mattered now. Wraith was dead, she watched him die, and that was something she would have to live with.

Ahsoka sadly sighed at the horrific memory, another one of many nightmares to continually plague her. Although she'd rather not bring it up, Wraith had become quite the integral part of wartime life that it would be hard to not refer to him. And Ahsoka knew that, any time she or someone else did, she would be the only one to feel regret and despair.

Alone again... naturally, so it seemed...

Then Ahsoka felt a sudden sensation through the Force, like she was no longer alone and looked up to see another portal had opened up to reveal a darkened room she was fairly familiar with.

It was Wraith's room.

At first, the teenage Togruta looked on with sadness and a sort of bitterness towards the Force for opening this up to her, wishing not to be reminded of the man she believed was dead. But then her hearing picked up steady, rhythmic breaths, rising and falling in a common pattern. Squinting her eyes, Ahsoka peered into the darkened room and quickly picked out the shape of a bed... and a body on it.

Hope fluttered within her and for a quick moment Ahsoka wondered if this was indeed The Wraith, contrary to her vision, not dead.

"Wraith...?" She hesitantly wondered in a soft, weak voice like she wasn't quite willing to submit entirely to her feelings and held on to the notion that this might be teasing her, tormenting her about what had been. The body stirred and a pair of glowing, amber eyes turned to her, causing Ahsoka's heart to momentarily skip a beat.

"Ahsoka?" Wraith asked in his own soft voice. Ahsoka gasped in surprise as the super-soldier in question slowly lifted himself up.

"Wraith, you're... you're alive!" She exclaimed.

"Yes... I am." He slowly replied.

"I watched you die! I saw it happen in my mind! It was like a... a-a-a-a vision, but so much more intense!" She quickly explained, tripping over her words in her hurry to tell him everything. "I felt you die, I could just... feel it, deep in my heart." Wraith paused where he sat, dwelling on her startling words.

"That sounds just like what I experienced on Celanon." He quietly mused, a little disturbed by the fearful symmetry of both their visions.

"It was so believable, though. After having seen you so wounded and hurt... it was easy to think those slugs had been the death of you." She quietly added with a distant, sad look. Wraith chuckled.

"If an orbital bombardment couldn't kill me, I doubt this could've." He remarked, standing up.

But Ahsoka didn't find his words nearly as funny.

"Wraith, I'm being serious!" She exclaimed with a slight frown, her tumultuous feelings suddenly flaring up.

"I'm... I'm sorry. You're right." He apologized. Ahsoka accepted his apology and simmered down, realizing she had let her peronsal stake in this take far too great a hold of her.

Such was not the Jedi way.

"Are you okay?" She wondered, changing topics to a far more important subject. Wraith' did answer immediately and, instead, reached up to his face and began to unravel the bandages wrapped around it. Ever so slowly, swaths of cloth fell to the bed as they was peeled away from his head. Scipio had said he could take it off after an hour, he supposed now was as good a time as any. With the last of the bandages removed, Wraith straightened up and breathed deeply.

"I've been better." He whispered. Rising from his bed, Wraith walked towards Ahsoka and into the light. His lean and chiseled face was revealed to her once more as were the two new scars, the ones Corsair had given him, that cut broadly from the corner of his left eye down to the corner of his mouth, stretching across his entire cheek. Two red marks that stood out in contrast to his pale skin. He wore a loose-fitting, white shirt, where bulges of bandages stuck out from underneath. In all honesty, Wraith was not fond of his scars whatsoever.

But to Ahsoka, well... they had a very... one might say, _moving_ effect on her. She felt a fluttering in her stomach as she took in the sight of Wraith's handsome face with the addition of these scars. Something about them made him look even more rugged and manly, enough to stir some deep-seated emotions Ahsoka had never really dabbled in. "Could be worse... I guess. But these are some... permanent features I'll have to get used to now." He quietly said. Ahsoka watched him speak, taking in the sight of the real, true Wraith using his own voice... and swallowed nervously. His good looks combined with his deep, masculine voice and he had what it took to make her melt. Ahsoka felt her face warm up a little as she realized this, her montrals unconsciously turning a shade darker. Wraith looked up, his amber gaze meeting hers, seemingly waiting for her to respond. "You were expecting something more... grotesque?" He wondered.

"W-What? No, I... I, um... W-Well..." Ahsoka stammered, tripping over her words as she was shaken from her reverie. Wraith lightly chuckled.

"It's okay. I get it." He assured her. Stepping even closer. It was his turn to ask. "How are you doing?"

"Okay, I guess. The past while has been... pretty rough." Ahsoka slowly answered. Wraith nodded.

"I understand." He replied. The days after his vision of Ahsoka's own apparent demise had been dark and depressing, weighing heavily upon him. He wondered just how similarly Ahsoka felt... "How about your... 'other' issue?" Wraith asked, choosing to broach a far more sensitive topic. He had to wonder about Ahsoka's emotional response to her vision, considering her current struggle and how prevalent it seemed to be. The teenage girl seemed to freeze and she stammered out a partial reply,

"I'm... I-I-I... Well..." Wraith's honed intuition led him to deduce that Ahsoka was fumbling for an answer, her expression very telling of her quandary of whether she should lie to him or not. He took the initiative and got right to the point.

"You cut again. Didn't you?" He quietly asked, his expression neutral, denoting neither disappointment or any other negative emotion. Ahsoka did not say anything, looking away as her eyes denoted her own disappointment in herself. As much as she wanted to hide it from him, her guilt was all too obvious. "I do not look on you with condescension or judgement, Ahsoka." Wraith whispered in encouragement. Ahsoka made no move to accept his words, still ashamed to even discuss this with him. "Show me." He quietly asked, determined to help her without being too overwhelming in his approach. After a moment of hesitation, Ahsoka stood and reluctantly pulled off her gloves to reveal her bandaged arms, splotches of dried blood staining them in areas along the length of her forearm. Evidently they were fairly fresh, given the presence of blood, meaning it hadn't taken long for her to spiral into a depression. Giving his head a slow sorrowful shake, disappointed that he failed her, Ahsoka started speaking.

"I... I thought I failed you." She softly said, her voice threatening to break. "The pain I felt in that moment was so overwhelming... I couldn't bear it." Wraith stepped as close as he thought he could to her, desperate to offer her some comfort in some form. He knew what he desired, but that seemed to be an impossibility...

"I just want to hold you..." He whispered as he reached for her hand, half expecting his to pass through her...

But then, having drawn close enough, he felt her skin instead.

In that instant, Ahsoka was no longer in the Jedi Temple but there, in his quarters. To Ahsoka, Wraith was no longer on the Dominance, but right there in her room in the Jedi Temple. Both of them were immediately with each other, no longer separated. Ahsoka gave a quiet gasp of shock and looked up at Wraith as she felt his hand against hers.

"Wr-Wraith?" She stammered, both awed by his sudden presence and the startling transition. Wraith said nothing, but his expression denoted his own surprise. After taking a moment to get over the sudden change, the super-soldier realized he could now act on his desires and slowly drew Ahsoka into a hug. The surprised Togruta gave in without resistance, meekly becoming enfolded within his arms and pressed up against his chest as Wraith hugged her close. She could feel warmth radiating from his body, a lot of it in fact, something that surprised her.

He felt so... organic... and normal...

"You needn't be ashamed of yourself, Ahsoka." Wraith whispered, lightly stroking her back. The closeness was comforting and a welcome change from the typical at-arms-length cold professionalism the Jedi often practiced. Although Anakin might've pushed the rules to try and form a bond with her, such open affection was... really appreciated. Guiding her face towards his, Wraith continued speaking, "Please... don't ever hurt yourself on my account. Okay?" He pleaded with her. "I'm here. I survived. I'm alright." His hands rose until they were cupping her face. Looking into his scarred appearance, Ahsoka couldn't help but feel that flutter in her stomach again. To see him whole and healthy again... it awakened something in her that she couldn't deny. Her emotions swelled and she felt an unstoppable urge to act on her feelings. Wrapping her arms around Wraith's neck, Ahsoka reached up on the tips of her toes and kissed him without hesitation.

Much like how he'd surprised her with a kiss on Lola Sayu, now it was her turn.

A surprised Wraith closed his eyes and reciprocated her affection, until Ahsoka pulled back with a rather breathless look. Wraith could feel his heart absolutely racing in the aftermath. Ahsoka had initiated a kiss with him!

"That was... unexpected," he softly whispered, a grin growing on his face, "but not unwelcome." Ahsoka, however, suddenly appeared hesitant and regretful of her actions.

"I-I-I shouldn't have done that..." She stammered, "I'm sorry." She apologized as she made to pull away from him.

"Ahsoka," Wraith's grip tightened a little, keeping her close, "it's okay." He said.

"But... B-But I'm a Jedi! I can't just give in to my feelings like that." She retorted, trying to make him understand where she was coming from.

"You needed an outlet, you couldn't keep it bottled up. I understand." Wraith replied. "I won't fault you for giving in-"

"Wraith, you're bleeding!" Ahsoka suddenly interrupted, her gaze drawn to his shirt. Wraith looked down to see patches of dark crimson starting to form along the length of his body, his blood evidently having seeped through the bandages... from wounds that Scipio had claimed were healing.

"Indeed, I am..." He observed, keeping calm. He looked up to Ahsoka. "Do you still have the communicator I gave you?" He asked. She nodded. "Call me if you need to vent. I want to help." Wraith told her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to tend to this." Ahsoka watched him take a step back and make to leave and, just like that, he vanished. Ahsoka blinked and looked around in confusion, Wraith nowhere to be seen.

She really needed to figure out what this was between them...

Sensing a familiar presence walking past her door, Ahsoka hurriedly threw her gloves back on, left her room and quickly caught up to Anakin.

"Hey Master!" She called, gaining his attention. The Knight slowed down as she came alongside him.

"What's up Snips?" He wondered with his trademark grin.

"Have you ever heard of other Jedi being connected across space/time?" She asked, getting right to the point. Anakin raised an eyebrow and gave her a slightly befuddled look.

"That's a pretty specific question, Ahsoka." He replied.

"Yeah I know. But I read about it in the archives and I got really curious." She explained, quickly forming an excuse. Anakin seemed to readily accept it and continued.

"As far as I know, that's part of a Force bond." He told her. Ahsoka was immediately rooted to the spot and worked very hard to hide the absolute astonishment she felt.

"A... A Force bond?" She repeated.

"It's a kind of connection between two Jedi's Force sensitivities that allows them to see and feel what the other is thinking." Anakin explained. Ahsoka seemed distant, clearly dwelling on what he had to say. "Does that answer your question?" He wondered.

"Yeah. Thanks Master." Ahsoka quickly replied. Anakin nodded and continued on his way, leaving Ahsoka alone with her shock and surprise. "A Force bond...?" She repeated. Putting two and two together, she realized that there were, potentially, ramifications that could change the entire landscape of the war... and maybe even the future of the galaxy. "Does... D-Does that mean...?" She wondered to herself, trailing off.

* * *

Walking through the halls of the Dominance, Wraith was determined to get some answers from Scipio. The Pau'an had claimed that Project Phoenix had initiated the healing of most of his wounds, many of which were located around his torso. For them to open up so suddenly and after such a potent concoction had been applied, Wraith couldn't help but question if something was-

 _You know, back there, would've been the perfect time to tell her._ Voice interrupted.

"Leave my feelings to me, voice." Wraith replied.

 _Don't I get a say? I mean, this is my body to, and I also find Ahsoka to be a real looker... that and her tenacity and wholesomeness are quite attractive as well._ Voice stated. Wraith snorted.

"Perhaps you and I are not so different after all. Although perhaps you failed to notice her immediate remorse after kissing me in your examination of her form...?" Wraith shot back.

 _Baby steps. She doesn't know how you truly feel about her. A little genuinity can cure a ton of uncertainty._ Voice informed him.

"Well... it is a matter for later." Wraith declared, turning aside and entering, Scipio's lab. "Doc?" He called, not immediately seeing the Pau'an. "Hey Doc!" He called again. This time, Scipio rounded a corner with a questioning look.

"Wraith? My boy, what are you doing up and about like this? You should be resting." He stated as he walked over.

"And I would be, if it weren't for the fact that I'm still bleeding." Wraith informed him, gesturing to his red-stained shirt. "See?" Scipio looked closely at his wounds and his expression changed from curiosity to concern.

"Those wounds should've healed by now."

"Yeah, I know. But I'm not healing." Wraith agreed. Scipio fell into a thoughtful state as he pondered this worrisome development. Project Phoenix should've cured those by now. To see them open again was cause for concern. "You think one of those slugs might've been laced with a neurotoxin? Like a blood-thinner?" Wraith theorized. The notion sparked a fresh curiosity in the doctor.

"I don't know. But such a phenomenon is worrying." He mused, turning and walking to a nearby table where he fetched a syringe. "I'm going to run some tests." He informed Wraith as he took a sample of blood and moved next to a machine, where the sample was inserted and the contents analyzed. Both super-soldier and doctor waited patiently for the results to come in, and were rewarded when a nearby datapad pinged, the results having been uploaded.

"Well, Doc? What's the word?" Wraith wondered as Scipio took the tablet in hand. Scrolling through the findings, Scipio's scientific eye quickly noted the familiar chemical compounds.

"There is definitely a neurotoxin in your system... and it does indeed appearance to be a blood-thinner." He confirmed. Wraith nodded in acceptance, proud to see his hunch proven correct. "I'll see if I can pin it down exactly and then whip up a-" Scipio started to say, but trailed off as he continued to read the results. Revealed to him were numbers so striking that it caused his jaw to drop and his face to turn ashen as a new worry totally consumed him. Wraith took note and leaned over, curious himself.

"Doc? What is it?" He asked. Scipio turned to him with fear and dismay written all over his lined face.

"My boy... your body is deteriorating."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Just want to take a quick moment to celebrate this story's second-year anniversary, and thank all of you for your support over the past two years. This story would not have come this far if it wasn't for you all and I strive to put out a story everybody can get behind and enjoy. I write for you, just want y'all to know that. So why don't you all sound off and tell me what your favourite moment has been so far, I'm curious!**

 **Extra special shoutouts go to: SAK-96 for all the conversations and hundreds of ideas, Baraqel for reasons yet to be seen (unless you've read his story :), my Dad for all his contributions and reinforcements, and to everyone who has favourited and followed this story. You all ROCK!**

 **Stick around, the summer's just getting started and Wraith's tale is far from over!**


	87. Bad News

-Chapter 51: Bad News-

Location: The Dominance

"Some troubles are lying just beneath the surface."

"It's _what?!_ " Wraith exclaimed, dumbstruck by the grave news Scipio had just delivered. The doctor slowly shook his head in confirmation.

"I... I'm afraid your cellular structure is becoming unstable, hence the reason why your wounds haven't healed." He replied, looking over the worrying findings once more.

"But... how? That's impossible!" Wraith spluttered.

"I know such notions seem beyond the realm of possibility, but these decay rates don't lie." Scipio replied, flipping around the datapad. "Look, this is what your body should be like." He said, gesturing to the wholesome cellular matrix displayed on it. Wraith nodded, it was your average biological chart of microbiotic pathways. "And this is what it currently looks like." Scipio continued, swiping down to reveal the degenerated cells. Wraith looked on with widened eyes, blanching as he studied the terrifying results.

"...so bizarre..." He muttered, eyes roaming the data. "The proteins... everything's low." He realized, seeing that the numbers displayed did not add up to his regular readings. "But why?" He wondered, looking to Scipio. The doctor shrug as he set the datapad aside.

"At the moment, I do not know. But what this does tell me is that such actions are as a result of a failing neurological cycle-"

"In Basic, Doc."

"Right, sorry. Um... the numbers suggest that your brain is seemingly unable to tell your body to heal, indicating that your brain is not properly communicating with your cells and telling them to begin regeneration. This indicates that your neurological pathways are breaking down, quite possibly even eroding over time." Scipio reiterated, putting forth his hypothesis.

"Eroding?!" Wraith exclaimed, not liking the sounds of that at all. "What the hell kind of blood-thinner neurotoxin does that?" Scipio did not reply and fell silent as he pondered the quandary before them. He did not speak for some time, leaving Wraith alone with his own troubled thoughts. When he did finally speak, his words were grave.

"I... do not think it is the neurotoxin's doing." He said at length. Wraith looked to him, urging him to continue. "There is only one possible means for your neurological pathways to erode in such a manner: and that is for them to be used and abused far too much than they are supposed to be." His suggestion was dark and even Scipio was reluctant to speak it. If it were true, then this was his own fault with no one else to blame. "My theory is that the constant hijacking of your mental pathways has started to unravel your brain and cause the rest of your bodily systems to come undone. I'm not certain if that's exact, but the evidence seems to point to the mental hijacking as the cause." He finished and Wraith slowly sat down in a nearby chair, trying to comprehend the idea that the very augments that made him who he was were now killing him.

"Can your findings confirm that?" He wondered, hoping that he might be wrong. But Doctor Scipio was adamant.

"Think, my boy. Think! What other chemical or compound do you have in your body that takes control of your mind like RGE-Seven and Protocol Four? It's the only logical conclusion." He stated. Wraith fell silent, not knowing what to think or what to do. "When was the last time you were enraged?" Scipio wondered.

"Celanon." Wraith answered, recalling the moment of Ahsoka's death and how he'd snapped accordingly. Maybe he needed to tell Scipio the truth. "But it wasn't like every other time." He added, causing Scipio to turn to him with a curious look on his face, "I saw these... nightmarish images flash through my mind. It's almost like I was manipulated somehow. I've... never felt more angry than in that moment." He revealed. The extremity of the moment gave Scipio pause and he quickly considered Wraith's emotional behavior and how it often swung between extremes... and there was, typically, one reason behind them.

"Did they involve Ahsoka Tano?" The Pau'an asked. Wraith was hesitant to reply, but finally nodded his head and replied with a quiet,

"Yes." Scipio nodded in understanding.

"Interesting." He mused, drawing a correlation between the two. "However, it does make sense as to why we're only figuring this out now. You used Protocol Four to escape from the Titan Conglomerate, after a most gruelling ordeal, and you reached unprecedented levels of rage on Celanon after extraneous circumstances." Scipio summed up, highlighting the pattern in such a way that even Wraith could see. "Perhaps the gross culmination finally revealed this problem to us. Maybe it has been simmering under the surface all this time." He summarized. "It would appear that the repeated uses of RGE-Seven and the Protocol Four compound have proven... detrimental to your health." They both sat in silence after that, dwelling on

"Those chemicals need to be flushed from your system. Immediately. I will not have these augmentations be the death of you." Scipio finally said in a determined voice. "It's my fault that you were injected with original, improperly tested versions. I should've done further testing beforehand." He lamented. Wraith's gaze snapped to him with a quizzical look.

"Improperly tes-" He started to say before cutting himself off, "Doc, I thought these versions _were_ the finished product."

"They're not. They're the versions that finally worked." Scipio revealed. "All of our hypothetical experiments seemed to dictate nothing more than full functionality, despite the hijacking. It appears we were wrong." The Pau'an fell silent again as he performed a few mental calculations of how to possibly fix the problem. "Now that we understand this, I know what I must work on. But we must remove them both, there's no time to lose!"

"But... I can't afford to lose RGE-Seven!" Wraith protested. "Without it, I won't be able to... to, well... rage." His Feral Rage had become such a signature move of his that he questioned how he could possibly escape a tight situation without it. Hell, even Tyth's true potential was tied to his ability to snap.

"I know. And it will be up to me to develop a stable replacement. But until then, every time you rage with this current compound in your veins you run the risk of having your body fall apart." Scipio replied. "And your survival is paramount. We'll have to go back to basics for the time being."

"Well... what about Protocol Four? If you get rid of that... will it change my eyes?" Wraith then asked, sounding a little hopeful.

"The shape and color of your eyes is a result of our genetic additions, my boy. The latent genetic properties of the four specific predators merely lays dormant within you until the Protocol Four serum is activated by the trigger words. Only then do those genes come into effect." Scipio explained. It was a complicated two-part process that had taken years to develop. There had once been a suggestion to simply increase the number of visual cells in his eyes and avoid Protocol Four altogether. But the need for escape was greater than the ability to see far and so the idea was scrapped. Scipio had to wonder how more effective it might've been...

"So I'll be stuck with the visual reminder of what I can't use..." Wraith grumbled.

"Until I develop a suitable replacement." Scipio assured him, laying his hand on Wraith's shoulder. "I'm going to the medical wing, you're welcome to join me if you like." He invited. But Wraith shook his head.

"If it's all the same to you, Doc, I need to think about this." He responded. Scipio nodded.

"I understand."

* * *

Hours passed as Scipio worked meticulously to develop a solution to cure Wraith of his new ailment. After some time, he had one and set to work on the proper modifications. It took a combination of scientific knowhow and mechanical expertise in order to put it together and Scipio spared nothing in his quest to see Wraith made whole. All the while, said super-soldier sat by himself in the main wing of the lab, pondering the problems he now faced. How could he do what he did without such supplements like RGE-7? Part of his entire character was his ability to rage with such force that none could stand against him. Now he was being forced to reinvent who he was and how he acted... Scipio was right, he would have to get back to basics. Hopefully he could learn on the fly...

For a brief moment, he considered calling Ahsoka and informing her of this development. But he cast down that thought in favor of simply fixing the problem before it got too far out of hand. He would be alright, he needn't worry her any further. After all, the idea that she had cut herself believing she had failed him was a powerful concept for him to comprehend. If Ahsoka felt that strongly about him... who knew where this could lead?

"Alright, my boy, I think we're ready for this procedure," Scipio announced as he re-entered the lab. Wraith dutifully rose and followed him over to the medical wing and straight to the resident bacta tank. It turned out that Scipio had been busy re-designing the bacta tank in the center of the medical lab and had effectively modified it with the capabilities necessary to fix Wraith, "I'm going to use gas chromatography in order to separate the compounds from your blood." He stated, pointing to the new generator he'd installed at the base of the tank. "It'll take time, but it will properly filter out every foreign compound in your body." Gas chromatography was a process in which a series of special 'carrier gases' through a liquid mixture sample in order to separate the samples. In this case, Scipio would run a series of carrier gases on a circuit through Wraith's body in order to distill the RGE-7 and Protocol 4 serums coursing through his bloodstream. The chemical solutions would then be filtered out through a modified transfusion machine where they could be easily disposed of.

"Then I guess I should get ready, no point leaving this stuff in me if I can't use any of it." Wraith mused as he pulled off his shirt.

"Quite right." Scipio agreed. Stripping down to his boxers, Wraith left his clothes on the table and promptly ascended the small set of stairs leading to the top of the tank. There Scipio started hooking him up to a series of cords and tubes, the devices necessary for his restoration. They were all wired up to a central component mounted on the roof of the tank where more wires and cables fed the solutions down to the generator at the bottom. Climbing into the tank, Wraith soon found himself immersed in the blue, almost jelly-like liquid. It felt cool and even a little refreshing against his skin and Wraith was soon chest-deep in the stuff. Scipio handed him a medical oxygen mask.

"See you in a bit Doc." Wraith said before slipping it over his face.

"I'll be here when you wake up." The Pau'an assured him as Wraith dipped under the solution. Closing the top hatch, Scipio quickly descended down to the bottom and hurried over to a nearby terminal, where he keyed in the commands to initiate the start-up sequence. A rush of bubbles filled the tank as a white substance started coursing through the tubes connected to Wraith. Closing his eyes, the super-soldier drifted off as Scipio started the process and watched as the levels fluctuated across the screen. Wraith's body hung suspended in the bacta as things got under way, Scipio standing back as everything began to work as it should.

"And now we wait..." The Pau'an mused, folding his arms behind his back.

The Wraith would be ready for action... as soon as this was over...


	88. Scipio's Log 783A

Scipio's Log: Entry 78.3A - The future

" _It has been... two hours since Wraith entered the Bacta tank and two hours since the beginning of the gas chromatography process. So far everything is running as it should be, but I will continue to monitor the process continually._

" _In the meantime, I know have a moment for some much needed thinking. Ever since Wraith's disastrous return from Takodana the absolute flurry of activity hasn't offered me a moments rest to deal with the threat at hand. All I've figured out so far is that Wraith's tech, everything he wore to Takodana, is officially scrap. These mercenaries were able to exploit any and every weaknesses to be found with his armour. Not even the Republic has thought of extreme heat to soften Phrik! Such things indicate the need for a total do-over, a complete re-invention of how The Wraith looks. His original armour design was made with the idea of fluidity and superiority in mind, able to do anything and everything within a moment's notice and prepared for any eventuality._

" _But as this war has shown, the game of one-upping your opponent often brings unexpected changes. Now we must deal with the hand we have been dealt. Things can no longer continue as is. It is time to change The Wraith._

" _I have been considering some ways of revamping his armour. I believe it is time to forgo the bulky nature of his boots and gauntlets, in exchange for something more streamlined and aerodynamic. The armor will have to be total, no more strategic placing or hiding within another uniform. He'll have to put his best face forward... but he'll also have to change the way he operates."_

 _..._

" _A new kind of metal too, something sturdier than Phrik with less of a list of weaknesses. There is one I have heard about. It's tough, rare and will likely drive up our expenses... but will be worth it. Songsteel, they call it. Now I need to find out where I might buy some. Surely they manufacture ingots of the stuff..."_

 _..._

" _You know, I think I'll take a bit of a break myself. These past few hours have been overly stressful and I could stand to have a nap. Maybe eat something too... but then back to work!"_

End of Log


	89. The Pincer

-Chapter 52: The Pincer-

Location: Kamino Orbit

"All warfare is based on deception."

 _Separatist Space..._

The group of six Munificent-class cruisers and two Providence-class destroyers, floated slowly through the vast darkness of space, assembling into formation as the bulk of an invasion fleet. As they did, a mighty shadow slowly enveloped them all, stretching for many hundreds of kilometers until all of the smaller cruisers were in the dark.

Moving into position, above and before them all, was a mighty Subjugator-class heavy cruiser: the Ruination.

One of the many new ships commissioned by the Separatists, the Ruination was a mirror-image of the very first Subjugator: the _Malevolence_ , as well as it's sister ship, the _Dominance_. And just like the Dominance, this cruiser was helmed by a Super Tactical Droid. This one, designated 'Taraki', shaded in dark blue and silver with glowing red photoreceptors and a Separatist emblem painted dead-center of his chest, stood tall and foreboding, head and shoulders above all other droids. In position on the command bridge, Taraki stood before a hologram of Fleet Admiral Sereva Shak.

"Ruination is in position, Admiral." The droid reported in its monotone voice.

"Very good, Captain." The Twi'lek responded. "You will spearhead our assault on Kamino. Destroy the defending fleets in their orbit and make way for our invasion force."

"I am aware of my duties, Admiral. Know that I shall fulfill them in a manner most efficient." Taraki cut in. With that, the droid terminated the call, his self-assessed 'superior programming' already busy making calculations in regards to the Republic's downfall. "Have we plotted a course for the Kamino system?" He asked, turning to a navigational droid.

"Yes sir, this should put us right close to their immediate orbit, as the Admiral recommended." The B1 responded.

"Engage the hyperdrive." Taraki ordered, other pilot and navigational droids quickly running though the power-up sequence. Outside, the ship's engines glowed brightly before the Subjugator shot forward into hyperspace, vanishing from sight. Sereva watched the Ruination leave from the deck of her Providence destroyer _Inferno's Touch_. She couldn't help but watch it's departure with a look of querying concern.

"Something tells me Taraki's processing power is a bit too much for his attitude programming." She mused out loud. So far, the droid's personality component related his nature as a competent, but arrogant and self-assured, individual. She could only hope that he would willingly follow orders and not go rogue on her. The last thing she wanted to deal with was a droid that was far too independent and in need of a restraining bolt.

But that was a matter for another time.

"Wait until Ruination gives us a signal that they've arrived. Then make the jump to Kamino. We'll let Taraki do the dirty work for us... as these heavy cruisers are supposed to do." Sereva ordered her navigational crew, her contrasting red skin and deep blue uniform giving her a very regal appearance indeed.

* * *

 _Elsewhere, Kamino Orbit..._

The Venator-class Republic cruiser Vindicator floated in the space above the stormy, watery world of Kamino, flanked by a pair of Acclamator-class assault ships and another pair of Arquitens-class light cruisers. Aboard the Vindicator'd bridge, staring out the viewport into the vast expanse of space before him, Commander Thrawn stood alone as the pit crew around him worked feverishly to triangulate their scanners. The noble-looking Chiss maintained a steady yet distant gaze as his mind flew through calculations and battle tactics. He was anticipating a Separatist assault on Kamino, based on Wraith's escape and the report he would likely give to Count Dooku. He knew the Supreme Chancellor had been hesitant to permit him the opportunity to command Kamino's naval defenders, but if he could prove himself here and now, he would never be doubted again.

But Thrawn wasn't in this to prove himself or establish his reputation. He was here to do a job.

Turning around, Thrawn approached the Vindicator's holotable where a map of their forces flickered in place. By it was the captain of the cruiser; Mors Vorgand. A veteran Republic navy officer, Mors was a tough and reliable man, but one who preferred to totally understand something instead of just following the off-the-cuff orders of someone else... as he was enduring now working with Thrawn. He knew only parts of the whole parcel and it was starting to irritate him, but he didn't let it show.

"Commander, Stellar Fist is in position, as are Day Fury and Broken Lance." He informed the Chiss as he approached. Thrawn acknowledged him with a calm tilt of his head.

"Very good, Captain. Have them remain in formation until ordered otherwise. The first part of our plan is complete, now we must wait for the Separatists in order to continue." Thrawn softly replied in a thoughtful tone as he studied the map before him. Vorgand straightened up and crossed his arms.

"What exactly is your basis for this plan, Commander? I understand Republic intelligence has no information concerning yet another invasion." He inquired. Thrawn was ready with an answer.

"Since the start of this war, the Separatist super-soldier Wraith has been in combat with Clones and Jedi alone. The other day, he engaged and was chased off by a private military company hired by the Republic. The corellation between these two is that the sudden change would force Wraith to assume that there are not enough Clones to supplement the Republic's army, therefore forcing them to resort to mercenaries. To that extent, he would believe that a successful assault on Kamino would be the end of the Clone Army. This, Captain, is our opportunity to prove him wrong and turn back the Separatists." He explained.

"I see..." Vorgand thoughtfully mused as he stroked his goatee. "So this entire plan is based upon supposition?" He gravely surmised.

"It is a logical extrapolation based upon available evidence." Thrawn calmly responded. "Rest assured, Captain, my analysis is not baseless."

"I just hope we're not wasting resources up here, Commander. The Seppies haven't tried anything since Ventress' invasion failed." Vorgand told him, revealing his private concerns.

"But now they have Subjugator-class cruisers at their disposal. And what better way to display their potential then by having them wipe out the Republic's military?" Thrawn countered. Vorgand could simply shrug and reply,

"I guess we'll see if they act the way you think."

They continued to wait, Thrawn patiently, Vorgand tensely, for the Separatists to arrive. Minutes turned to half an hour, an hour into two. There was no sign of any invading vessels, Vorgand's doubts amplifying with every passing second.

But Thrawn was certain. There was no denying his confidence.

Finally, just when Vorgand was ready to call everything off, one of the bridge's pit crew called out,

"Sirs, incoming vessel! It's dropping out of hyperspace, dead ahead!" Thrawn and Vorgand looked out into the vastness of space to see a massive, triangular shape suddenly explode into existence. Many of the bridge crew gaped at the size of the ship, realizing that they were up against one of the deadliest warships ever introduced into the Clone Wars: the heavy Subjugator-class cruiser.

"Just one..." Vorgand realized, "but one with the potential to wipe us all out."

"A longstanding fact. But it will not go unchallenged." Thrawn calmly remarked. "Captain, please stand by on communications, be ready to signal the other vessels." He politely ordered.

"Right away, Commander." Vorgand responded, moving much quicker now.

* * *

Aboard the bridge of the Ruination, Taraki quickly analyzed the opposing fleet before him. He had been anticipating resistance, surely the world on which the Republic's army was born and raised would not go unprotected.

But he hadn't been expecting so... _little_ resistance.

"Five vessels in total, one Venator, two Acclamators and two Arquitens." One of the navigational droids reported, quickly highlighting each one of the Republic ships on the Ruination's scanner.

"Is this all the Republic has guarding their most valuable world? How... illogical." Taraki mused. However, he would claim this victory with all possible strength. "Charge up the port ion cannon, prepare to bring the bow around, hard to starboard. We will annihilate them in one fell swoop." He ordered, taking a seat and folding his metallic hands together. The battle droids went to work, bringing all of the ship's vital systems online. Other droids relayed orders to posts deeper within the ship to prep the devastating weapon systems, the true power of the Subjugator ready and waiting to be unleashed.

* * *

From his vantage point aboard the Vindicator, Thrawn watched as the hulking Separatist super ship slowly turned to bring its massive, devastating cannon to bear on the Republic fleet.

"Captain, order all ships to advance, throttle up to one-quarter speed." He quietly said. Vorgand obeyed, although hesitant to even draw closer to such a behemoth.

"Understood sir, cruisers Stalwart and Noble are standing by." Thrawn tilted his head in acknowledgment. They may be ready, but he wasn't ready for them yet.

* * *

"Uh, sir? The Republic fleet is advancing towards us." A piloting battle droid informed Taraki.

"What is their heading?" The tactical droid inquired from his seat.

"It's an intercept course, but they're moving at only one-quarter speed." The droid replied, conveying the strange move. But to Taraki, it did not seem strange... it seemed desperate.

"The slow march towards death..." he mused, watching the blips move closer and closer on his screen, "it matters not, ready the ion cannon to fire!"

* * *

Arcs of purple energy jumped from center to edge of the massive circular device prominently placed on the side of the cruiser. For the crew of the Venator, it was an ominous sight, one that would surely signify their end.

But it meant nothing to Thrawn.

"Captain..." The Chiss began, turning back to Vorgand, "give Stalwart the signal." Vorgand nodded.

* * *

With Ruination perfectly perpendicular to the advancing Republic fleet, Taraki believed he had this battle right where he wanted it to be.

But then a sudden alarm changed his plans.

"Sir! We have a fleet coming out of hyperspace on our port side!" The navigational droid reported. Suddenly ramrod straight and very attentive, Taraki turned to see the five new contacts appear on the holomap.

"On screen." He ordered. One of the droids activated a terminal to reveal the second fleet approaching them form the opposite side. It consisted of one Venator, two Acclamators and two Arquitens-class cruisers.

It was completely and utterly identical to the fleet already in their sights.

Taraki's processing froze and glitched out for a second, giving the droid a twitch in his neck joint. He did not know what to do.

"Sir, your orders?" One of the command droids asked. But Taraki did not respond. As silence ensued, the ion cannon still charging up, both fleets opened fire on the Ruination. "Raise the shields!" Droid's started scrambling to coordinate a counterattack, bringing the ship's battery of five-hundered turbolasers online. They struck back with an immense barrage of red laser fire, but the shields of the Republic vessels managed to sustain them under the heavy fire.

"Cut power." Taraki suddenly said. The nearest droid turned to him, confused.

"Sir?"

"Cut power to port ion cannon and redirect it to the starboard cannon." Taraki ordered. "These are reinforcements. We will eradicate them and kill whatever hope the remaining fleet may have."

"Uh... okay."

* * *

"Commander, Stalwart reports the ion cannon facing fleet two is charging up." Vorgand informed Thrawn. Staring out the window, Thrawn watched as the arcs of ionic energy fizzled out as the ion cannon powered down.

"Tell them to maintain course and continue firing," Thrawn calmly replied, "then give the signal for The Noble and The Insurgent to make their jump, upon arrival they are to maintain one-quarter speed and to fire with all of their guns."

"I copy sir."

* * *

"Sir! We've got more ships coming out of hyperspace! Above _and_ below us!" Another nav droid urgently called out. Taraki looked to the holomap to see more Republic vessels dropping out above and below the Ruination, attacking its dorsal and ventral sides.

Again, both fleets were comprised of one Venator, two Acclamators and two Arquitens-class cruisers. They were moving at the same speed and were equal distance away from the Ruination.

Neither of them posed an immediate threat. They were with all the others.

"They're targeting our topside relays, how do we counterattack sir?" Another of the command droid reported from his station. Taraki paused again, a twitch jerking his head to the side as the programming went into overdrive.

"Target the nearest fleet." He commanded. None of the droids responded, some of them sharing confused glances.

"Uh, they're all the same distance away, sir. None of them are closer than the others." One of the nav droids explained. They waited for another response... but none came. A burst of sparks erupted from one of the panels on Taraki's helm, a small plume of smoke following right behind. "Orders, sir?" The droid asked. Another twitch.

"Target the nearest fleet."

"They're... the same distance away, sir." The nearly exasperated droid re-stated.

"Sir, they're trying to wear down our shields! Their fire patterns match those logged in the databanks! What should we do?" Another droid suddenly reported. Taraki's neck-joint spasmed, a rather violent twitch rocking his head as his limbs jolted.

"Target the nearest fleet." He repeated. Now all the droids were sharing confused glances.

"Uh... is he broken or something?" One droid inquired.

"I dunno." It said with a shrug.

"Target the nearest fleet." Taraki repeated in the exact same monotone voice.

"Is there something wrong with him?" Another droid asked.

"Who knows? Those ones were always programmed differently." Another replied.

* * *

Back aboard the Vindicator, Thrawn and Captain Vorgand watched with renewed interest as the heavy cruiser seemed to struggle in its effort to fend off the attacking Republic fleets.

"It hasn't fired its cannon yet." Vorgand noted. "Guess that's good news for us."

"Indeed..." Thrawn thoughtfully mused, crossing his arms and stroking his chin with one hand. Vorgand suddenly disappeared as a communication pit officer flagged him down.

"Sir, Stalwart reports new enemy contacts dropping out of hyperspace." He reported to Thrawn from his crouched position. Thrawn's gaze peered past the Ruination and past the rear-most fleet and watched as a burst of eight more Separatist vessels arrived on the scene, snapping into existence as they exited hyperspace. "That looks like an invasion fleet." Vorgand observed as he stood up, now very worried.

"It does." Thrawn quietly agreed. He studied the changed battlefield for a moment longer, having anticipated this, and turned to Vorgand. "Captain, contact the Stalwart, tell them to keep their focus on the heavy cruiser _and_ to direct Stellar Fist, Dawn's Edge, Savior of Brendol and Wayward Guard to engage the rest of the fleet if necessary." He ordered. Vorgand gave a quick nod.

"Right away sir."

* * *

Standing tall aboard the Inferno's Touch, Sereva watched with a partial frown as she realized the Ruination was beset by four Republic fleets, none of them destroyed yet.

"Droid, the plan was to have the Ruination destroy any and all Republic resistance prior to our arrival, correct?" She inquired of her own nav droid.

"Yes ma'am." The B1 replied.

"Because the Ruination's mega ion cannon would make scrap metal out of any vessel no matter the size, correct?" She continued.

"Uh... yes, ma'am." The droid affirmed.

"Then why the hell hasn't Taraki finished these things off yet?!" She wondered in frustration, even growling a little as she realized this plan was nowhere near complete. None of the droids dared to respond. "Contact the Ruination." The Twi'lek ordered, a channel opened quite quickly and answered by another B1 battle droid. "Ruination, this is Inferno's Touch, just what in the universe is going on over there? Kamino's orbit should be full of scrap by now, not live fleets!" Sereva demanded, her green eyes blazing.

"A-Admiral...! Uh... Captain Taraki is... indisposed right now." The B1 stammered. Sereva crossed her arms, unimpressed.

"Indisposed?" She repeated in a questioning tone.

"Target the nearest fleet." Taraki said in the background.

"For the last time sir, none of them are closer than the others!" Another B1 practically screeched. "That's it! I quit!" It continued, stomping off in the background. The droid answering the call promptly closed it, leaving Sereva alone with her thoughts. Instead of letting her frustration grow and brew, she focused and started analyzing the situation.

"Droid, scan the battle and show it to me on a map." She ordered, an idea forming. Running their fingers over their terminals, a holomap was on presented to the Twi'lek Admiral, displaying the exact positions of the Republic forces. After a few more clicks, mathematical lines calculated the distance between all the ships to reveal a startling conclusion to Sereva. "The Republic ships are all equal size and equal distance from the Ruination." She realized aloud.

"That's... not normal." One of the droids noted. "Is General Skywalker here?" It nervously wondered.

"No... I don't think so." Sereva replied with a shake of her head. Shifting her lekku to over her shoulders, the Admiral grew thoughtful once again. "But someone is... and they know what they're doing." She determined. "Droid, begin recording this battle."

* * *

"Commander Thrawn, the ship's ion cannon has powered down completely." Vorgand reported, adjusting his readings. Thrawn gave a soft nod in response. The Ruination was beginning to follow the path of desperation and confusion, having completely and utterly submitted to Thrawn's plan without even realizing it. Everything was going exactly how Thrawn had anticipated it to go. By comparison to the rest of the Republic officers and captains, who were deeply afraid of the Subjugators after the destruction caused by the Malevolence, Thrawn had no reason to fear them, even now he felt no emotion concerning the ship. But there was one thing he was certain of and that was even these ships could be destroyed. The Ruination had arrived with a fearful reputation surrounding it.

Now it was time to put an end to that reputation.

"Captain. Contact the Valiant. Tell them they are cleared to engage." Thrawn quietly ordered, the time for his grand finale at hand.

"Understood sir." Vorgand replied, then paused and asked, "What of the Allegiant?" The other Venator had been positioned beforehand in case the Ruination had swung to port and not starboard, ensuring Thrawn always had a response to the Separatist cruiser's moves. Thrawn considered it for a moment before turning to Vorgand and replying,

"Tell Allegiant to wait for my signal. We will need its tractor beam eventually."

* * *

Emerging alone from hyperspace, directly behind the Ruination, the Venator-class Valiant opened its bay doors almost immediately. It did not engage the cruiser as the other fleets did, for it had a different role to play.

Two full squadrons of Y-wing fighters emptied out into space, quickly forming up as they made a beeline for the Ruination.

"Gold leader, this is Blue, you readin' me Atmos?"

"Loud and clear Bric."

"We'll handle the engines if you wanna take out their shields."

"Copy Blue. Gold squadron, form up on me. We're gonin' after the shields!"

"Gold two, we're right behind you Gold leader!" Splitting up into two equal groups of twelve, the Y-wings made their attack run.

The first group flew around the bridge that jutted out from the top of the ship and quickly unleashed a battery of proton torpedoes, ion torpedoes, and proton bombs along the dorsal relays, destroying the entire topside of the ship and setting it ablaze, including the Ruination's shield generator. Without the protective energy field, the assaulting Republic fleets were now able to do some real damage, their turbolasers quickly tearing through the ship's armor and superstructure, exploding deep within the vessel and starting to rip it apart. The mega ion cannon on both sides was destroyed within moments, pieces of its structure shorn away from the ship after multiple explosions brought on by the concentrated barrage.

But the downed shields also opened up another opportunity.

The Gold squadron fighters dove straight for the Ruination's engines, unleashing their payload of ion torpedoes right into them. The ensuing explosions of blue energy caused the ship's engines to fizzle and short out, turning dark as the core systems were overloaded. Without basic power, the ship began to lean sharply to starboard, having lost all ability to maneuver. The Y-wings departed as soon as their work was accomplished, the Venators moving into position almost as soon as the Ruination started to roll. From the bridge of Inferno's Touch, Admiral Serena watched as one final Republic cruiser emerged from hyperspace and all six of them lined up along the Ruination's port side. Using their tractor beams in repulsion mode, they successfully pushed the hapless heavy cruiser into Kamino's orbit where gravity, and the extreme heat of an atmospheric re-entry, finished off the once mighty cruiser. The entire ship began to glow red hot and bend inwards as it was slowly torn to pieces by the fall, a true deathblow if Sereva had ever seen one.

"Droid, order the fleet to turn around and plot a course back to Separatist space. This invasion is over." The Twi'lek ordered. The she sighed. "Count Dooku is not gonna be happy about this."

* * *

Aboard the Vindicator, Thrawn watched as the remaining Separatist forces turned and left, escaping into hyperspace. The attempted invasion had been stopped and the Separatists were now down one of their Subjugators. A good day for the Republic for certain.

"Well Commander, I'm not sure what else to say other than thanks. Your superior tactics have won the day." Vorgand remarked, willing to give credit where credit was due.

"The praise is not necessary, Captain Vorgand. I was merely doing my part to protect the Republic." Thrawn humbly replied in his usual calm tone.

"If I may sir, how did you know this would work against that cruiser-crusher?" Vorgand inquired. Having had his doubts beforehand, the veteran captain as now very curious about how Thrawn had approached this.

"A super tactical droid was observed aboard the Dominance when General Windu encountered it for the first time." The Chiss informed him. "Hypothesizing that there would be one commanding this Subjugator, and knowing that such tactical droids work on the premise of threat evaluation, making all of our forces equal in power and distance would prove detrimental to its programming, therefore rendering it useless in the face of battle." Thrawn explained. "Given the results of this skirmish, I should say that I found his abilities quite... lacking. Disappointing, really." With that, Thrawn turned and made to leave the bridge, Vorgand watching him go.

"He's one to watch," he thoughtfully mused, "he's got what it takes to make a Grand Admiral someday."


	90. Ahsoka's Private Journal 4

Ahsoka's Private Journal

" _Whew... things have been busy lately. I haven't written for a while just because there's been a lot going on. Commander Thrawn managed to destroy a Subjugator over Kamino... so, yay..."_

 _..._

" _Wraith is... well... he's healing now, I think. Before that, he found me on Wasskah and we worked together to get out. That was... hard, but it felt good to work with him like that. He was so... human, then. And every time afterwards that I've got to see him and talk with him, he's been a lot more natural and open."_

 _..._

" _He... He knows about my scars now... and my cutting."_

 _..._

 _*sigh* "I didn't want him to find out, but he did. But then he... he started crying. Over me! Oh! And did I mention he kissed me?!"_

 _..._

" _So.. yeah, lotta stuff's been happening... and my thoughts are everywhere. Did I ever make mention of this wierd portal-thingy that keeps connecting us? Yeah, that's also a thing now. Anakin says it's a Force-bond... a FORCE-BOND. Ha! What does that even mean?! Wraith's never used the Force before. Does he even have it? I don't know!"_

 _..._

" _Although, I think the real kicker came after I watched him die... not literally, but it was kinda like a vision... of sorts. I don't know what it was. Anyway, here I am thinking he's dead when all of a sudden he shows up again. So what happens? I... um... I... I kiss him."_

 _..._

 _*sigh* "What else was I supposed to do?! I just kinda lost it in the heat of the moment, getting to see him alive and well, it... it just did something for me and I-I couldn't help it! Force alive what is going on with me these days? Kriff, what's going on with the universe these days...?"_

 _..._

 _..._

" _You know, I'm probably gonna look back on this and think 'where was my head when I wrote this?' So much has been happening and I just haven't had the time to put it down. But now that I do, it's all just spilling out as I try to get everything out." *sigh* "One minute, this war is as predictable as the others have been. The next it throws a crazy curveball that nobody saw coming... pretty sure we're in one of those phases now."_

 _..._

" _But what's next? Something predictable? Or another curveball?"_

End of Entry


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